The Eyde brothers continued writing each other long after the end of the war. In their letters over the next decades, it’s clear that their experiences in the war changed the course of their lives in dramatic, and in very different, ways.

Discussion: Part II

Dec 27th, 2017 23m 39s

The voice actors join Dan to discuss the second half of the story, and how those in the armed services are shaped by their experiences with war.

1944-1945: The end

Dec 27th, 2017 22m 56s

Back at home, Ralph and Frank struggle to recover and readjust to civilian life. Meanwhile, as the Allies move towards victory, John’s role in the war is just about to begin.

1943-1944: Battles

Dec 20th, 2017 17m 31s

Frank has seen his first combat, as Ralph and John prepare for their own deployments. Facing war has the brothers engaged in intense battles -- both physical and mental.

Discussion: Part I

Dec 13th, 2017 20m 29s

The actors in this podcast are all veterans themselves. They join Dan to discuss their experiences reading the letters, and what is universal about the story of the Eyde family.

1942: The start

Dec 13th, 2017 17m 17s

With the country at war, the Eyde brothers await their fates. Frank and Ralph inch closer to action, as they anxiously try to keep younger brother John away from the front lines.

1941: The calm

Dec 6th, 2017 22m 13s

Meet the Eydes, four brothers from Rockford, Ill., living through the Great Depression. Even with two away at basic training, and Adolf Hitler’s conquest of Europe well underway, war still seemed a remote possibility. Until the unthinkable.

An introduction

Dec 1st, 2017 3m 25s

About a year ago, a man in Mesa, Ariz. emailed The Washington Post saying he had hundreds of letters written by a single family during World War II. When reporter Dan Lamothe began reading them, he couldn’t put the letters down.

Rate