PRAISE

“This remarkable collection of letters gives us a unique glimpse into the experiences of a World War II soldier and his wife on the home front. The correspondences between Lenny and Diana are both relatable and fascinating—full of funny anecdotes, powerful impressions of combat, profound insights into human nature, and a shared hope for a better world. Elizabeth L. Fox, the daughter of the letter writers, has edited this collection beautifully, vividly bringing to life a deeply personal love story within the dramatic context of a world war. From page one, we find ourselves rooting for this couple—for their commitment to fighting for justice, for their daily triumphs and struggles as soldiers and parents, and, ultimately, for them to be ‘lucky’ enough to hold each other again in a time of peace.”

—Andrew Carroll, editor of the New York Times bestsellers War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars and Behind the Lines and the founding director of the Center of American War Letters

“At the heart of this fascinating and educational tale about a soldier and his wife during wartime is a wonderful love story.”

— Richard Aquila, author of Home Front Soldier: The Story of a GI and His Italian American Family During World War II

“A pure joy and a window into a lost world.”

— David Shneer, author of Through Soviet Jewish Eyes: Photography, War, and the Holocaust

“This carefully edited collection of correspondence reveals the pain, sacrifice, and everyday struggles—and magnanimity— of the Greatest Generation, and the universal beauty of human connection.”

— Julie Scelfo, author of The Women Who Made New York

“A rare window into the everyday lives of a young couple, separated originally by Lenny’s basic army training in Mississippi to their final reconciliation in 1946 ... pulls you in in such a way that you will not want to put the book down until the finish.”

— Melissa Suzanne Fisher, author of Wall Street Women

About the book

WE ARE GOING TO BE LUCKY
A World War II Love Story in Letters

Edited and Annotated by Elizabeth L. Fox

We Are Going to Be Lucky tells the story of a first-generation Jewish American couple separated by war, captured in their own words. Lenny and Diana Miller were married just one year before America entered World War II and Lenny was sent off to train and fight. Deeply committed to social justice, and bonded to one another by love, both vowed to write to one another daily. As Lenny made his way through basic training in Mississippi to the beaches of Normandy and eventually to the Battle of the Bulge, Diana struggled financially, giving up her job as a machinist to become a mother. The couple’s extraordinary letters, preserved in their entirety, reveal and reflect the excruciating personal sacrifices endured by both soldiers at war and their young families back home. After decades of gathering dust, the couples’ words have been carefully transcribed and thoughtfully edited and annotated by Elizabeth L. Fox, Lenny and Diana’s daughter.

My book lends itself to a dramatic reading rather than the traditional book talk. I have created a script with excerpts from the letters, which I read aloud along with my husband. The result is a 20-minute presentation that we have performed over 30 times across the country.

We have given this presentation in venues including the WWII museum in New Orleans, the WWII Summer Ball in Boulder, Colorado, the WWII Winter Ball in Denver, the National Museum of American Jewish Military History in Washington D.C., as well as numerous community organizations and book groups. We have also presented our program on Zoom many times.

We enjoy sharing my parents' story! If you would like to schedule a program in person or virtually, please contact me at foxliz08@gmail.com. References are available.