The Queen City at War reveals a complexity of experience on the Charlotte home front, and it supports much of the current research that exposes the myth behind the ‘Good War’ concept. The story of Charlotte during World War II is a ‘tale of two cities:’ for some, ‘it was the best of times,’ but for others, ‘it was the worst of times.’ This study draws upon much of the recent scholarship related to the home front, and it also utilizes a number of primary sources, especially the Charlotte Observer and the Charlotte News, as well as local documents and manuscript collections. The Queen City at War should appeal to historians, students of history, and the general public interested in World War II and the American home front, as well as those interested in Southern history and American urban history.