In 1942, budding fine artist E. J. Bird was drafted into the army at the age of thirty-one. He left behind his wife and art but not by choice. The war that " . . . seemed to go on forever" had a profound impact on Bird"s life, and he recorded his memories in both his writing and his artwork. The World War II Diaries of E. J. Bird is more than just one man"s depiction of the horrors of war. It is also an inside look at military life during wartime: the USO dances, K and C rations, KP, basic training, barracks life, uniforms, and all the many things that accompanied military assignments during World War II. Amusing yet profound, sincere and poignant, E. J. Bird"s remembrance of World War II offers a humanitarian view of war through the eyes of an artist that will linger with readers for some time to come.