Soldier's Heart: Reading Literature Through Peace and War at West Point

By Elizabeth D. Samet

Elizabeth D. Samet and her students learned to romanticize the army "from the stories of their fathers and from the movies." For Samet, it was the old World War II movies she used to watch on TV, while her students grew up on Braveheart and Saving Private Ryan. Unlike their teacher, however, these students, cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point, have decided to turn make-believe into real life.

West Point is a world away from Yale, where Samet attended graduate school and where nothing sufficiently prepared her for teaching literature to young men and women who were training to fight a war. Intimate and poignant, Soldier's Heart chronicles the various tensions inherent in that life as well as the ways in which war has transformed Samet's relationship to literature. Fighting in Iraq, Samet's former students share what books and movies mean to them—the poetry of Wallace Stevens, the fiction of Virginia Woolf and J. M. Coetzee, the epics of Homer, or the films of James Cagney. Their letters in turn prompt Samet to wonder exactly what she owes to cadets in the classroom.

Samet arrived at West Point before September 11, 2001, and has seen the academy change dramatically. In Soldier's Heart, she reads this transformation through her own experiences and those of her students. Forcefully examining what it means to be a civilian teaching literature at a military academy, Samet also considers the role of women in the army, the dangerous tides of religious and political zeal roiling the country, the uses of the call to patriotism, and the cult of sacrifice she believes is currently paralyzing national debate. Ultimately, Samet offers an honest and original reflection on the relationship between art and life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Oct 16, 2007
• ISBN: 9781429933193

Elizabeth D. Samet

Elizabeth D. Samet is the author of No Man's Land: Preparing for War and Peace in Post-9/11 America; Soldier's Heart: Reading Literature Through Peace and War at West Point, which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Current Interest and was named one of the 100 Notable Books of 2007 by The New York Times; and Willing Obedience: Citizens, Soldiers, and the Progress of Consent in America, 1776–1898. Samet is the editor of Leadership: Essential Writings by Our Greatest Thinkers, The Annotated Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, and World War II Memoirs: Pacific Theater. The recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar Grant and the Hiett Prize in the Humanities, she was also awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to support the research and writing of Looking for the Good War. She is a professor of English at West Point.

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Reviews for Soldier's Heart

[herbcat_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very deep and insightful but difficult to stay with, for me. I had to stop fairly often and let my mind catch up to be able to again payattention.

[shannonkearns · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

a book about a literature professor at west point military academy. she weaves stories about her teaching experience and her students with examples from literature and her musings about the purpose of literature and reading, especially in the context of training young men and women for war. a really interesting study about how west point operates and an inside look into some of the people serving our country. i really enjoyed this book.

[brewergirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was an interesting book by a civilian English teacher at West Point. She shares her initial impressions of the school and how she adapts to the military lifestyle ... gives some history of the school and its alumni ... and shares her experiences getting to know her students, both while they are at school and also after they have entered active service.It was interesting to see which books she chose to teach and how she connected the themes in them to the experiences of the cadets, the military, and current events. In addition, she includes insights shared with her via email by former students serving in Iraq. I also loved that she included discussions of classic movies as well as books. (I added several titles to my Netflix queue as I read!) Overall, it was a good read although it dragged in parts for me. I never quite clicked with her writing style and found myself somewhat annoyed at having to stop and re-read sentences that just didn't "flow" for me.

[tututhefirst_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While thought provoking, this book could have done with some serious editing after about the first 100 pages. It became repetitive and unfocused. The writing is dry, and often uninteresting--at least to me. The author is a civilian English Lit professor at West Point, trying to explain why the study of literature and poetry is important to today's soldiers. She makes her point, over and over and over again. In the middle of the book, I found myself beginning to say, and so??? and So???? It just seemed to drone on.Some of her best writing is explaining the difference in attitudes among both students and staff at the Military Academy prior to and then after 9/11. She also seems to spend a lot of time defending the Army itself (particularly the officer corps) to the detriment of talking about the impact and methodology of teaching English to that Army.

