Im a senior in high school and for my senior project i am writing a history book about local ww2 veterans. I have interviewed 5 veterans and have thier complete life stories starting with their birth and childhoods, up through their wartime experiences, and through their lifes after the war. MY question is how should i go about writing this book, should i make each chapter a different veteran and his life story or should i write about the war in general and use the stories and experiences of each veteran to back up and reinforce what i write about?

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Make each chapter a different veteran. Start with the oldest then work your way to the youngest. Hope I helped Please answer mine http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ak65PeEn3K3rALPMeHSW7N3sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20100201125553AAgrmn8

My opinion is that your first option would be more enticing and interesting to the reader. I would make each chapter a different veteran. The other point to consider is that if there are many similarities in their stories, you would use your option #2 (write about the war in general & use stories and experiences of each veteran to back up and reinforce what you write about). If you have direct quotes from your interviews, that would be enjoyable to the reader. All the best, Julian of N

I would say to write about the war in general and use part of their story at the right time

yup, continue answer mine?? http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlVKgTVXTTibSdDDma3crejsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20100201125459AAQgcpS

I'd suggest collecting their related stories together. If they all had something to say about joining the army, that would be a chapter. Childhoods would make a chapter. How they felt when they got back, a chapter. This format will work well, if you asked them the same questions, not so well if they have little or nothing in common. This type of organization makes it easier for the reader to pick out common experiences and make connections. Your editing here will replace commentary. To be honest, you should only write enough to introduce the veterans and explain things they bring up. If someone is talking about d-day, then a nice paragraph or two explaining the importance is fine. You need to rely on their stories, rather than trying to tell an overview of the war. If you haven't read him for your class, I'd suggest getting a hold of some Studs Terkel, one of the greatest interviewers ever. His books on World War 2, the depression, working life, etc, never overshadowed the interview with the interviewer.