Welcome to "Chasing the Daylight", the award-winning book website!

 ...a story of strength, courage, and determination....The attention to detail the author gave to every step of the process, really drew me into her story and made for a relatable and memorable atmosphere...  

—Pacific Book Review 

Chasing the Daylight by Joanna Rakowski is a captivating memoir which provides a unique insight into the life of a dainty ballerina turned army interrogator…. Her story is one of grit, determination, and self-transformation...

—Hollywood Book Reviews 

...this is a well-written, intimate account that breaks the norms of war memoir in its focus on the sacrifices of soldiers who never step foot onto a battlefield. It’s also an important reminder of the centrality of immigrants to the U.S. military in the modern era... A poignant story of an immigrant’s experiences in the U.S. Army.

—Kirkus Reviews

This is a solid read and finding out the nuts and bolts of military service is something I enjoyed immensely. I can highly recommend this read. 

—Readers' Favorite 

Chasing the Daylight is eye-opening and captivating. Libraries and readers interested in accounts of women in service will find it involving and hard to put down...

—Midwest Book Review 

This memoir is a captivating and inspiring experience that leaves a lasting impression…  I would recommend Chasing the Daylight to anyone seeking a reminder that anything is possible with determination and perseverance and to those who would use the book as a form of inspiration to keep chasing their dreams. 

—Independent Book Review 

Tough-minded, inspiring account of a Polish immigrant’s U.S. military training… 

—BookLife by Publishers Weekly 

Atmospheric writing blends with vivid interior emotions to create a roller-coaster ride that mingles pride, fear, doubt, joy, humor, and sheer determination...  

—The US Review of Books

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What is it like to belong to the world’s most powerful armed forces at the dawn of the 21st century? Does a military tale have to be about the soldiers going to war? You’ll find out here.

Joanna is a fragile, romantic, former ballerina. After a painful rift with her beloved friend and mentor of many years, she joins the U.S. Army. Her dream is to become an Intelligence Officer. She faces a formidable task, but she embarks on a four-year journey to accomplish her goal.

Obsessed with a vision of darkness, Joanna pursues the light, her goal of being part of something bigger than herself. In her journey, often plagued by flashbacks of painful memories of a lost friendship, she conquers obstacles despite her physical shortcomings, discrimination, and abuse. It’s a coming-of-age story where Joanna transforms from a hopeless romantic into a soldier, as her responsibilities as an Intelligence Professional in the Army develop.

Chasing the Daylight is an account of Joanna’s four-year military service where her love for America, love for her husband, and love for her friend are seamlessly interwoven. The story whirls us into the center of the rigorous army training, and with the intricate details, transports us into the reality that only less than one percent of the U.S. population is experiencing.