[timbazzett · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read a lot of military memoirs. Here's a well-written book about all the fresh-faced young men and women who will - and now do - lead our modern army, and how they change as they progress through West Point and then go out into the frightening world of modern warfare in "the Ghan" or the "sandbox." Samet, Harvard and Yale educated, knows her literature and she uses it well in trying to produce well-rounded young officers. From Pericles & Plutrarch, Homer, Shakespeare and Malory all the way down to Randall Jarrell and John Irving - she uses them all as tools to make her young charges think, in the classrooms of "the last outpost," as she calls the English Department, which is apparently set somewhat apart from the main campus. "Yet we are, in our remoteness," she notes, "on our best days a place where curiosity and imagination can find refuge." Her methods must work, because Samet keeps in touch with her former students, and their letters are windows into their thoughts. These former cadets are no military automotons. They are "thinkers." I actually read this book last year, and was recently reminded of it while reading Bill Murphy Jr's book, IN A TIME OF WAR, about the USMA Class of 2002. Some of the people in Murphy's book probably once sat in Elizabeth Samet's English classes. Murphy's book will make you weep. Samet's will at times do the same, but it also makes you think, just like her lectures made her students think. As a female and a civilian in a military male-dominated place, Samet has a unique perspective, and one that is worth reading. This book is labeled a memoir, but there is very little about Samet's own life here, aside from a few tantalizing glimpses. That part of the book - the personal side - could have been fleshed out some; I think it might have made the book even better. Nevertheless, this is a very good book.

[lindapanzo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Soldier's Heart is a book about a female civilian professor teaching literature to the cadets at West Point both before and after 9/11. I have to say that I love reading books about the service academies and, in fact, have read a number of them but this book is unique in that it probably provides more insights into cadets' character than any of the others.I also liked Samet's discussions of the books taught, as well as their impact on current cadets as well as former students who return to West Point or communicate with her via email. It was interesting to hear about the impact of books on soldiers in Iraq. There was one former student who talked about the urgency of reading while on the front lines in Iraq (and less urgency when he returned stateside). Powerful stuff!!If you're interested in this book, I would also recommend Annapolis Autumn by Bruce Fleming, which is a similar book about teaching literature at the U.S. Naval Academy. Both are excellent books.This was my first 5-star book of the year. Absolutely loved it and would recommend it to anyone who loves books.

[musicmom41 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I requested to review this book because I love books about books and I was curious what kind of literature a professor would choose to teach to students who would someday become commanding officers in our armed forces. This book definitely fulfilled that mission. In 1997 Elizabeth Sameth went to West Point to teach in the English Department receiving her PhD in English at Yale. In Soldier’s Heart she has given us look at West Point not only during the time she has been there but also as it has developed historically from the beginning. Samet not only talks about the literature the students read, but also how they react to it and why it was important to their development as soldiers. She includes the difficulties or teaching students who come into class after training classes where all they are allowed to say is “Yes, Sir” “No Sir”, and I do not understand, Sir” and are now expected to discuss issues and make decisions on what they have been reading. As it turns out, the range of topics chosen was much wider than I had anticipated. It included the expected works that deal with war, including poetry and some nonfiction. But there also many selections that had nothing to do with war and a lot to do with making decisions in life, moral and otherwise. Throughout the book she also discusses literature that many of her students read after they graduated and would correspond with her about, especially those who found themselves commanding units in Afghanistan and Iraq. It was enlightening to discover how literature was influencing many of these young officers. However, this book goes far beyond just literature the soldiers read. Samet gives us glimpse into the workings of a military academy and how it walks the fine line between teaching soldiers to be able to give complete obedience to commands they are given and yet not lose the ability to think for themselves. She discusses what it means to be a career officer and the impact that this has on the families of these officers. She talks about how much has changed in the military, especially in the second half of the 20th century as a result of the Viet Nam War and because of the acceptance of women into the ranks of the officer corps. She relates some of the problems that women must deal with in a formerly all male society. And this is only part of the story she tells. I would recommend this book for every one who loves literature and how it can be applied to life. This book would also be for anyone interested in learning more about the U.S. Military establishment, its history and its current functions. Samet is very balanced in her story, telling us what she considers both the strengths and weaknesses of the education the students receive at West Point. She delivers this all in an easy, readable style generously sprinkled with anecdotes from her life, the lives of the people with whom she works, most of whom are military officers themselves, and stories about her former students. Highly recommended.

[tyroeternal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The occasional book about books is a pleasure of mine. Soldier's Heart was an inspiring read, and well worth the time. Samet's arguments are both well developed and well presented. Though it is not as quick a read as I originally predicted, I greatly enjoyed her perspective and look forward to the next time I read my way though it.

