Iowa history author plans visit to Monticello

     Iowa history writer Linda McCann will be speaking at the Monticello Public Library on Thursday, Aug. 26 at 6 p.m.

     McCann has written multiple books about various historic topics as they relate to Iowa, including: the Flood of 2008, rural schools, prohibition, CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camps, and now prisoners of WWII.

     Her most recent book, “Prisoners of War in Iowa,” was published in late 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, McCann was unable to get out and promote her book. Now, she’s getting back out among her fans and readers.

     “I wanted to get out as soon as I could,” said McCann.

     In 2020, McCann booked six in-person events. She also held several Zoom book discussions.

     “But what is important to me is also selling books,” she said, which wasn’t that easy over Zoom. “Now I’m looking forward to hitting every corner of the state if I can.”

     During McCann’s visit to Monticello, she will also be speaking at several other libraries in the area.

     Her latest book came about after a discussion during a family Thanksgiving dinner.

     “I was talking to my daughter’s mother-in-law who grew up around Waverly and she didn’t know of the POW camp there,” remarked McCann. “Why aren’t kids learning about this in school?”

     McCann said there really isn’t a lot of research out there about the Iowa WWII POW camps.

     “I had to do a lot of my own research,” she said.

     Two of the biggest camps were located in Algona (northcentral Iowa) and Clarinda (southwest Iowa). McCann said there are museums in these areas that showcase POW and WWII artifacts.

     “I read actual POW letters,” shared McCann. “There is information out there, but you have to dig.”

     The POW camps in Iowa ran from 1943-45. Many of them housed Germans, Italians, and Japanese.

     “They worked in factories and did field work,” said McCann.

     McCann has always enjoyed Iowa history and sharing fascinating tidbits with readers. During the pandemic, she got an idea for a new book while talking with her two oldest granddaughters. One of them began her first year of teaching during COVID, and the other was in the midst of her college career, both monumental moments during a time when society was almost at a standstill.

     “I told them they should write about their experiences during a pandemic,” urged McCann.

     That’s when she chose to expand on the topics of pandemics and epidemics. McCann is just finishing up a book about polio in Iowa.

     “This is not the only pandemic or epidemic we’ve had,” McCann said of COVID. “And we had the Spanish Flu before polio.”

     McCann said she’s heard from so many Iowans who were either personally impacted and affected by polio, or had a loved one with the disease.

     “I heard from people all over the state,” she said.

     McCann also did an immense amount of research through newspaper archives.

     “I love looking through old papers,” she said fondly.

     During her research, McCann also found out that her daughter-in-law’s father suffered from polio.

     “I saw his name in an old newspaper article that said he was hospitalized for polio in Iowa City,” she shared.

     If there is an upside to COVID, it is that McCann was able to spend some time focusing on her book about polio.

     “It’s important to me to save those memories people have and to start talking about them,” she said.

     McCann is also working with her publishing company to get another book published and out into people’s hands. This book is about the many “Rosie the Riveters” there were here in Iowa during the war. However, she explained that there must be a shortage of paper because her book’s printing is on hold.

     “It’s been a whole year,” she said. “I hope to have it by the end of September.”

     McCann was able to talk to over 30 women who worked in factories in the Waverly and Waterloo area during the war.

     No matter the topic, each time McCann starts to do her research she keeps learning more and more.

     “I love talking to people who lived it,” she said of Iowa’s history. “And then I share those stories.”

     McCann especially likes sharing Iowa’s rich history with school children.

     “It’s unreal how this gets them excited,” she said, even of her own grandkids.

     Copies of all of McCann’s books will be available for purchase at the Monticello library on Aug. 26.