This was a very good book. It is the personal account of Gerhardt Thamm, who was a German teenager during World War II. The experiences of people living in civilian Germany have always interested me. Hitler Youth was basically compulsory at this time, and it was interesting to see how different kids felt about joining. The experiences of this author were almost unbelievable, because I remember my teen years and I can't imagine being faced with any of the things that this kid was.