War, What Is It Good For?

  I am a real sucker for human conflict and the capabilities of man. I am always awed out we hurt the people we love or ought to love. At the same breath, I am also amazed the capacity of persons to go beyond logic and law to follow a greater one which is love. This is why I am also a real sucker for World War II stories, specifically the human interaction that occurs during this strange period where true brutality and charity is highlighted in man's nature. This is why I really sunk my teeth into Michael Bess' "Choices Under Fire:Moral Dimensions of World War II" when it was lent to me. The topics examined under each chapter are soo juicy that I couldn't help but be tempted to skip chapters or read all of them simultaneously. If you want to get my drift, below are some sample chapter titles:

 Upon reading, you are not guaranteed agree to his moral parameters and views based on your beliefs. However, you will admit that his method is thorough and systematic. Also, Bess is objective in the sense that he touches ground on many facets of WWII and as a consequence leads to a gold mine of insights. If you still can't swallow his ideas, at the very least, I think that you can laud on the book's efforts to at least stirs the reader to seek a true moral criteria not just for war but hopefully for life as well. In conclusion, Choices Under Fire is a good read for someone who wants to spur a discussion in the academe or just among nerdy friends. This is the reason why the author even dedicates the book's website to debating about the morality of World War II.
  Personally, the book has reawakened my fascination with Holocaust and I am planning to read Elie Wiesel's Night in the near future. If you have any World War II books focused on human drama , please comment below. Gracias!

Author: Michael Bess

National Bookstore Release: Available Now!