All My Love, Mary

Swansea, South Wales, was largely destroyed during the bombings of World War II. But life went on as the city filled with British, Canadian, and then American soldiers. Dances were held at Mumbles Pier and the Brangwyn Hall. Friendships and romances began and ended. The letters written by Mary to her American soldier give the reader a glimpse into the life of a young woman in love with a stranger during wartime. Although intended only for her soldier, through her letters we get to know a family with sons away at war and children still in school. We learn of engagements and weddings. We''re treated to delicious neighborhood gossip. We learn of relatives and friends who come and go to the house in Manselton Road. Mary also shares the songs she loves and the films she sees with her friends and her mother. And of course, we are witnesses to the love affair between Mary and her soldier, a relationship challenged not only by war. These letters express the intimate hopes of a young woman and the enduring life of a city. Through these letters we are able to appreciate a generation of young people establishing relationships and their own identities in a time of war.