Mike December 14, 2022 5-STARS!
Outstanding book. A touching tribute to the authors parents. Phenomenal amount of research. I feel all of us baby boomers should read this as we have some connections to the greatest generation.
Kim Frankford December 6, 2022 5-STARS!
If you enjoy a large slice of love coupled with a smaller slice of war sprinkled with a bit of prayer, this is the book. It shows why we should go the extra mile to support our veterans. They put us and freedom on their shoulders daily and march. SUPERB!
Scroll down for more reviews— some recently added!
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Faith A Ennis:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not a history fan...that will change after reading The Heart of a Soldier
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2023
If Eleanor D. Alspaugh had taught history when I was in high school, I would have learned something! Loved how the author explained WWII in a format that I understood and found interesting. The letters with the background history mixed in made for a history lesson I never expected but thoroughly enjoyed.
Happy to share two new Reader Reviews too!
Darlene Moyer Loved This Book!! 5 out of 5 Stars!
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2023
I loved it! It includes an amazing amount of research. It was heartwarming and yet at times, tear jerking because of what was happening in the war. Sometimes I'd start reading and couldn't put it down. I really think everyone should read this book! It's Excellent!
Amazon Customer 5 out of 5 Stars!
Beautiful, heartfelt letters between a soldier his “girl” during WWII.
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this daughter’s glowing tribute to the love between her parents amid our country’s struggle to defeat the Axis powers. From the home front to the battlefield, Ms. Alspaugh tells the story of World War II and how it impacted the lives of a young couple whose courtship was disrupted — but not thwarted — by war. She also reminds us of what we learned in history class and how it affected everyday Americans. I highly recommend!
The Heart of a Soldier
A charming, heartfelt memoir that proves that love transcends all. This powerful journey through wartime chronicles with uncanny accuracy much that transpired during the war, while gently reminding us of the human component. Christine and George become part of your family as you immerse yourself in this engaging read.
~Tania Pritz, DC
Physician and CEO of www.drtania.com
Excited to get the first official Reviews for my newest Additions!
The Heart of a Soldier Reviewed by Readers’ Favorite — 5 Stars!
Review: The Heart of a Soldier is a work of military non-fiction written by Eleanor D. Alspaugh, the daughter of soldier George Donald. Her work in researching and compiling this riveting account of the years around WWII is a study of the soldier’s psychology, a love story, and a brilliant compilation of views by a daughter of the swirling events of the time. Reading a history book almost always has a void. One gets the facts, details, timelines, but one seldom gets the chance to wrap a person in a warm hug, hear whispers of their hopes and fears, their plans for the future. Eleanor D. Alspaugh has broken through that void with her heartwarming, historically accurate book The Heart of a Soldier: Letters from 1st Sergeant George Donald of the “Super Sixth” Armored Division (1941-45).
Reading this personal work by Eleanor D. Alspaugh is a rare opportunity to merge history with the handwritten view of a man in the middle of it, then blend the view of the young daughter who lived through the aftermath to produce a history-cum-memoir-cum-love story into a book as compelling for the reader as The Heart of a Soldier. I wrapped my arms around Eleanor and cheered her every word, her reflections on her father’s words and his personality, and her candid observations of her own feelings as a participant in the story. No single element of this book is in itself an easy task to write: a summary of war history, images of a man’s day-to-day experiences in uniform through training and into combat, wounded and decorated for bravery, and a memoir of a young girl’s point of view. But Eleanor has brilliantly woven all of these into The Heart of a Soldier. My highest accolades for this book are freely given. As her father’s commanders said: "Well Done."
Excited to share a Review by Maincrest Media! Scored at 4 Stars but it reads like a 5-Star review!
No complaints here!!
Excited to share a wonderful review by Book Excellence (April 17, 2023)! Read on:
The Heart of a Soldier is an astonishing artifact of otherwise lost history; author Eleanor D. Alspaugh, promises and delivers an invaluable perspective.
This fascinating non-fiction book follows the life of Sergeant George Donald, a brave, humble soldier in General Patton’s army, who wrote letters home while on active duty in World War 2. Sergeant Donald served with distinction while fighting his way through Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, and making his way to Hitler’s stronghold in the German Alps.
This collection of preserved letters is a welcome addition to the historical military non-fiction genre, offering a never before seen look at monumental events shown through the eyes of one ordinary man who wrote to his loved ones almost daily while he was away. This offers an incredible first person POV of events which are usually relayed with epic wide shots and viewpoints of generals.
A uniquely touching and personal retelling of WW2, the book offers an honest and reliable account of the struggles, dangers, and admirable camaraderie of everyday troops on the ground. Sergeant George Donald is an inspiring, empathetic, and extremely likeable guide to the humble truth and real-life humans caught up in this horrifying hurricane of global history. – Review by Book Excellence (bookexcellence.com)
When D is For Deployed Reviewed by Readers’ Favorite - 5 Stars!
