THREE IMPORTANT BOOKS

We are into our fourth day of that predicted early winter with school-closing snow on the ground under brilliant sunshine. Sun Valley must be absolutely gorgeous and busy with the onset of the ski season. I remember its icicles that reached from the eaves of buildings to the ground, a new experience for me and for many of my German students. Today is a day for erecting a snowman for those who indulge in such. But also a great day for writing (and later on, reading) and that's what I'm here to do--write about a certain lot of books. 

Perhaps every one of these books I have mentioned onblog before for they comprise much of my favorite reading of all time. It is interesting to know most of them relate to World War II. About a week ago I took them to the Executive Director here for her and her husband to enjoy. After she saw the stack, she said, "I may have to quit my job to find time to read these." On Friday I checked on the reading. She said she's into the novelette The Silence of the Sea by Vercors [pen name]. Her husband is reading Wine and War by Donald and Petie Kladstrup. This is nonfiction, one of those hard-to-put-downables. One can learn much more about WWII from this book than from the typical textbook about the war. 

Man's Unconquerable Mind by Gilbert Highet, is not about WWII, but about any war, one could say, and especially one in the future. My blog (in 2010) about this book, which I call MUM, ranks fourth in the line-up of my most popular blogs. It also garnered an excellent comment from a reader. When the E D saw this title, she said, "This is what I need."

To be continued when time allows.