Marcia Gates: Angel of Bataan

The true story of a courageous Army nurse and prisoner of war

Marcia Gates was an Army nurse and prisoner of war during WWII. As an "Angel of Bataan," she spent three years in a Japanese internment camp in the Philippines. This is her story, told through her letters and the newspaper clippings, photos and letters collected by her mother.

Melissa Bowersock is the niece of Marcia Gates.

Available here and from all fine online book stores.

As a person who occasionally has difficulty finishing some books, this reader found herself drawn into Marcia's story from the very start. Melissa has allowed Marcia's compelling story to unfold so well, the reader will sense the tension and anxiety Marcia's mother must have been feeling back in the states as she awaited some word, some confirmation about her daughter's welfare. Melissa's inclusion of actual letters and articles brings the reader even closer to the participants. It is an amazing and well told true story about an independent, strong woman, faithfully performing her duties as a nurse under incredibly difficult, stressful conditions. Don't miss this one! —Linda Goldsmith

Fabulous!  A great, great ... biography. Detailed and shaped by significant resources.  I couldn't put it down.  Marcia's amazing valor and her mother's drive to find her reminds us to never forget the human dimension of combat. A reminder indeed that loved ones suffer as much at home as those on the battlefields. Inspirational.  Well done. —S.B.

Howard Munns (1911-2002) was a gifted artist and student of life. Born in a homesteader's sod hut on the barren plains of Montana, orphaned by the age of 17, his early life was tempered by poverty and hardship and annealed by the Great Depression. Self-taught and nurturing his natural talent in a time when art was thought to be no more than a frivolous waste of time, he channeled his passion into steady work and slowly built a successful life. Tentative yet tenacious, sensitive yet practical, he shouldered all burdens and persevered, ultimately winning prosperity and satisfaction in a life well-lived. Written in four installments over the last 20 years of his life, The View from the Summit is his story in his own words.

Edited by Melissa Bowersock.

Available here and from all fine online book stores.

Every family should be so lucky as to have a Howard Munns in its fold. Munns, a self-taught graphics artist, offers an account of his life from his birth in a sod hut in Montana in 1911 to his death in Tucson in 2002. The book is a wonderful gift to the family archives. His daughter, Melissa Bowersock, has edited the manuscript, which is filled with straightforward details. —J. C. Martin, Arizona Daily Star

More about Howard Munns.