Readers' Favorite Review: It’s never easy to have one of your parents sent overseas. When you’re young, you want your family close. But those who work in the military, both men and women, have to accept assignments far from home. That’s what it means to be deployed. One small girl is learning what it means for her daddy to be deployed. She can only see her daddy on the tiny screen of her mama’s phone. Through phone conversations, father and daughter try to keep the connection, but the excitement of welcoming her daddy home is slightly overshadowed by the fact that suddenly he looks so much bigger than his image on the phone. With patience, the two resume their father-daughter loving relationship. Eleanor D. Alspaugh’s picture book story, When D is For Deployed, is a touching look at military family life from a young child’s perspective. The author follows a young girl as she carries on with her life with her mama during her daddy’s deployment and the two share stories and special times over the phone, the lasting bond of love creatively being held together. There are lots of colorful photographs to help document the story and the simple language makes it easy for an early young reader to follow along. This is a touching story that will introduce the difficulties young military children face when one of their parents is deployed. Not only will military children appreciate the sentiments in this story, but nonmilitary children will also learn what it’s like to have an absent parent for long periods of time. Beautiful and heartwarming story.A Reader’s Review: 5-Stars!
June 15, 2022
D is for Deployed is a great book for children, whether they have family members overseas or are learning about what that is like for other children who are experiencing that. It really reaches out on the child’s level and my daughter loved the book!
Another Reader's Review Follows! May 5, 2023!!
Great Read and tribute to the children and families of deployed military!
What a sweet and heartwarming story depicting how tough life can be on the children of our deployed soldiers.
It is touching how this family keeps the love flowing between a daughter and her father who is many miles away.
Five Star Professional Reviews & Many More!
Reviewed By Ray Simmons for Readers’ Favorite Review Rating: 5 Stars!
I honestly loved The Mommy-Go-Round by Eleanor D. Alspaugh. I have already been through the child raising years, and it confirmed for me that it’s not easy to raise kids, and that the most important things you can bring to the process are love, patience, and perspective. Eleanor D. Alspaugh does a great job of drawing on the lessons and experiences of her own childhood, and those of her time as a mother, to create a wonderful picture of the American family as it should be. This is not a “How to” book or an instruction manual on raising kids, but I think it would make a great gift for young mothers. I think there are a lot of things a young mother or father can learn from this book and it is very entertaining.
The Mommy-Go-Round is well written, well organized, and very humorous. It covers almost every situation a parent will encounter on the long journey called parenthood. I enjoyed the essays on Christmas and other special days the most. These are the times that stick out in my mind when I think about my own childhood or my time as a young parent. I wish The Mommy-Go-Round had been available when my son was born. I would have had a little bit of a heads up on some of the joys and trials that would come, and I could have been a little better and more understanding helper to his mother. I applaud Eleanor D. Alspaugh for writing The Mommy-Go-Round and, looking at all the beautiful pictures of her happy family taken through the years, I can understand why she had to.
Reviewed By Sarah Stuart for Readers’ Favorite Review Rating: 5 Stars!
The Mommy-Go-Round by Eleanor D. Alspaugh opens with her bumpy road to conception and goes on to record the traumatic birth of her first baby, she and her husband taking their daughter home, and Holly’s early years. The tragedy of miscarriage, and the doubts tests suggested for a second developing new life caused an unplanned gap in the couple’s family and Julianne was born when Holly was four years old. A son, Nathan, pre-natal tests jettisoned with the doubts, completed the threesome. The Mommy-Go-Round follows Mrs. Alspaugh’s joys and trials of being a mother until, unexpectedly, she finds herself preparing to be a grandmother. Throughout this beautifully illustrated book, she tells readers all the things nobody else will about the tumultuous journey of life when a woman, particularly if she is a Christian with high expectations of herself, embarks on motherhood.
Half-close your eyes and The Mommy-Go-Round reads as The Merry-Go-Round and I suspect that this is Eleanor D. Alspaugh’s intention. Full of facts, the reassurance that any reader who is a mother is not alone, and amazingly revealing honesty, this book can best be described as a carousel. If I needed a title for an Amazon reader’s review, it would be “Mommy’s Crazy Carousel, grab your copy NOW.” I laughed, I cried, and recognized familiar feelings of inadequacy. My favorite quote is in the title of chapter two, when Holly’s birth is imminent. “BTW, does this come with ANY instructions?” The Mommy-Go-Round is written in a style that lets you hear Mrs. Alspaugh’s voice as if you were a friend drinking coffee at her kitchen table, assuming there is even time for a Mommy TO sit!
