A Look Back in Time – Vol. II, 2nd Edition… finds our military kid living in Deutschland, while attending an American middle school and high school. His adventures, with the German and American young adults, are rich in history, suspense, and surprises.

We sit in the C-130 Jumbo Prop aircraft as it struggles to get off the ground. We experience the ups and downs of the flight, as we sail off into the vastness, at the edge of God’s blue heaven. Finally, on the ground we travel with Lee and his family through the narrow Bavarian streets, with his dad in the driver’s seat. We recoil in apprehension as his his family is confronted by an angry mob after their vehicle is involved in an accident. We understand why our hero promises himself to learn to speak the German language as soon as possible.

We meet our hero’s new friends and experience the close bond they form, almost immediately, as military brats in a new land. We watch as the guys eat lunch with the local workmen and get a lesson in drinking wine. We discover the delightful shops in town, meet the local kids at a guitar playing jam session, and watch our hero establish himself as an American music icon. We share an encounter with military policemen hassling Negro GIs in town; a foreshadowing of things to come.

We recall our youth, when our hero gets his first job at a bowling alley. We walk with him to school and watch as he engages in a friendly boxing match. We sneak into a prize fight, with the guys, and meet the “mystery guest” who visits the troops. We feel the pressure on our hero, when he is selected to write an essay to represent his class. We revel in the excitement when he learns to ice skate and is invited, by the local kids, to play hockey. We gain insight into the social circles, when our hero, and his sister, go to a dance at the Youth Activities Center.

We feel the excitement, when he takes the long bus ride into Nurnberg to attend the high school. We recall our early high school days, when our hero learns to speak German. We gain insight into the rich history of the country, when we follow him on trips to a pencil factory, a German school, and the cinema.

We discover his talents emerging, when our hero joins a creative literature group. We feel his pain, when he struggles to impress his friend and gain a spot on the football team. These are not the only struggles he faces. The unrest in Germany, after the end of the war, spills over into his family life. His dad’s mysterious absences from the family shakes its foundation, and the fights, and curfews that result don’t help. His mom’s reaction to it all is nearly deadly. We sympathize with our hero’s plight and are relieved, when the family is scheduled to leave the country. The return trip is eventful, as is our hero’s encounter with the “German-Speaking Girl.”

You will love the excitement, adventure, the fun and drama of “A Look Back in Time...” When the family leaves Germany, you will long for the serene beauty of the majestic trees left behind in Bavaria's Black Forest. As the plane descends, you will wait anxiously to see what happens when they touch down in the USA...and a new story begins.

Bernard N. Lee, Jr.
Author – A Look Back in Time: Memoir of a Military Kid in the 50s, Vol. II, 2nd Edition; Published – April 2021