The letters presented in The Heart of a Soldier introduce the reader to a decorated yet humble American soldier in World War II. Sergeant George Donald served with the Sixth Armored Division of General Patton’s Third Army as it fought its way from the hedgerows of the Normandy bridgehead to Hitler’s lair in the Alps of southern Germany. He was awarded the Silver Star for his leadership and bravery and a Purple Heart for wounds received during a German attack. Later, he received the Bronze Star for his heroic actions and leadership during the Battle of the Bulge.

Over 75 years ago, he shared what training and combat experiences Army censors would permit him to share in more than four years of letters he sent to the author’s mother, the woman he would eventually marry.

While these letters represent the heart and soul of this book, it is supplemented with research by Sgt. Donald’s daughter into the context of his experiences in training and combat, including synopses of the war itself and the daily challenges faced by the “Super Sixth.”

While reading this book, veterans and their families, descendants of The Greatest Generation, and those with an interest in military history and history as a whole, can revisit and perhaps better understand the struggles people endured during World War II and the lasting love of family that helped soldiers survive.

‘Reading this … 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. My highest accolades for this book are freely given. As her father’s commanders said: "Well Done." ‘

-- Tom Gauthier for Readers’ Favorite