A vivid social history of the American expatriate experience in Europe
between 1939 and 1941, as the Nazi menace brings a shadow over the
continent, heralding the storms of war.
A poignant and powerful portrait of Europe in the years between 1939 and
1941--as the Nazi menace marches toward the greatest man-made
catastrophe the world has ever experienced--Under a Darkening Sky
focuses on a diverse group of expatriate Americans. Told through the
eyes and observations of these characters caught up in these seismic
events, the story unfolds alongside a war that slowly drags a reluctant
United States into its violent embrace.
This vibrant narrative takes these dramatic personalities and evokes the
engagement between Europe and a reluctant America from September 3,
1939--when Britain declares war--through the tragedy of Pearl Harbor in
December 1941. Robert Lyman's distinctively energetic storyline brings
together a wide range of encounters, conversations, and memories,
including individuals from across the social spectrum, from Josephine
Baker to the young Americans who volunteered to fight in the RAF, as
part of the famous "Eagle Squadrons."
Hundreds of young Americans--like the aces James Goodison, Art Donahue,
and the wealthy playboy Billy Fiske--smuggled themselves into Canada so
that they could volunteer for the cockpits of Spitfires and Hurricanes,
as they flew against the deadly Luftwaffe over ever-darkening skies in
London.
