Soldier, scientist, artist, author, and the Johnny Appleseed of American soccer: His was truly a “life in full.” German-born Gottfried K. “Joe” Guennel moved to the U.S. as a young teen. During World War II, he became one of the U.S. Army’s famed “Ritchie Boys” – a highly trained interrogator of German prisoners of war and war criminals. His artistic talent and interest in palynology led him to write and illustrate two well-regarded books. And woven throughout his life was his passion for soccer, which led him from the playgrounds in Germany to the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame.
Serious, at times humorous, Ross Fruen weaves a wonderful tapestry of the connected family, lake and city. Blemishes included. The author seasons the book with nasty political tricks, explosions, riots and a gangster or two.
Soldier, scientist, artist, author, and the Johnny Appleseed of American soccer: His was truly a “life in full.” German-born Gottfried K. “Joe” Guennel moved to the U.S. as a young teen. During World War II, he became one of the U.S. Army’s famed “Ritchie Boys” – a highly trained interrogator of German prisoners of war and war criminals. His artistic talent and interest in palynology led him to write and illustrate two well-regarded books. And woven throughout his life was his passion for soccer, which led him from the playgrounds in Germany to the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame.
