Karen Gillies
Growing up, all Karen ever knew was that her dad Willie, and her two uncles Jimmy and Gordie, were RCAF during World War II. Apart from the occasional humorous drinking story, or her gramma’s veiled references to Jimmy’s commanding officer having it “in for him”, nobody talked about them – ever.
After her mom’s death, Karen’s dad slipped into a deep depression. In an effort to understand and help him, together, father and daughter embarked on a journey to discover the story of The Boys Nobody Talks About. Starting with Archives Canada, the venture took Karen from the remnants of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan bases in Ontario, Manitoba and Nova Scotia to museums, war memorials and the bases where the boys served in Scotland and England.
Books by this author
The Boys Nobody Talks About
One of the great charms of Karen Gillies’ compelling new book is that it is both quest story and memoir, both historical and modern, both a war-time account and a deeply personal one. To understand her family’s behaviour — and ultimately herself — Karen must go back in time to World War II and follow the trails of three young men. The reader travels alongside her, from 1940’s Canada to Britain and back to Canada, and shares her determination to find answers.
Simply and beautifully written, this book is a compelling portrayal of historical research, surprising discoveries and personal growth.
Memoir author Cynthia Reyes
Softcover copies of this book can be obtained for $15cdn plus shipping by contacting leonardsaunders@oldcroftpublishing.com
Oldcroft Publishing 