Book Review: Nebraska and the CCC: Young Men at Their Best by Suzanne Williams

Nebraska and the CCC: Young Men at Their Best

by Suzanne Williams (978.2 Wil)

 

I helped a young man recently who was looking for information about the Prisoner of War Camps in Nebraska during the Second World War. I ran across this book (which has a section on Prisoner of War camps) and became so intrigued that I checked it out and read it. I have visited many State Parks across the country which have buildings that were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and I realized that I knew little about the camps in my own state. This book is an excellent resource for anyone with an interest in the CCC, Nebraska history, World War II, or The Great Depression. Never has a government program done so much to help its citizens during the worst of times than when Roosevelt started the CCC making an impact on thousands of families who were starving to death during the Depression. I was moved by the stories and first-hand accounts of Nebraskans who were helped by this program and remained loyal to its memory over 50 years later. The photos and historical information are incredible and help to re-create the situations that these men faced as they helped to build dams, planted millions of trees and helped farmers wherever they could. I highly recommend this book.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Fighting for the Forest: How FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps Helped Save America by P. O’Connell-Pearson, or Rightful Heritage: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America by Douglas Brinkley.)

 

( Article about Nebraska and the Civilian Conservation Corps from History Nebraska )

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Services

 

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