Barbara's Comments "The Vineyard was actually inspired by Tom Brokaw's 'The Greatest Generation.' Reading that book, I began thinking about those people, now in their sixties, seventies, and eighties, who lived through turbulent times stoically and in silence. It occurred to me that I was oblivious of the strength that they showed. I have also been guilty of sugar-coating the past — believing that the lives of our parents and grandparents were simpler and, therefore, easier. I wrote The Vineyard in part to honor these seniors who, to this day, remain silent about so much. You all know who you are. I tip my hat to you! For me, one of the highlights of writing The Vineyard was learning about World War II. I never did study it in school. June always arrived before we got that far. So I studied it now for the first time. I learned about how Hitler came to power, how he set out to conquer the world, how America resisted entering the war until our own shores were threatened. I learned about life here in the States during the war. It was enlightening."