Orange Grove Goes to War: A Boyhood in 1940s L.A.

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Orange Grove Goes to War is a vivid account of a little boy’s experiences growing up in Los Angeles on the eve of World War II. As the book opens, young Gary introduces the reader to the colorful neighbors and relatives who form a motley but loving extended family at his small apartment complex on Orange Grove. Although his mother and father are absent, leading Gary to wonder if he’s an orphan, his multiple surrogate parents - including a Hollywood director and his alcoholic brother, a B-movie dancer, a vibrant Cuban emigre and a faded Southern belle - ensure he’s well fed, well dressed, and fully immersed in their escapades. Gary’s carefree existence is shattered in December 1941 by the dramatic

announcement of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Gary must assume responsibilities beyond his years as his family scrambles to support the war effort and contends with blackouts, rationing, and fears of invasion. Gary recounts the terrifying night of the Battle of Los Angeles, when residents believed enemy bombs were falling on their city. And in searing emotional detail, Gary relates how two of his beloved family members were caught up in the war arena, their fates uncertain. By turns harrowing, humorous, and wistful, Orange Grove Goes to War is both a deeply personal memoir and an ode to the city of Los Angeles from an earlier time.