When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned over 100 million books and caused fearful citizens to hide or destroy many more. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks, for troops to carry in their pockets and their rucksacks, in every theater of war. Chronicles the joint effort of the U.S. government, the publishing industry, and the nation's librarians to boost troop morale during World War II by shipping more than one hundred million books to the front lines for soldiers to read during what little downtime they had.

A phoenix will rise --$85 worth of clothes, but no pajamas -- A landslide of books -- New weapons in the war of ideas -- Grab a book, Joe, and keep goin' -- Guts, valor, and extreme bravery -- Like rain in the desert -- Censorship and FDR's F -- th T- -- m -- German's surrender and the godforsaken islands -- Peace at least -- Damned average raisers. A phoenix will rise -- $$85 worth of clothes, but no pajamas -- A landslide of books -- New weapons in the war of ideas -- Grab a book, Joe, and keep goin' -- Guts, valor, and extreme bravery -- Like rain in the desert -- Censorship and FDR's F---th T--m -- Germany's surrender and the godforsaken islands -- Peace at last -- Damned average raisers.