Meet the PTPI staff readers for the latest Global Book Club selection, Going Home to Glory by David Eisenhower with Julie Nixon Eisenhower. Get to know them here and stay tuned for the first book club discussion.
Cindy Spake, Executive Associate to Mary Jean Eisenhower/Director, Landmine Initiative
Cindy Spake
In 1983 I became part of the PTPI family when Ambassador Jay Niemczyk hired me as the receptionist. I have since worked in various departments – travel, chapters, publications and currently as Mary Jean Eisenhower’s Executive Associate, and Director, Global Landmine Initiative. Little did I know at the time that PTPI would afford me the opportunity to travel the world and meet fascinating people that I had only read about in newspapers or had seen on television. What a gift. What first appealed to me was an interest in PTPI’s founder, Dwight D. Eisenhower.
My father served as a Marine in the Pacific theater during WWII and I’m always eager to learn more about what Tom Brokaw s so aptly named “The Greatest Generation.” The more I learned about General Eisenhower, the more I realized that while their experiences were obviously quite different during the war, both he and my father endured unspeakable horrors. Still today, my father is reluctant to share his wartime experiences. In war, their generation was united in the belief that such atrocities must never be repeated. From that, President Eisenhower envisioned our PTPI organization to break down barriers of misunderstanding and distrust.
This book attracted me because in working so closely with Mary I have the privilege to hear some of her personal remembrances of her grandparents. I was interested to gain the perspective from her oldest sibling, David, who offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of a man who helped to change the course of history.
Outside of PTPI, I enjoy spending time with my husband and pets, movies, music, theater, all things related to animals and, specifically, animal rescue.
Katherine Hubbard, Manager, Student Conferences
Katherine Hubbard
After reading about General Eisenhower’s WWII experiences, the other readers and I spent time talking about our own grandfathers’ war-time service. Both of my grandfathers’ fought in the Pacific theater during World War II, and neither EVER spoke of it. I can specifically remember one day when my Granddad had left to run errands, my Grandmother brought out a tub containing elements of his uniform, his medals and various memorabilia. As I pored through the relics, captivated, I remember her telling me not to mention to him that I had seen any of it.
Though I wish that my grandfathers’ had been willing to share about their WWII service, I understand their desire to leave those experiences in the past. Though their stories are markedly different, I am grateful to General Eisenhower and other veterans (like Louie Zamperini from last quarter’s book) who have found the words to convey that important part of history with us all.
Betsy Warfield, Coordinator of Special Programs
Betsy Warfield
Hi book clubbers! I started at PTPI this past April and have enjoyed every minute. Currently I work with our adult programs and help with our chapters in the Asia Pacific region. Although I am originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, I graduated from Rockhurst University in Kansas City and have been calling it home ever since. Now that I am out of school I have found myself with a number of new hobbies. I enjoy baking, cooking, reading, exploring the world, sitting at coffee shops, music and art of any kind (especially photography and painting).
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Going Home to Glory. It gave me a greater understanding of General Eisenhower, an inside look at the era in which he lived, the life of a former president and the relationships in which he grew. I saw a lot of my own grandfather in Eisenhower, from waking up early and having a very set schedule each day, to the advice he constantly gave his grandchildren, to being a hero of the war he rarely spoke of. After the war, men were admired for their talents in the military. General Eisenhower was admired as a military leader and hero; his talents were quickly consumed in the political arena where he had instant respect and credibility. As a war hero he was a trusted leader, and his presidency magnified his contribution to society.
On a smaller scale, my grandfather did the same thing. The Air Force heightened my grandfather’s maturity and sense of reasoning. Like many men when they returned from the war, he sought leadership roles where he could continue to contribute and make a difference in society and to his family. To me, a grandparent’s love is one of the most amazing things in the world, this book really made me miss my grandpa, who will forever be one of my best and most dear friends.
People to People International’s Global Book Club is a way to connect with your global community. Global Book Club members communicate about valuable, international topics and gain unique insight and understanding of various cultural views in relation to those topics. For more information on People to People International, visit www.ptpi.org.
The opinions expressed by PTPI staff and other book club members are entirely their own and are not necessarily the views of PTPI or its Officers, Board of Directors and Board of Trustees.
