The only thing these men really have in common is that they're all of a certain age--and there's the center of the tale, for the things they have in common, the shared attitudes and experiences and values, tells you more about the World War II generation than you'll ever get in a hundred books on the Great Depression or World War II. For what Stein shows us is the honor, the integrity, the decency, and the core humanity of these people who did so much to shape what the 20th century became. The stories in this book, which profile the entire lives of all these men from their childhoods all the way into retirement and grandfatherhood, makes you realize just how much that "greatest generation" had to offer, and how much their children and grandchildren could learn from them if only they'd try.

Mind you, it is not a worshipful hagiography. These men are often salty, highly politically incorrect, mildly sexist, mildly racist at times, and sometimes didn't lead saintly lives. But that, too, is something we can learn from, and nothing for them to be ashamed of. For they are ultimately human beings, and that's the real beauty of Stein's portrayal.

I sense that this book is destined to become what's known as a "sleeper." Offhand, the title and plot synopsis don't seem to grab you. Hmm, "The Girl Watchers," a bunch of old guys sitting together reminiscing. How boring! Or so it sounds. but pick it up and start reading, and I suspect you won't find yourself forgetting it very soon. The lives these men lived, the often funny and always moving way Stein portrays them, are hard to forget, and a constantly enjoyable read. I expect this to be the sort of book people read and say, "Wow, I liked that more than I thought I would," and tell their friends about it.

Indeed, let me just say: I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would, and now I'm telling you about it.

I heartily recommend The Girl Watchers Club. It's a moving, poignant tale with an apt subtitle: "Lessons from the battlefields of life." Pick this one up. You won't regret it.

(By the way, a web site devoted to the book can be found right here.)