Seriously Reading Review: 5 Stars! 97% Rating! The Mommy-Go-Round is a book about relationships by Eleanor D. Alspaugh. A resident of Carlisle, Alspaugh is the mother of three children and has worked as an assistant vice president. She is a graduate of Shippensburg University, and has been writing since childhood. She is currently working on a book that narrates her father’s World War 2 experiences. However, she has only written one book to date which is ‘The Mommy-Go-Round’. It is a humorous and heart-warming book that talks about motherhood.
The Mommy-Go-Round is a very ‘real’ story that will make you laugh and cry. Alspaugh has written this book in a way that makes it enjoyable to read. There are instances in the book when you will simply laugh out loud. There are also parts that will make you emotional and sad. This book is written for all the mothers out there and the story is something they can easily relate to. Mothers with tweens will find this book especially interesting, as it will take them on one hell of a roller coaster ride. Humor, advice, and insights are the three things this book offers.
The Mommy-Go-Round is a fun to read book. It has a lesson for young mothers on how to ‘really’ become a mother and raise children. After reading this book, they will be better equipped to deal with their kids or tweens. Also, this book will allow all mothers to see their children differently. Many grandmothers would be wishing that they had read this book before raising their children—it is that good. The book narrates the joy and trials of motherhood. It has a humorous as well as a touching story. The book is definitely worth reading and is highly recommended for all the young mothers out there.
“For any mom who has looked around at any point and thought, "How did I get here?" this book is well worth the read!”
“Awesomely blunt and humorous and never a dull moment. This is a great read.”
5 Stars! “A MUST READ This book was Amazing!! It made me laugh, cry and even taught me some things even though I am a Mother of 2! Thanks for sharing you "Motherhood" with us!!
5 Stars! “A Touching Look at the Joys and Pitfalls of Motherhood Penned by a REAL mom, this book will make you laugh and cry. If you're a mother too, you'll see yourself and your kids on every page. Eleanor writes like she lives -- with lots of humor and lots of love.”
5 Stars! “If you are a mom you have got to read this book! I don't typically find time to read but I couldn't put this book down! This view on raising your family from inside the mind of a mom herself was fantastic! Very entertaining and comforting to know that maybe I'm not going crazy and other moms are experiencing the same ups and downs. If you are mom you have got to read this book!”
5 Stars! “It sure is one heck of a ride!! This book hands down has to be one of the best books I have read on motherhood. I myself am a mother to a five year old and a step mother to an eight year old. I have been reading so many books on motherhood and how to be there for them as they grow but they're all statistics and don't have a lot of stories/ memories in them. This book has me excited for this crazy mommy go round ride that I'm on! The author was smart, witty, comical, and a Witch at 10 pm! I cannot wait until this fresh new author comes out with more books!
5 Stars! “This is a must read for every woman who has raised children! This book will warm your heart, make you laugh as well as shed a few tears! Anyone who has had the experience of raising children can relate to the stories in this book! And for those of you who have not yet had the experience of being a mother, you will enjoy it as well. El adds humor to those situations where you aren't sure if you are appreciated, gives insight on how to play detective once the little darlings reach the teenage years, and shows you that if you continue to love your children through the good and bad times, it all pays off.”
5 Stars! “This was a very funny, touching read. El has covered just about anything and everything that we come across as parents! Her writing style makes you feel as though you were right there through it all. Don't pass this one up!”
5 Stars! “The book was a great beach read. The author paints very vivid scenes. It is witty, funny, charming, heartwarming, heart breaking and full of love. The book is an enjoyable read for anyone -- even if you do not have children. While the primary focus of the book is the role of mom the author's own childhood memories will strike a cord with many. You will laugh, you will cry and you will definitely enjoy the journey. I hope to see more books from this new author.”
5 Stars! “This book is both funny and touching. All Mothers will be able to relate to the author's trials & tribulations of Motherhood. Nice to know you're not alone on this crazy journey!”
5 Stars! “Definitely Take This For A Spin! I chose 5 stars for this review, because as a fellow mom myself of 3 children, aged 10 and under, I find it a challenge to eat a meal without shoveling it in, let alone take time to myself to read a book, but this was such an enjoyable read for me, that I not only somehow found the time to enjoy the book but I re-read certain chapters simply because of the joy I got out of being able to relate to the author's experiences and outlook on life with children. Her descriptions of the ups and downs that come along with the merry-go-round of juggling life, marriage and parenthood not only bring humor, but a sense of a relief to know that you're not on this ride alone, and there are others out there who think and act just like you. I highly recommend this book to any mother out there, young or old, or anyone who will soon be given this ticket to ride the merry-go-round of motherhood!”
5 Stars! “Can't wait for "The Granny-Go-Round"! I felt like I was reliving my feelings as my little darlings were growing up! I laughed, I cried, and laughed some more. Eleanor's stories could easily be turned into a sitcom! Totally relatable. A must read! I eagerly will be waiting for the sequel!”
5 Stars! “Love it - can totally relate to so much in this book about our raising children.”