IRB Intro #2

      My current independent reading book, 11 Days In December by Stanley Weintraub, is an unheard of Christmas story.  Based on the final winter of World War II, this story takes a look into the individual lives of the soldiers fighting in the Battle of the Bulge.  Despite their struggle to survive through the cold and weary holiday season spent far from home, these men never surrender to the opposing German side.  Stanley Weintraub reveals not only how the WWII heroes withstood harsh conditions, but he also shows the side that many don't see: how they withstood Christmas in the midst of a deadly battle.  I was interested in reading this book because I have a new found love of American history, and really enjoy watching movies based off of its events in the past.  The genre is also very different from what I would usually pick, so I found it both refreshing and helpful in gaining experience with a variety of texts.  Plus, it is a Christmas story which I found most appropriate for the upcoming month!