By Rachel Riley
Author Earle Kirkbride, a Russell native, visited the library there to sign his new book Letters Home. 
If you missed Mr. Kirkbride, his book is still on sale at the Russell Library and online at amazon.com.  The book is a compilation of letters that Mr. Kirkbride's late wife Norma Jean wrote home to her parents while she was in Japan shortly after the end of WWII.
The book has won the acclaim of readers and historians because of her personal accounts of the events after the U.S occupied Japan.  It was a time of great importance, secrecy, hardships and cultures merging.   
Here is an excerpt from the book:  We took a ride this morning, & everyone looked so nice in their colorful kimonos.  The children looked like little dolls.  Lots of the little girls had white fur collars.  The boys were out flying their kites, & the girls were playing with battledores (something like badminton).....Col. Murray, the one who is on trial for stealing diamonds from the Bank of Japan, was in the office Friday.  After he left, the Major called us together & said we should all be careful, as we're all probably being checked by the F.B.I & Army Intelligence.  Don't know how I get into these situations, but golly it sure keeps life exciting.  -Love, Norma Jean-