The Kissing Sailor

April 16, 2012
On V-J Day in 1945, famed Life photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt took the Times Square photo of a sailor’s spontaneous kiss that became the single image many associate with the end of WWII. However, the couple’s faces were covered, Eisenstaedt did not ask their names, and Life never pursued the couple’s identity until decades later. When more than a few came forward, the mystery deepened. Even Eisenstaedt misidentified his subjects years later. Retired naval aviator Galdorisi (coauthor, Act of Valor) and Rhode Island history teacher Verria sought a solution by researching records, interviewing claimants, studying photos, and identifying others seen nearby. The book features photos, some of which enabled the authors to recreate plausible scenarios of how Eisenstaedt got the photo. With a team of photo analysis experts, forensic anthropologists, and facial recognition specialists, the final result reads like Rashomon in its comparisons of crucial discrepancies and conflicting memories. The authors deliver a convincing conclusion to their romantic detective tale about the last day of WWII and the photo that “savored what a long-sought peace feels like.” 20 b&w photos. Agent: John Silbersack, Trident Media Group.

June 1, 2012

Verria (social studies, North Kingston H.S.) and Galdorisi (The Coronado Conspiracy), a retired naval aviator, attempt to uncover the identities of the kissing sailor and the nurse in the famous Alfred Eisenstaedt photograph taken on V-J day in Times Square for LIFE magazine. Eisenstaedt did not ask for their names. Several sailors and nurses have come forward since 1945 claiming they were in the picture, but there has never been a final ruling on how authentic any of these claims were. Verria and Galdorisi enlisted experts in photography, facial recognition, and forensic anthropology to try to determine which of the contenders were captured on film that day. Their analysis leads them to settle on the two they believe were the famous but unknown man and woman. VERDICT The authors have made an engaging and convincing argument, providing a wealth of information without lagging in pace as they unravel this intriguing true-life mystery. Their book will appeal to armchair historians, armchair detectives, and anyone who would like to know the story behind one of the most beloved photographs in American history.--Crystal Goldman, San Jose State Univ. Lib., CA

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2012
It's an iconic image, a sailor kissing a nurse in New York City's Times Square. Photographed on August 14, 1945, by legendary photojournalist Alfred Eisenstaedt and published in Life, it captures a historic moment, the end of WWII. It's a safe bet that most of the book's potential readers have seen the photograph, but who are the people in it? That's the mystery Verria and Galdorisi attempt to solve in this fascinating piece of detective work. Over the years, there have been numerous theories, and numerous people have come forward saying they are the sailor or the nurse. Verria and Galdorisi offer what they hope is undeniable proof of the unnamed couple's true identities. They make a persuasive case, assessing the validity of some of the claimants' stories, using various investigative techniques, including some very clever photographic comparisons, to zoom in on two specific persons who seem to fit the bill. Ultimately, you either accept the authors' conclusions or you don't, but you can't deny that the book provides an intriguing and unique perspective on one of the twentieth century's most memorable moments.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)