The war hit close to home this week

[Bob Potter]

In my European history course, I do a World War I memoir assignment where each student is assigned a memoir. Titles include "Passionate Prodigality," "The Middle Parts of Fortune," "A Fatalist at War," "With Machine Gun to Cambrai," "The First Hundred Thousand," and "Lice," among others. We read and then discuss the experience as described by authors with a wide variety of backgrounds. Occasionally I do a variation on it in my American history classes with American Civil War memoirs.

If the thing was still in print, I would have them read "The Centurions" by Jean Larteguy, which for my money says more about the psyche of the professional soldier than anything I know.

Thanks for your thoughts, all of you. Liz was a fine soldier who kept up with the fellas at all levels. Padua will have a mass in memorium next week; I want the padre to read Psalm 46, in the King James. And maybe Butler Yeats' "An irish Airman Foresees His Death."

Bob