The National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Chatham County, GA, will host author Annette Laing as part of its monthly Author Talk series on Saturday, February 7, at 11:00 a.m. The program will take place at the museum in Chatham County. Laing will speak about her book, “Oversexed, Overpaid, and Over Here? Britain Hosts American Servicemen During WWII“, which explores the social and cultural impact of American troops stationed in Britain during the war.
The talk looks at how everyday life changed for civilians and servicemen alike during that period. The program is free and open to the public, though advance registration is requested. Click HERE to register. Visitors who wish to stay after the talk may take part in an optional lunch. Lunch pricing is $10 or $12 for museum members and $15 or $17 for non-members, with cash or credit accepted.
Cold weather, damp conditions, unfamiliar food, and a language that often felt impossible to follow were some of the first things American service members encountered when they arrived in England during World War II. At the same time, there were welcoming pubs, curious locals, and a widespread belief that Americans had stepped straight out of Hollywood films. Historian Dr. Annette Laing explores how these contrasts shaped daily life as U.S. troops and British civilians learned to coexist on a crowded island in the middle of a global war. Her work looks at friendships, misunderstandings, and cultural clashes, as well as the problems these encounters created for military leaders on both sides, reaching all the way up to Eisenhower.
Annette Laing brings an unconventional background to the subject. After leaving a tenured university position in 2008, she shifted her focus toward making history more accessible and engaging. She is the author of Non-Boring History, a popular Substack newsletter written for adults who think they dislike history, as well as those who already love it. Alongside her writing, Laing presents talks that blend scholarship with storytelling, turning traditional lectures into entertaining, easy-to-follow experiences for audiences of all ages. For more information and to support the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, click on this link: www.mightyeighth.org.