 Playlist

1. Page xi. Prologue: Engelbert Humperdinck, Opera Hänsel and Gretel Opera: Evening Prayer
2. Page xii. Photo in Prologue: Peter Tchaikovsky, Ballet Sleeping beauty, Act III, Princess Florina variation Blue Bird
3. Page 4. Oath of enlistment: Irving Berlin, God Bless America
4. Page 13. Arrival at pre-basic training in Springfield: Antonin Dvořák, Symphony No. 9 in E minor Opus 95, "From the New World", Movement 4
5. Page 23. The conclusion of pre-basic training: John Stafford Smith, The Star-Spangled Banner – United States National Anthem 
6. Page 32. Before the departure to basic training: John Stafford Smith, The Star-Spangled Banner – United States National Anthem 
7. Page 32. Before the departure to basic training: John Philip Sousa, The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army Song) 
8. Page 39. Church on top of the hill: John Newton, Amazing Grace
9. Page 49. Impressed by the photos of the West Point Military Academy graduates: Philip Egner,  The Official West Point March
10. Page 50. Polish General Kościuszko in charge of West Point fortifications: Frédéric Chopin: Polonaise in A major (Militaire), Op. 40, No. 1
11. Page 58. Listening to operas with Alec: Giacomo Puccini, Opera Tosca, aria Vissi d'arte
12. Page 59. Family day, “Apollo 13” screening: OST Apollo 13 motion picture, 18. A War Story
13. Page 67. In a foxhole, looking at the moon: Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, marked Quasi una fantasia, Op. 27, No. 2 (Moonlight Sonata), Adagio sostenuto
14. Page 70. NICs night obstacle course: Richard Addinsell, Dangerous Moonlight motion picture, Warsaw Concerto
15. Page 73. End of victory forge: John Philip Sousa, The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army Song)
16. Page 77. Reunion with Alec after basic training: Peter Tchaikovsky, Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture after Shakespeare, Love theme
17. Page 86. Looking for Chris at the Great Opera Plaza: Peter Tchaikovsky, Ballet The Nutcracker: Overture
18. Page 87. Arrival at Fort Huachuca: Nick Glennie-Smith, We Were Soldiers motion picture, “More telegrams”
19. Page 92. Heritage Hill salute to the flag:  Morning bugle call (Reveille)
20. Page 93. Warsaw-East train station: Leo Stefanek, Vistula
21. Page. 100. Remembering the Music Academy in 1991: Domenico Zipoli, Trumpet Suite in F major, I Prelude
22. Page 106. Trip to Grand Canyon: Hans Zimmer, Thelma and Louise motion picture, “Thunderbird”
23. Page 111. Listening to the CDs from Alec: Glenn Miller, The Moonlight Serenade
24. Page 112. Cavalry at the Old Post: Randy Edelman, Gettysburg motion picture, “March to Mortality”
25. Page 113. Thunderstorm in Fort Huachuca: Antonio Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2, RV 315 "Summer": III. Presto (Storm) 
26. Page 123. Conversation about Ravensburg with Chris: Frédéric Chopin, Polonaise in G minor, B1, KK IIa No. 1 (Posthumous)
27. Page 123. Letter to Alec, from Air Force barracks: Joseph Haydn Trumpet Concerto in E flat, 3rd Movement
28. Page 123. Letter to Alec, from Air Force barracks (Page 121. Flowering bushes in the desert): Richard Wagner, Opera Tristan und Isolde, Act I: Prelude
29. Page 136. Successful IPT: Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard, motion picture Gladiator, “Now we are free”
30. Page 144. Long jump trials for the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge: Vangelis, Chariots of Fire motion picture, main theme 
31. Page 148. First road march for GAFPB: Nini Rosso, Il Silenzio (Italian Cavalry bugle call)
32. Page 163. Finishing the second GAFPB road march competition: Vangelis, Chariots of Fire motion picture, Eric's Theme
33. Page 167. September 11 in Fort Huachuca: James Horner, Courage Under Fire motion picture, “Courage Under Fire”
34. Page 173: Receiving the GAFPB: J.S. Bach: St. Matthew Passion, Chorus: "Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen" (BWV 244 No. 1)
35. Page 177: Ambush and execution: Nick Glennie-Smith, We Were Soldiers motion picture, “Horrors”
36. Page 181: Reunion with Alec after AIT: Nino Rota/Andre Rieu, Romeo and Juliet motion picture, Love theme
37. Page 184. Hallway in ballet school: Rolf Løvland/Secret Garden, The Promise
38. Page 190. Sunrise in Hawaii. Micheal Maxwell Serenade_The Elegance of Pachelbel
39. Page 192. Driving to Springfield for OCS: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Requiem Mass, K. 626: III. Sequenz - 5. Confutatis
40. Page 202. Arriving to Alabama for OCS: Trevor Jones, GI Jane motion picture, “Jordan O'Neil Checks In”
41. Page 205. Commander’s welcome to OCS: Antonio Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in A Minor, RV 356: I. Allegro
42. Page 215. Run uphill and collapse: Tomaso Albinoni, Adagio in G Minor, Andrea Giuffredi
43. Page 222. Coffee at the Ambassador: Jules Massenet, opera Thaïs, Act 2: Méditation
