Thousands of volumes of Civil War letters are available, but little more than a dozen contain collections written by native Germans fighting in this great American conflict. Yankee Dutchmen under Fire presents a fascinating collection of sixty-one letters written by immigrants who served in the 82nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The 82nd Illinois was one of the thirty or so predominantly “German Regiments” in the Union army, and one of only two Federal regiments containing a Jewish company. Fighting alongside the Germans was a company of Scandinavians, plus a scattering of immigrants from many other countries.

Frank Mendez, a child of Mexican immigrants begins his memoir with the story of his father’s harrowing migration from Mexico to Texas in 1920 as he escaped from Zapata’s guerrrillos and continues with his story of growing up in northeast Ohio. He recounts the Mendez family’s experience with the Depression, living in the Lorain, Ohio barrio, labor issues, racism, and World War II. Mendez dropped out of high school in 1943 and enlisted in the Marine Corps where he served twenty-two months in the Pacific theatre. When he returned to Lorain, he received his high school diploma, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and a professional engineering license.

Fans of Jan Snow’s “Marginal Considerations”—a “weekend Radio” feature heard on nearly 150 radio stations across the country –will delight in this new collection of her humorous pieces. Her essays offer a lighthearted look at everyday events and ordinary people-from “Creeping Cutetrification” to “The Training of Cats” and “Keeping the World Safe for Singing.” Bathtubs, toothpaste, underwear, fruitcake, and even pockets become laughable objects under Snow’s scrutiny.

There are countless volumes celebrating the best teams in professional baseball. Unfortunately, winning represents only one side of the game. For every champion’s record-setting season, there has been an equally memorable story of defeat. These teams and their shameful contributions to America’s national pastime have been a neglected topic in the annals of baseball history. Until now.

While a number of published collections of World War II letters are available to readers, few rise to the level of war literature. But A Young Sailor at War: The World War II Letters of William R. Catton Jr. is remarkable for the narrative skill, exuberance, and candor of its letter writer, and for his youthful but thoughtful commentary. Edited by his son Theodore, Catton’s letters give us a truly intimate look into an essential piece of history.

More than 3 million men served in the American Civil War. In Yours Affectionately, Osgood, editors Sarah Tracy Burrows and Ryan W. Keating have assembled a collection of letters from one of those soldiers—Osgood Vose Tracy of the 122nd New York Infantry. Sarah Tracy Burrows, a descendant of Colonel Tracy, has compiled this expansive collection from her family’s private papers. Paired with illuminating discussion and context from noted historian Ryan W. Keating, Tracy’s letters home follow his journey as a soldier and prisoner of war from his enlistment in September 1862 through the end of the war in May 1865, as Tracy then readjusted to civilian life.