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by Susan Zerlaut King (Author)
In Time of War tells the very real and human story of the young men who fought in the first world war. The author, inspired by the war time letters of her own father from the period, began collecting letters home from other servicemen from Newaygo County, Michigan. Along with an informative introduction and contemporary articles about the war and its impact, the book paints a masterful and very human picture of the impact of the first world war on one specific community. There are heroes and heartbreak. But mostly, these letters tell the stories of ordinary young men and their families who lived in extraordinary times. In time of War is an engaging and well-presented window into a time in our history that we must not forget.
In Time of War captures the patriotic spirit of soldiers and sailors from Newaygo County, Michigan mustered to duty during World War I. Susan Zerlaut King showcases the long journeys of many young men who answered the call to travel far from home in preparation for fighting, and paints a verisimilar portrait of life in, and out, of the trenches of what, at the time, was considered the war to end all wars.
SM3 Scott McCormick, USNR, Gulf War veteran
In Time of War honors the lives of men who served our country in WWI through the letters they wrote home. It offers the unvarnished view of "America at War", how communities rallied around their soldiers, but also how suspicions gave rise to the ill treatment of Germans in this country, both U.S. citizens and immigrants. In Time of War is an important read that makes us think about how history repeats itself, and about ourselves in today's world.
Gerald F. Hagans, educator and pastor
Susan Zerlaut King grew up on a family dairy and fruit farm in Western Michigan. She holds a B.S. from Central Michigan University and an M.A. from Oakland University and taught for over thirty years for the Waterford School District. She is the author of Out of the Wilderness: A History of Sitka, Michigan, and Crabtree, a novel. She currently lives in Fremont, Michigan.
