In WWII, Bill Mauldin was deployed in many of the same places as my grandfather, and though my grandfather was in the quartermaster corps (i.e., supply line) rather than at the front, their experience overlapped. This book collects many of Mauldin's editorial cartoons (originally published in The Stars and Stripes), accompanied by a lengthy essay explaining some of the context and references. Nearly 70 years after the depicted events took place, these textual clues are essential for a lay reader. This first-hand view of the war is quite different from any other viewpoint I've seen, and is, I think, a hugely valuable piece of history, if only for illustrating the war from the vantage of a dogface on the front line.

Through this book, I had hoped to gain more insight into my grandfather's experiences. That didn't really pan out, but it was a worthwhile read nonetheless.