Feeding the Enemy

by J.R. Sharp

Feeding the Enemy is based on the true story of an Italian family's determination to survive in the face of evil during WW II. It is a story of perseverance, ingenuity and love. This book captures the spirit of survivability against all odds and provides the reader with an appreciation of what Europeans went through during the war to end all wars.

The Zucchet family is faced with the destruction of their farm and the annihilation of all their family members by the Germans and Pro-Fascist supporters during War World II. The family patriarch and WWI veteran, Pietro, uses elaborate hiding places to store food and valuables, and diversion techniques to distract the enemy during their many visits to the farm. He does whatever it takes to prevent the same fate as so many families in the war torn area.

Pietro's daughter, Catherina, makes a remarkable journey from young woman to wife and then mother of two while avoiding the same enemy. Woven into the tapestry of this novel is the story of her love and life within the terror of war with a soldier named Gino. The story follows his constant battles while serving in the Italian Royal Army and how he became a resistant freedom fighter battling his way back to her and their love.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, War, Family, Survival

216 pages, Hardcover

Published June 20, 2016

About the author

J.R. Sharp is an award-winning author whose first book, Feeding the Enemy, propelled him into the literary world. Since its release, he has been sought out by publishers, authors, libraries, public and private schools, colleges and countless other organizations for his insight on the European struggles during World War II. He is a retired United States Navy commander who has lived and served all over the world.
Visit the author’s website at www.jrsharpauthor.com.

Reviews

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story about the authors family everyday life during WWII in the northern italian countryside.

I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.

[E.Michael Helms · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fascinating Wartime Family Saga!

Feeding the Enemy is a fascinating family saga of undying love, personal sacrifice, quiet heroism, and triumph. Using untold hours of oral family history, personal interviews, and exhaustive research, author J.R. Sharp skillfully records the trials and tribulations of the Zucchet and Cartelli families and their struggle to survive the horrors of Nazi occupation and brutality during World War II Italy. You don't want to miss this "You were there!" story! --E. Michael Helms

[Lynne Moody · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very intriguing book. I didn't know much history about Italy during the W W II. This really is something I think people should read. The story comes from years of passed down generations of family history . This book is about a family that survived during the time and how family was separated but yet stick together with love , strength and sure will. I won this book on a Goodreads giveaway.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Heartfelt story of a family surviving the Fascist/Nazi regimes in Italy. Sometimes disturbing, as war always is, but showing the resilience of people and love of family.

Unfortunately I found editing mistakes that detracted from my overall reading experience.

[Wagrobanite · Rating 3 out of 5]

the story is definitely there but there felt like there chunks missing... It also felt stunted at times. Also several misspellings.

[Darci Hustrulid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story line. Would have benefited from a good proofreader. Several errors in wording and verb usage. Quite obviously a first book.

[Carlton Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading family history and this book is great.
It is about family, survival and love. Mr. Sharp's attention to detail and being able to bring his family in Italy alive as I read.
They faced not only the hardships of farming but also dealing with pro-fascist and Germans taking their crops. As the Germans faced the war coming to an end they became more disparate they took anything that they could use to support their troops. Including family members being forced into slave labor.
The pro-fascist in their village, who were sometimes worse at treating the villagers than the Germans, helped take everything that they could use.
In the end they paid the price at the hands of their own neighbors as the war in Italy ended.
Enjoy reading about Zuccchet family and how they dealt with all of the trails sent their way.

[Taylor Estes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book after winning a giveaway.

Feeding the Enemy is a slightly fictionalized account of the author's family and how they survived WWII in the Italian countryside. The family was able to avoid much of the personal tragedy that marks WWII because of their preparations. Sharp included many interesting details about his family, their day-to-day life, and how they survived the war. It was an easy read, though not always very well-written; the language (especially the dialogue) is stilted, and the book could have used additional copy-editing. Even so, I am glad to have read the book, and very much appreciate the author providing me with a copy.

This is an interesting account of World War II from a perspective I had not previously encountered.

[Marie Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book from the author at a book festival and was glad I did. There were many more books vying for my dollars, but this appeared to be special, and it was. I'm always interested in down-to-earth stories about real people. J. R. Sharp wrote about his family's experiences as farmers in Italy during World War II, when they were victims of the Mussolini regime and German occupation. They faced severe hardship and death and survived by ingenuity, family togetherness, and pure grit. This is no dry account of events. The author brings the people to life and the reader feels their fear, love for one another, their triumph, and the trauma that haunted some of them for the rest of their lives. I was so impressed with this story that I have ordered the sequel, Breaking from the Enemy.

