It is not surprising that the World War I experiences of Norman Thomas (1884-1968) form a major part of Louisa Thomas’ new book: This long-lived peace advocate was, after all, the author’s great grandfather and a six-time Socialist presidential candidate. Conscience does pay due attention to her forebear, but it also traces the parallel stories of his three brothers. Two of them answered President Woodrow Wilson’s call to war by becoming soldiers; Norman and his brother Evan both became conscientious objectors. This thoughtful group biography reveals how four members of one remarkable family coped with the moral complexities of responsibilities and beliefs. An extraordinary microhistory of a conscientious period in American history.

Conscience: Two Soldiers, Two Pacifists, One Family–A Test of Will and Faith in World War I PDF

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