They Called Him Marvin by Roger Stark
Publisher: Silver Star (September 21, 2021 Category: Historical Romance, WW2, Family Saga, Based on a True Story
Tour dates: April 25-June 24, 2022
ISBN: 978-0578855288
Available in Print and ebook, 320 pages
Description They Called Him Marvin by Roger Stark
They were just kids, barely not teenagers, madly in love and wanting to be a family, but WW2 and a B29 got in their way.
Three hundred ten days before Pearl Harbor, buck private Dean Sherman innocently went to church with a new friend in Salt Lake City. From that moment, the unsuspecting soldier travelled a remarkable, heroic path, falling in love, graduating from demanding training to become a B29 pilot, conceiving a son and entering the China, Burma and India theater of the WW2.
He chronicled his story with letters home to his bride Connie that he met on that fateful Sunday, blind to the fact that fifteen hundred seventy-five days after their meeting, a Japanese swordsman would end his life.
His crew, a gaggle of Corporals that dubbed themselves the Corporealizes, four officers and a tech Sargent, adventured their way across the globe. Flying the “Aluminum Trail” also called the Hump through the Himalayas, site of the most dangerous flying in the world. Landing in China to refuel and then fly on to places like Manchuria, Rangoon or even the most southern parts of Japan to drop 500 pounders.
Each mission had its challenges, minus fifty degree weather in Mukden, or Japanese fighters firing away at them, a close encounter of the wrong kind, nearly missing a collision with another B29 while flying in clouds, seeing friends downed and lost because of “mechanicals,” the constant threat of running out of fuel and their greatest fear, engine fire.
Transferred to the Mariana Islands, he and his crew were shot down over Nagoya, Japan as part of Mission 174, captured and declared war criminals.
Connie’s letters reveal life for a brand new mother whose husband is declared MIA. The agony for both of them, he in a Japanese prison, declared a war criminal, and she just not knowing why his letters stopped coming.
Review
I received an ARC copy from the touring host for an honest review.
They called him Marvin is based on true events about private Dean Sherman's life later, 1st Lieutenant Dean Sherman. A respected instructor, commander and friend on the B-29 Superfortress during World War 11.
It's a story about bravery and courage that's told with tedious effort to make it an entertaining read.
The in-depth knowledge from this man's experience is truly remarkable. The easy flow with which it was written made it worthwhile. An excellent read for every World War 11 reader and historical lover.
The letters written between Dean and Connie adds a human quality you don't find often in war-books. Through these letters, we were not only privy to their thoughts, but learned more about the war and what it did to couples. Like being the fly against the wall scenario.
Dean Sherman was a young man, with a great love for one woman, God, and a strong patriotic sense that really set him apart. It was these characteristics that caused his swift promotions. He never lost touch with his comrades and remained loyal to the very end.
The B-29 Superfortress was no one's toy and once Sherman set his eyes on this enormous machine, he was sold. With a wingspan of 144 feet, it must have been quite intimidating to fly, but he and his team made it sound easy.
Once they were shot down, their bravery could even be seen in the war camps, so much that the Japanese were impressed with Sherman, the man. Hence the reason Roger Stark wrote the book.
This book can be classified in various genres. It is tragic and moving at the same time.
Knowing what we know about the war, you know the end, but reading reliving it through the love this man shared for his wife, you stand in awe of the magnitude but loss of it all.
Truly a remarkable book with lots of detail imbedded to give the reader a thorough view of the happenings during that time. Getting to know the characters an emotional insight with a deeper understanding.
Definitely a must read.
Praise They Called Him Marvin by Roger Stark
“This was an amazing book. This isn't a look at war through rose colored glasses, but one that shows the reader what life was like for people from many backgrounds. A soldier, his love left behind on the home front, and those that were considered the enemy at the time.
This was an intimate story that doesn't focus only on the war, and pulls the reader in quickly and easily. Historical fiction lovers, those with an interest in war history, and anyone just looking to take a few steps back in time will greatly enjoy reading this.”- Liliyana Shadowlyn, The Faerie Review
“The fact that the premise for this book started with the story that Marvin told and then the letters from Dean and Connie shows how much research Roger Stark put into writing this book. I love how he revolves all of the events around the dates of the letters. The letters give the reader a reprieve from the atrocities of war and show the humanity of the soldiers fighting.
There are some parts of the war that are shared that are so vivid and so horrifying - both on the part of the Japanese and on the part of the Americans. It is so heart-wrenching to think that these young (barely) men were out in those situations.