44. Page 228. Night land navigation course: David Foster, The Symphony Sessions "Firedance"
45. Page 234. Empty barracks: J.S. Bach, Italian Concerto in F major, BWV 971, 2. Andante
46. Page 234. The last conversation with Lieutenant Brown: Tine Thing Helseth & Yasuto Tanaka, Eternal Story
47. Page 243. Heat and a broken nose in PA: Domenico Cimarosa, Oboe Concerto in C Minor: I. Introduzione (Larghetto)
48. Page 246. Second collapse in PA: Rolf Lovland/Secret Garden, Adagio
49. Page 250. Departure for the second road march in PA: John Stafford Smith, “The Star-Spangled Banner”, United States National Anthem
50. Page 250. Road march competition: Samuel A. Ward, America the Beautiful
51. Page 258. Taking command as first sergeant: Peter Tchaikovsky, ballet Sleeping Beauty, Princess Florine and Blue Bird pas de deux finale
52. Page 265: Combat water survival training: Trevor Jones, G.I. Jane motion picture, Cold Water
53. Page 273. Preparation for the last road march in PA: John Philip Sousa, The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army Song) 
54. Page 273. The last road march in PA: Samuel Barber, String Quartet, Op. 11, Adagio for Strings 
55. Page 273. The last road march in PA: William Steffe, "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
56. Page 276. Watching ballet Swan Lake with Chris in Warsaw, Peter Tchaikovsky, Ballet Swan Lake, Act II
57. Page 276. Watching “Private Ryan” scene in OCS: John Williams, Saving Private Ryan motion picture, Omaha Beach
58. Page 282. Operation Tiger 2: Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Stabat Mater, "Quando corpus morietur", Largo assai, F minor and "Amen" Presto assai, F minor 
59. Page 288: Now officially friends: Pietro Mascagni, opera Cavalleria Rusticana, Intermezzo 
60. Page 292. The last battle of OCS: Nick Glennie-Smith, We Were Soldiers motion picture, “What is War?”
61. Page 294. The morning after the last battle: Edvard Grieg, Peer Gynt, Op. 23, “Morning Mood”
62. Page 295. End of OCS reflections at sunset: Alessandro Marcello, Concerto for oboe and strings, 2nd movement, Adagio in D minor
63. Page 297: Last trip to Springfield, memories (OCS graduation): Ennio Morricone, Maddalena motion picture, "Chi Mai"
64. Page 306. Polish Pope in Vatican: Andrzej Kurylewicz, Polskie drogi (Polish Routes) motion picture.
65. Page 308. Scene at Ponte Vecchio in Florence: Giacomo Puccini, Opera Gianni Schicchi, aria O Mio Babbino Caro
66. Page 310. In Paris with Chris: Louiguy, La Vie En Rose
67. Page 310. Mission in Poland: Michal Kleofas Oginski, Polonaise “Pożegnanie Ojczyzny” (Farewell to the Homeland)
68. Page 318: Epic argument with Alec: Henri Mancini, Nino Rota, Romeo and Juliet motion picture, Love Theme
69. Page 321: Engagement: Antonio Vivaldi, Four Seasons, Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, "Winter": II. Largo
70. Page 323. Reveille echoing in Huachuca Mountains: Morning bugle call (Reveille)
71. Page 325. Learn again to love Fort Huachuca: Gabriel Faure: Pavane, in F-sharp minor Op. 50
72. Page 328. Revisiting the picnic table at the Old Post: Stanley Myers, The Deer Hunter motion picture, “Cavatina”
73. Page 341. Polish Army in the battle of Monte Cassino: Alfred Schütz, Czerwone maki na Monte Cassino (Red Poppies on Monte Cassino)
74. Page 342. Polish bugle call on Monte Cassino: Unknown, “Hejnał Mariacki” (Saint Mary’s Trumpet Call)
75. Page 342. Waking up after a bad dream, trumpet sounds echoing through the Huachuca Mountains: Daniel Butterfield "Lights out" bugle call (Taps)
76. Page 345. March for GAFPB: Franz Schubert, Marche Militaire in D Major, Op. 51, No. 1
77. Page 347: Tornado of floor tiles: Samuel Karl Bohn, Sorcerer’s Spell
78. Page 359. After the "dining in", outside the building, alone: Daniel Butterfield "Lights out" bugle call (Taps)
79. Page 361. Collapse during Basix: George Frideric Handel. Opera Xerxes, HWV 40, Act 1, Scene 1: Arioso. "Ombra mai fù".
80. Page 363. End of OBC: Sergei Rachmaninoff, Vocalise Op.34 N.14
81. Page 365. Church wedding in Warsaw: Giulio Caccini (Vavilov), Ave Maria
82. Page 370. A battle captain in Germany: James Horner, Apollo 13 motion picture, Main Title 
83. Page 377: Reporting to Marseilles: Marc Shaiman, A Few Good Men motion picture Track 9. Honor 
84. Page 380. Ballet school anniversary gala: Aram Khachaturyan, Ballet Spartacus, Act II, Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia
85. Page 382: Dreaded discharge letter, goodbye dreams: Kjetil Bjerkestrand, Fanfare
86. Page 383. We were no more: Arturo Sandoval, El Día Que Me Quieras (The day that you love me)
87. Page 385. Last letter to Chris: Francis Lai, Love Story motion picture, theme
88. Page 386. Final scene: Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, marked Quasi una fantasia, Op. 27, No. 2 (Moonlight Sonata), Adagio sostenuto
89. Page 387. Epilogue, Ghosts disappear in the daylight. Adolphe Adam, Ballet Giselle, Act II, Finale

