June book review: "Fogg in the Cockpit"

I joke with my friends that World War Two stories "find me." Somehow, if I'm in a bookshop looking for a new read, there's a good chance that at least one of the books I'm drawn to takes place during this period of world history-but usually, I find myself reading fiction.

That's why "Fogg in the Cockpit" was such an exciting recommendation from Inkberry Books. Richard and Janet Fogg's WWII story is a real one: that of Richard's father, Howard Fogg.

Howard Fogg was a fighter pilot, railroad enthusiast and artist.

"Fogg in the Cockpit" is largely made up of Howard Fogg's war diary, with additional notes from the authors, archival military reports and historical context.

For example, after a Jan. 22, 1944, entry where Fogg laments about the weather and talks about a party at the squadron headquarters, there is a supplemental, contextual note mentioning how the Allies began Operation Shingle at the same time.

But perhaps my favorite aspect of the book is the vast array of archival photos and drawings from Howard Fogg himself. I think the inclusion of these visual artifacts further fleshes out not only Fogg's story and personality, but the societal understanding of the war. When we learn about WWII, or any historical event in school, many times it's at the surface level-lots of statistics, some discussion of treaties and the main players. But here, we're able to get a sense of the average guy, and some of the (arguably) lesser known individuals who shaped the outcome of the war.

I also have to say that I really enjoyed the way that Fogg writes. It's a mix of casual recording of daily life intermingled with fairly riveting descriptions of parties, missions and even brief leaves to explore the country. He's so authentic and relatable that reading his diary almost feels like chatting with an older family member about their experiences.

I highly recommend "Fogg in the Cockpit" to anyone who considers themselves a history buff. I also recommend it for those who want to expand their literary horizon to include more non-fiction.

While some entries are not the most exciting-Fogg had a sinus infection that kept him grounded most of Dec. 1943, and much of Jan. 1944 had too much cloud cover to fly so there are many entries where Fogg described volleyball games and painting, for instance-memoirs have the unique opportunity to give readers an inside look into both the individual and the greater context surrounding them.

Thanks again to Inkberry Books for the recommendation, and happy reading!