A Bell For Adano

A Bell For Adano by John Hersey

Major Victor Joppolo, an Italian-American Army officer, is sent to bring democracy and order to the town of Adano.  His concern for the happiness of the people center around restoring a 700 year old church bell taken and melted down for bullets by the fascists.

This book was published in 1944 and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1945.  I truly enjoyed this book and read it in just a few days.  It has more to it, of course, than tracking down a bell.  It illustrates the good, bad, and ugly of American occupation during WWII. Being born during/after the Civil Rights movement, I forget about the prejudice that everyone felt towards anyone not like them, both American and Italian.  Plus I remembered that most people at the top are bullies that refuse to listen to others' opinions...