BALLET

Peter Tchaikovsky, Sleeping Beauty

Peter Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker

Peter Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake

Aram Khachaturyan, Spartacus

Adolphe Adam, Giselle

OPERA

Engelbert Humperdinck, Hänsel and Gretel

Giacomo Puccini, Tosca

Richard Wagner, Tristan und Isolde

Pietro Mascagni, Cavalleria Rusticana

Jules Massenet: Thaïs, Act 2: Méditation

Giacomo Puccini, Gianni Schicchi

George Frideric Handel, Xerxes

BAROQUE PERIOD COMPOSITIONS

Domenico Zipoli, Trumpet Suite in F major

Antonio Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2, RV 315 

Joseph Haydn, Trumpet Concerto in E flat

J.S. Bach, St. Matthew Passion, Chorus: Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen, BWV 244 No. 1

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Requiem Mass, K. 626

Antonio Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in A Minor, RV 356

Tomaso Albinoni, Adagio in G Minor

J.S. Bach, Italian Concerto in F major, BWV 971, 2. Andante 

Domenico Cimarosa, Oboe Concerto in C Minor

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Stabat Mater 

Alessandro Marcello, Concerto for oboe and strings

Antonio Vivaldi, Four Seasons, Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, "Winter": II. Largo

Giulio Caccini (Vavilov), Ave Maria (baroque style)

ROMANTIC ERA COMPOSITIONS

Antonin Dvořák, Symphony No. 9 in E minor Opus 95, "From the New World", Movement 4

Frédéric Chopin: Polonaise in A major (Militaire), Op. 40, No. 1

Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor

Peter Tchaikovsky, Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture

Frédéric CHOPIN, Polonaise in G minor, B1, KK IIa No. 1

Edvard Grieg, Peer Gynt, Op. 23

Michal Kleofas Oginski, Polonaise “Pożegnanie Ojczyzny” (Farewell to the Homeland)

Gabriel Fauré : Pavane, in F-sharp minor Op. 50

Franz Schubert, Marche Militaire in D Major, Op. 51, No. 1

Sergei Rachmaninoff, Vocalise Op.34 N.14

CONTEMPORARY COMPOSITIONS

Rolf Løvland/Secret Garden, The Promise

Micheal Maxwell, The Elegance of Pachelbel, Serenade 

David Foster, The Symphony Sessions Firedance

Tine Thing Helseth & Yasuto Tanaka, Eternal Story

Rolf Løvland/Secret Garden, Adagio

Samuel Barber, String Quartet, Op. 11, Adagio for Strings

Samuel Karl Bohn, Sorcerer’s Spell

Kjetil Bjerkestrand, Fanfare

Leo Stefanek, Vistula

MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACKS

James Horner, Apollo 13

Richard Addinsell, Dangerous Moonlight

Hans Zimmer, Thelma and Louise

Randy Edelman, Gettysburg

Nick Glennie-Smith, We Were Soldiers

Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard, Gladiator

Vangelis, Chariots of Fire 

James Horner, Courage Under Fire 

Nino Rota, Romeo and Juliet

Trevor Jones, GI Jane

John Williams, Saving Private Ryan

Ennio Morricone, Maddalena

Andrzej Kurylewicz, Polskie drogi (Polish Routes) 

Stanley Myers, The Deer Hunter

Marc Shaiman, A Few Good Men

Francis Lai, Love Story

BUGLE CALLS

Morning bugle call (Reveille)

Nini Rosso, Il Silenzio (Italian Cavalry bugle call)

Unknown, Hejnał Mariacki (Polish Saint Mary’s Trumpet Call)

Daniel Butterfield, Lights out bugle call (Taps)

SONGS

Irving Berlin, God Bless America

John Stafford Smith, The Star-Spangled Banner 

John Philip Sousa, The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army Song)

John Newton, Amazing Grace

Philip Egner, The Official West Point March

Glenn Miller, The Moonlight Serenade

Samuel A. Ward, America the Beautiful

William Steffe, Battle Hymn of the Republic

Louiguy, La Vie En Rose

Alfred Schütz, Czerwone maki na Monte Cassino (Red Poppies on Monte Cassino)

Arturo Sandoval, El Día Que Me Quieras (The day that you love me)