My almost-93-year-old grandpa, whose name is Marvin and who served in the Korean War, also read this book, and he really liked the story.
For anyone who likes to read books based on wars or just history in general, I definitely recommend this one. It is also a love story that unfolds and is eye-opening to horrors that were experienced.”-Heather, 2 Many Books, 2 Little Time
“Told in prose with diary-style sections of narration as well as central figure 1st Lt Dean Harold Sherman’s own personal correspondence, this is a beautiful tale of enduring romance and the heroism of those who fought and flew during the latter part of World War Two during the United States’ conflict with Japan. What results is a touching family saga that also foreshadows the great horrors and sacrifices of life in war.
Author Roger Stark has crafted an emotive work with plenty of historical richness, pathos, and heart to offer readers. One of the features which I found particularly impressive about this piece was the heartfelt presentation of the unshakeable bond between Dean and Connie, both through the curation of their own words to one another and the contextual gap-filling which Stark achieves with facts, but also emotionally sensitive additions and details.
Overall, I would highly recommend They Called Him Marvin to fans of accurate wartime accounts and for enthusiasts of World War Two reports.”- K.C. Finn, Readers' Favorite
About Roger Stark
Roger Stark, by his own admission, is a reluctant writer. But there are stories that demand to be told. When we hear them, we must pick up our pen, lest we forget and the stories be lost. Six years ago, in a quiet conversation with his friend, Marvin, he learned the tragic story of his father, a WW2 B-29 Airplane Commander, shot down over Nagoya, Japan, just months before the end of the war.
The telling of the story that evening by this half orphan was so moving and full of emotion, it compelled Roger to ask if he could write the story. The result being “They Called Him Marvin.”
Roger Stark’s life has been profoundly touched in so many ways by being part of documenting this sacred story. He prays that we never forget, as a people, the depth of sacrifice that was made by ordinary people like Marvin and his father and mother on our behalf.
Website: https://theycalledhimmarvin.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TCHMarvin
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Giveaway They Called Him Marvin by Roger Stark
This giveaway is for 3 print copies, one for each of 3 winners. This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on June 25, 2022 midnight, pacific time. Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.
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Excerpt:
10 December 1944, The Same Damn Movie
… In Puerto Rico the crew was quite happy to watch the new release The Lady Takes a Chance starring John Wayne and Jean Arthur. Coincidently when they reached British Guiana the same movie was featured. Not to be deterred the crew again enjoyed the film. When they got to Brazil and it was again the featured picture show, some murmuring occurred. The Corporalies, were feeling cheated.
When they found the movie would be playing at their fourth stop also they complained to Dean.
“Sir, ain’t the Army got any other movies?”
“We know the lines better than the actors.”
“We know John Wayne is going to eat the lamb chops because Jean Arthur cooked them for him even tho he is a beef man.”
“Maybe there will be something new at our next stop,” was the consolation Dean offered. After crossing the Atlantic The Corporalies showed signs of giving up on the movies.
But in Khartoum The Corporalies forced into the NCO Club by the searing heat and therefore ‘forced‘ to drink cold beer all day had a terrible yearning, near evening, for a movie.
“Howell, go see what’s playing at the movies tonight.” ordered his fellow Corporalies.
By virtue of being the youngest Howell was often the brunt of such requests especially after three or four beers. He had given up protesting that he was the same rank as them. In fact as the Central Gunner, he was in charge of the other gunners in combat, but as the youngest of four boys at home he felt a strange comfort in re-playing the role with his combat brothers.
“And damn it, don’t come back if it is The Lady Takes a Chance.”
Of course he discovered that The Lady was indeed tonights special feature. On the way back to the NCO Club with the sad news that John Wayne was again eating those lamb chops even here on the edge of the Nile Rivers, he met his Airplane Commander.
“Sir, they are playing that same damn movie here, oh sorry sir, that same John Wayne movie is playing here. We are sick of it, Sir, ain’t the Army got any other movies?”
“Evan, the reason that movie shows up everywhere we go, is that we have been tasked with delivering it to our final destination while allowing each layover airfield to use it.”
Howell stared at his Airplane Commander as his cognitive impaired brain tried to process. The light finally came on for him, a bit dim, but it came on. “Oh, Sir, I see Sir, I’ll tell the boys.”
And off he wandered, not in the direction of the boys, but in the direction of his bunk, taking his comrades threat to not return with bad news seriously.
This giveaway is for 3 print copies, one for each of 3 winners.
This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on June 24, 2022 midnight, pacific time.
Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.
Excellent review! I am so glad you enjoyed the book. I cried a lot while reading it!
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