[Melinda M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feeding the Enemy by J.R. Sharp is a historical fiction story that is based on the author's relatives recollections of experiences and recollections of World War 2. The first couple of chapters do not flow as well as the rest of the book so give this story a chance. It sounds like it happen so J. R. Sharp has done a good job of keeping it interesting and true to the time period.

I received a copy thru a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Becky Burroughs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories were great. So moving to read about what life was like for people during the war in that region. But, I am a grammar nerd and couldn't get past the spelling and grammatical errors. The book did not appear to have been edited or proofread at all. I'd love to be hired to edit the next one for him, though! That way I'd get the inside scoop on Gino Cartelli's exploits as the Italian freedom fighter.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was about a great family during WW 2. It was a story that needs to be told. The book lets you know how a family survived WW2. The author draws you in by sharing details of his family history....they're personal trial and true love that they have for each other. It is a book I highly recommend.

[Linda Donohue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading "Feeding the Enemy" at first was quite stilted and not smooth reading. After a couple of chapters the author seemed to have fallen into the flow of writing and the writing was more natural. The story had a natural flow. I enjoy reading about the strength families had to bring them through the hardships they faced as during world war II. I received this book through a Gioodreads Giveaway and I thank the author and publisher. I look forward to reading the author's next novel about his grandfather.

[Christie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting topic about a real family during WWII. However, this work of realistic fiction reads more like nonfiction. The dialogue seems stiff. I applaud the author for putting this family tale to paper. Pietro learned from the past war and was able to help his family survive this war.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through "First Read Giveaways."

"Feeding the Enemy" is a captivating historical fiction of love and perseverance drawn from personal recollections of the author's relatives. The character development is very strong and one can clearly see the motivation behind the characters' actions. J.R. Sharp uses short, descriptive sentences that paint vivid pictures of the adversities cast upon the Zucchet family and their acts of survival during World War II. I felt like I was there watching the scenes unfold. Feeding the Enemy J.R. Sharp

[Cathy Settle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an eye opening experience for me. I did not now much about Italy during World War II and this book told a wonderful, rich story about a family that survived. I highly recommended this book

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic copy of J.R. Sharp's "Feeding the Enemy" in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the book. The story follows the Zucchet family’s struggles in a farming community in northern Italy during World War II and what they had to do to survive fascist control. With two sons taken away by the Nazi's and his daughter's husband fighting in the resistance Pietro Zucchet had to find ways to appease the local fascists and their German Nazi superiors to keep his farm and family safe. The book reads as a memorial and explores the ways ordinary people had to survive under harsh rule in extreme times. There were a few typos and such but not enough to take away from the book as a whole. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, memorial, World War II, and local histories.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through "First Read Giveaways".

"Feeding the Enemy" is a sincere and informative book of a farm family's survival during a war. They have to overcome many challenges and the book places the reader into the family setting. This family, as well as my family and many others, suffered by the hands of the Nazis. This is a great, heartfelt effort, to record your family's history.

Thank you for sharing your story with all of us!

P.S.
Pantyhose came into existence in 1956.

[Claire Basista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feeding the Enemy- the experience

Living members' family history combined with unbelievable stories are a potent realization of the chilling reality that was lived out during the war. The hope that prompted strategic decisions and survival tactics by Pietro and the Zucchet family make one's adrenaline soar! To have met and adore a few of the Cartelli family makes the book an experience, alive.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Feeding the Enemy” is the story of the farming Zucchet family in World War II Italy. It is historical fiction with more history than fiction. It is the life and conditions pressed by the war through the Axis powers (both Italian Fascists and German Nazis) of a three generational family on a farm near Cimpello, Italy in the northeastern area of the country.

The governments (Italian and German) press the family into service of their farm produce feeding the armies. It take place beginning in 1939 and continues through the end of the war in Italy. Each year the powers become more oppressive and cruel, but they endure to the war’s end.

I found this story a different facet of the WWII story as it almost all occurs on Pietro Zucchet’s farm. It extends occasionally to the town of Cimpello and even less to Rome. The family faces all that these years threw at the together. It is about the common citizens and their endurance during the war.

While I would prefer to read nonfiction about historical events, this book is the work of the great grandson/grandson of the adult members of the family. He lived and knew the people in the book, heard their stories of the war, and interviewed the younger family members of the time. It represents the actual events and the lives of the family.

NOTE: I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Morgan Gleisle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wont this book on a goodreads giveaway, this is based on a true story and was very moving about what people had to endure during wwII in Italy. Amazing read.