Note to Readers – Every now and then, I will re-post a blog entry that has withstood the test of time. Whether you missed it the first time ‘round or read it years ago, I feel it’s worth sharing again. I chose How Shall We Remember Them? from May 24, 2015 (with an expanded book list) to honor those who serve and sacrifice on behalf of the rest of us.

Who kept the faith and fought the fight; The glory theirs, the duty ours. – Wallace Bruce

Everyone wants to be on the right side of history but history is still in flux. Regardless of your political leaning, you’ve probably noticed how people’s view of the Iraq war has changed over the years, just as the view of the Vietnam war has evolved. This adjustment of judgment is the psychological nature of all humans, not just politicians, pundits and media personalities.

One opinion that has secured firmed footing, regardless of how we feel about war: soldiers who serve in our name, risking life and limb, are heroes. Literature helps us understand and fully appreciate the lives and sacrifices of those who serve in our military, as well as the heroic families that sacrifice to support them. It also enlightens our understanding of how society (that’s us folks) relates to soldiers … and we can show our appreciation.

Regardless of which war interests you, and whether you prefer non-fiction accounts or novels carrying the theme, great books to enlighten and inspire readers abound. Here are some recommendations:

Non-Fiction
Red Tail Captured, Red Tail Free — Alexander Jefferson with Lewis Carlson (WWII/Europe)
Unbroken — Lauren Hillenbrand (WWII/Pacific)
The Ghosts of Hero Street — Carlos Harrison (WW II, Korea)
Dispatches — Michael Herr (Vietnam)
Jarheadv — Anthony Swofford (Persian Gulf)
vGhost Wars — Steve Coll (Afghanistan)
Thank You for Your Service — David Finkel (Iraq)
Fobbit — David Abrams (Iraq)
Plenty of Time When We Get Home — Kayla Williams (Iraq)
The Face of War — Martha Gellhorn (various)

Fiction
The Red Badge of Courage — Stephen Crane (Civil War)
A Farewell to Arms — Ernest Hemingway (WW I)
Catch-22 — Joseph Heller (WWII)
The Thin Red Line — James Jones (WW II, Pacific)
Johnny Got His Gun — Dalton Trumbo (WW II)
Paco’s Story — Larry Heinemann (Vietnam)
Tree of Smoke — by Denis Johnson (Vietnam)
The Things They Carried — Tim O’Brien (Vietnam)
The Valley — John Renehan (Afghanistan)
The Yellow Birds — Kevin Powers (Iraq)

How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes! – Maya Angelou

Once upon a time, libraries were categorized collections of shelved books that one could borrow. Period. My how times have changed!

Over recent decades, libraries have added audio and video materials for loan to patrons. They’ve also added programs and services for all ages. Libraries have become full citizens of the communities they serve.

My local library, in fact, hosted its first naturalization ceremony on May 9, welcoming 72 new citizens from 29 countries to the United States. Staff from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Chicago Field Office administered the special service. The Northbrook Public Library ceremony was part of a 2013 partnership between the USCIS and the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, whereby the two national organizations provide support to libraries and museums by disseminating public information and hosting events linked to immigration and citizenship.

“We want to reinforce the library as a welcoming place where community is formed,” said Northbrook Public Library Assistant Director Brodie Austin. “Libraries play a critical role in helping immigrants get the information that allows them to be active, engaged citizens.”

Two days before the naturalization ceremony, I attended the library’s inaugural “Engaged Citizen Unconference”. Registered participants completed surveys that library staff used to guide the Unconference’s breakout sessions, in which attendees’ discussions were facilitated by moderators. A thought-provoking keynote address preceded the breakout sessions. The concept is still finding its way but the first meeting brought people together in genuine civil dialogue to explore important issues that face all of us today.

Instead of musty halls of dead things, today’s libraries are vivid, living entities that deserve our support. If you haven’t been to your local library recently, go check it out. You might be surprised. And I bet you’ll be inspired.

Note to Readers – Every now and then, I will re-post a blog entry that has withstood the test of time. Whether you missed it the first time ‘round or read it years ago, I feel it’s worth sharing again. I chose Of Coffee Tables and Books from November 20, 2014 because coffee table books make wonderful gifts for special Mothers and Fathers – and the history of coffee table books makes for interesting conversation!

My husband used to chide me when I referred to the low, square-shaped table in our living room as a coffee table. “The (low rectangular) table in our family room is a coffee table,” he would say. “A square table is a cocktail table.” Well, the joke is on him. Purists say that a cocktail table can be square or round; a coffee table is round or oval. Whatever you call the low table you place in front of your sofa, if you keep a large, attractive, illustrated book on it to look at casually or inspire conversation with guests, it is a coffee table book.

The concept of books meant for display dates back to at least the 16th century. An essay by Michel de Montaigne refers to “a book to lay in the parlor window….” This was a putdown of a book that had little literary merit but might impress those who did not take the time to read it.

Some credit David R. Brower with introducing the “modern coffee table book” to the U.S. market in 1960. His first effort in a series published for the Sierra Club was This is the American Earth, a stunning collection of Ansel Adams photos with text by Nancy Newhall. Brower may have been inspired by British tomes using the term “coffee table books”; they appeared there as far back as the 1800s.

Coffee table books have become so popular that some consider them a genre or sub-genre. Most of them feature high quality photography but some highlight art or interesting subjects. They make great gifts for people you care about … including yourself. You’re sure to find a favorite among these:

400 Photographs – Ansel Adams
The Family of Man – Edward Steichen
Life 70 Years of Extraordinary Photography – Editors of Life
The Art Book – Phaedon Press
DIGNITY: In Honor of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – Dana Gluckstein
At Home with Books – Estelle Ellis, Caroline Seebohm, Christopher Simon Sykes
Gnomes – Wil Huygen
1,000 Places to See Before You – Patricia Schultz
Star Wars: The Blueprints – J. W. Rinzler
Echoes of Earth – L. Sue Baugh
Atlas Obscura – Joshua Foes, Dylan Thuras, Ella Morton
In Full Flower – Gemma & Andrew Ingalls

Go dust and polish your coffee table (no matter what size or shape it is) and show off your favorite coffee table books.