A very unusual book that Mayrie scanned and I validated was just accepted into the collection last night. I haven't been posting about books that I've been validating, but this one is definitely worth a look regardless of your reading 'tastes.' Its not what you'd expect.
Soldier's Heart by Elizabeth D. Samet tells of the author's experiences as a ten-year faculty member teaching literature and poetry to officer candidates at West Point. Ms. Samet is not only a civilian, she is also vehemently opposed to the war in Iraq. Her observations and experiences are fascinating, and poignant. Glimpses into the lives of soon-to-be army officers who know they are going to war, as well as stories of officers she taught to or taught we who are currently serving -- or have died -- in the War run through the entire book. Interspersed with her explanations of how officers are educated - and why poetry and literature are required courses for all West Point cadets - are her observations of how her students differ from the university students in her previous experiences at Ivy League schools, and why.
Ms Samet's own opposition to the Iraqi war, combined with her deep respect for the men and women she teaches and the faculty that she works with, make her a unique observer. Her book provides unusual insights from a unique perspective is neither a condemnation of the military, nor an advocacy for war.
Ms. Samet, a graduate of Yale with a PhD from Harvard, continues to teach at West Point.
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