Non-fiction
Topsy's GI Journey: Tales of a soldier and his dog in WWII
Rudolph Lea
2007
iUniverse
ISBN: 9780595445332
174 pages
Topsy's GI Journey: Tales of a Solider and his Dog in WWII is the story of an American, German-born soldier of Jewish descent, who returns to his homeland and faces the destruction Hitler caused and his own feelings about being rescued from the Holocaust as a child. In the book, the author describes his relationship with a lost dog that helps him navigate through the uncertainties of military service and life away from his American home.
From their first meeting in Strafford, England in April of 1944, Topsy (named after the author's deceased family dog), and Lea had a special connection. She followed Lea and his friend to a restaurant and waited outside until they finished. After accepting a meal, Topsy followed the soldiers back to their quarters and refused to go way. From that point on she became a part of the 10th Replacement Depot and later the 99th Chemical Mortar Battalion of the Seventh Army. Along the way, Topsy earned a handmade uniform that identified her as a battalion mascot.
Lea vividly describes the terrain of many of the locations he found himself in during the war, including England, France and Germany. He also shares intimate details of relationships he had with soldiers he befriended and women he met during his journey. Topsy’s presence frequently complicated Lea’s life even though she was obedient and house broken from the start. The little pooch had three litters that Lea found himself managing with the help of anyone willing.
But the relationship with Topsy could not aid Lea in the struggle to understand his survival when faced with the physical evidence of victims of the concentration camps. Ultimately, he is thankful to his father and his American foster family for saving his life.
Topsy’s GI Journey is the story of a young soldier and his loyal dog, war, humanity, and all the complicated layers in between.
Melissa Levine
For Independent Professional Book Reviewers
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