In the glorious rush to take up arms in noble causes by necessity there is little thought to more than the matter at hand. Future generations are the reasons to strive for victory. Most warriors do return home to carry on raise families, but there are so many who are born and begin to grow not knowing the men who gave them life. This book is about one of those boys and his quest to learn what he could of the man whose hopes and dreams he carries into the present.
Untold Stories of World War II
Divided by war and loss, a son finds hope and healing
Behind the headlines and statistics of war are the personal stories that are often forgotten. In his book, The Dad I Never Knew: A War Orphan's Search for Inner Healing, Bruce Brodowski delivers the compelling account of his father Ed Brodowski, an honored World War II tank commander in the 8th armored division and the family left behind. Told through letters, photos and accounts of fellow soldiers, and personal reflection, Brodowski puts readers inside the unfolding story of love, tragedy and ultimately redemption.
The story did not end after Ed Brodowski was killed before returning home to meet his newborn son. In the author's search, he uncovers glimpses of the father he never got to know and snapshots of daily life in the love letters between his father and mother. The lessons he learns not only fill in a personal history but help him find the secret to filling the holes in his heart.Book trailer on youtube.
About the Author Bruce Brodowski is the author of The Dad I Never Knew: A War Orphan's Search for Inner Healing and the upcoming book My Father My Son: Healing the Orphan Heart with the Father's Love. He is the president of Carolina's Ecumenical Healing Ministries and an active healing minister.
To learn more about The Dad I Never Knew: A War Orphan's Search for Inner Healing, to receive a review copy, or to book the author for an interview or speaking engagement, visit www.brucebrodowski.com or www.cehm.info Books are also available through Ingram, Amazon.com or your favorite bookstore.
Professional Reviews
The Dad I Never Knew
Genre: History
Title: The Dad I Never Knew
Author: Bruce Brodowski
In the glorious rush to take up arms in noble causes by necessity there is little thought to more than the matter at hand. Future generations are the reasons to strive for victory. Most warriors do return home to carry on raise families, but there are so many who are born and begin to grow not knowing the men who gave them life. This book is about one of those boys and his quest to learn what he could of the man whose hopes and dreams he carries into the present.
Mr. Brodowski is actually one of the more fortunate ones in that he has a wealth of letters exchanged between his father and his mother. These are skillfully interwoven with a historical timeline. It is this timeline that helps the reader to achieve a sense of place in the events. In hindsight we know that the war was definitely winding down and was soon to end. At the time though there was hope, but the fighting kept going with the Germans fighting on in desperation as their homeland was at long last feeling the privations of conflict.
This book by Bruce Brodowski is carefully and articulately written. The reader shares along with the author his quest to know the man and to make sense of the life the son was destined to follow. Mr. Brodowski was definitely not alone in his experience but he has been most fortunate in finding a personal history upon which to draw. This reviewer hopes that some of those many others in Mr. Brodowski’s situation will take heart and find some pride in those that gave so much for them.
This book is available through any bookseller and comes highly recommended by this reviewer as a part of history that should not be forgotten.
Reviewer: John Helman, M.A., Allbooks Reviews.
Title: The Dad I Never Knew
Author: Bruce Brodowski
Publisher: Carolinas Ecumenical Healing Ministries
ISBN: 9780982658109
Pages: 325
Price: $18.99 US
June 2010
Bruce Brodowski
13701 Portpatrick Lane
Matthews, NC 28105
704-845-4638
ellenandbruce@earthlink.net
Bruce Brodowski's The Dad I Never Knew: A War Orphan's Search for Inner Healing
April Dellinger
• Charlotte Literature Examiner
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Bruce Brodowski's The Dad I Never Knew: A War Orphan's Search for Inner Healing
• November 30th, 2010 2:16 am ET
There are movies and stories that touch the soul because of their emotional depth, either in spite of or because of their tragic resolutions. Although we all ache and lament when the hero falls, it is done with great reverence for both the life lived and the choices made which led to such a glorious end. Such is the case with countless classic tales and even a growing number of Hollywood movies, but the stories that truly reach the innermost realms of the human heart are those that are rooted in reality and honest humility rather than fantasy. The former describes the gripping story of Edward Brodowski’s short life, as recorded by his son, Bruce Brodowski, in The Dad I Never Knew: A War Orphan's Search for Inner Healing. Edward Brodowski was a soldier who sacrificed his life in World War II in Germany, leaving behind a devoted wife and a son, Bruce. Because of Edward’s bravery and integrity, he died a hero, but Bruce would never know his father and Maryanne would never see her beloved husband again. Since the book is comprised mainly of letters which were exchanged between Ed and Maryanne during World War II when they were separated by time zones and continents, it is nearly impossible to miss the power and urgency behind the tender words and expressions of hope and heartache. Ed’s love for his wife and longing for home is heart-wrenching and humbling, and MaryAnne’s decided devotion during a time of personal despair speaks of values that are easily forgotten in our time. The book would be beautiful enough as a memoir of a soldier writing heartfelt letters of longing to his faithfully waiting wife, but it becomes infinitely more powerful when the reader remembers that the creator of this book is none other than the only child of these two individuals. Although the book will speak to anyone who has a connection to those in service or those who suffered during World War II, in the front lines or on the home front, it will also reach those who simply feel disconnected from their parents or feel they are without a home. (As a soldier’s wife, let’s just say it took me weeks to read it, because it’s difficult to read a book when you’re constantly blinking back tears.) As with his other book, My Father My Son, Brodowski explores the emotional effects of living without one or both parents, literally or figuratively. Brodowski’s vulnerability in sharing his journey towards inner healing surely will help others find comfort and hope in their particular situation. The Dad I Never Knew is a truly beautiful, haunting book that will challenge you to appreciate and hold close to the ones you love and pay tribute to the ones who gave their service and even lives for our country. The author's words are evidence that the sacrifices made during times of war are felt not just for a season, but for generations. The Dad I Never Knew is simply a must-read.
Bruce Brodowski is president of Carolinas Ecumenical Healing Ministries and also author of My Father My Son: Healing the Orphan's Heart with the Father's Love. He resides in Matthews, North Carolina with his wife. Both of his inspirational books are available for purchase in the U.S. and U.K. at www.amazon.com. They are also available at New Creation Christian Store: 11461 E Independence Blvd. Matthews, NC., Borders Bookstore: 7836 Rea Road, Charlotte, NC, and at Park Road Books: 4139 Park Road, Charlotte, NC. A book signing is scheduled for the Rea Road Borders location on December 11, 2010 from 2-5 pm.
The Facebook page for Bruce Brodowski can be found by following the link: http://www.facebook.com/CarolinasEcumenicalHealingMinistries. The website for his ministry page is http://www.brucebrodowski.com.
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