[heathmochafrost · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am grateful to Picador and to LibraryThing for providing a copy of Soldier's Heart through the Early Reviewers program. I've never read another book quite like it. It's a memoir of teaching young adults, and of what they can learn from literature. Elizabeth Samet gives readers an inside look at an honored institution: the United States Military Academy, West Point. Samet's writing is clear, her "voice" easygoing and honest.Her situation is uncommon: she is a civilian inside a military world, and a woman in a sphere still overwhelmingly male. And, she is trying to bring an understanding and appreciation of great writing to young people who could easily be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan after graduation. She shares her own thoughts and experiences of teaching at West Point, and her love of literature, but also quotes letters and e-mails from former students, some of them written from war zones. She introduces us to several of her mentors and teaching colleagues, most of whom are Army officers, and discusses the writings that have resonated for them. These additional perspectives further illustrate the value of "teaching literature to soldiers."The only difficulties I had with the book were not significant, and I cannot think of a way to remedy them. First, the chapters focus upon particular themes, so the narrative isn't linear; it can be a bit "hard to follow" as a result. The second is that, because Samet is writing about real people, she uses very few last names. Thus, it can be hard to remember which cadet or soldier is which. As I said, I don't know of a remedy, and it may be my own shortcoming. I'm used to reading novels, and memoirs that are structured more like novels, so I'm looking for more Character and Plot than Samet can provide.Overall, Soldier's Heart was an enjoyable read, and I learned a good deal about the military and academic training of young soldiers. It gladdens me to know that these young people are reading quality literature and are able to relate it to their own lives.

[visibleghost · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Elizabeth Samat was a civilian teaching English and literature at West Point when the events of 9/11 occurred. She had been in that role for a few years prior to that day of history. She, like a lot of people, then has to question whether or not to change her lifestyle and her style of teaching. She ponders such issues as the atmosphere of West Point undergoes a transformation. Is literature timeless? Is human nature predictable through the ages? Her ruminations on such ideas give food for thought.As time passes and events unfold, the war in Iraq begins and then starts to drag on and on. New issues arise to be contemplated. Soldier's Heart is a collection of one woman's wrestling match with such thoughts. In a book like this that recounts personal opinions and thought processes there are no right and wrong answers but an insight into one individual's journey through times of war. She has direct contact with many that will be shipped into the theater of struggle as soon as their obligations at West Point are fulfilled. Her book captures the feelings, the joys, the pain, of being involved in the young lives of the participants headed into battle. Can literature help some of them survive the tough times? Will literature play a role in their lives when they become decision makers? Soldier's Heart is an honest account of weighing such thoughts.

[lasomnambule · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I’ve always been the type to romanticize literature and its effects in my life. I’ve turned to Mrs. Dalloway upon hearing of the death of an acquaintance; to To the Lighthouse upon losing my first real job. I don’t remember my wedding so much as I remember the books that helped me through it: Delta Wedding, The Member of the Wedding, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, A Moveable Feast. When I’m tired or sick or hate the world, I turn to my library. However, I’m a particularly naïve member of a small segment of people who believe in the power of literature to heal, cure, and illuminate. As a graduate student, and a rookie teacher, I came across a book that hammered that fact home. Richard Miller’s Writing at the End of the World explores what it means to teach young writers in a world where writing doesn’t seem to make much difference. In the face of Hurricane Katrina (which occurred the week I began teaching my first composition course), September 11, and war, what’s a teacher to do? Miller writes, “The dark night of the soul for literacy workers comes with the realization that training students to read, write, and talk…cannot protect them from the violent changes our culture is undergoing” (5). Ill-equipped with anthologies of poetry or grammar handbooks, English teachers struggle to convince students that what literature sells is worth buying. It’s hard enough to sell literature to a typical 18-year-old in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth D. Samet, the author of Soldier’s Heart: Reading Literature Through Peace and War at West Point, had an even harder sell: convince groups of eighteen 18-year-olds at West Point that reading Bleak House will make them better soldiers. No teacher in his right mind would envy Samet’s position, but by the end of Samet’s affecting memoir, we are all grateful for and yes, envious of Samet’s role in shaping the minds of our country’s best and brightest.Samet has experienced the same culture clash that all lovers of books inevitably experience. She loves books so much that her memoir is chock-full of references to Shakespeare, Hemingway, O’Brien, Elizabeth I, Dickens, Poe, and many, many others—she makes so many references, one wonders if she’s conscious of them. She rises admirably to the task of convincing her “plebes” that reading literature matters, as well as to the task of convincing her readers that soldiers and their reading material mean a great deal to the sheltered liberal lives many of us great readers live. Never emotionally manipulative, Samet manages to fill her narrative with vivid images of young soldiers, reading and reacting to books and poetry, even on the battlefield.Samet’s only weakness is perhaps an effort not to transgress the boundaries of nonfiction and enter into the territory of memoir—those looking for a heart-touching, warm, fuzzy perspective on the value of teaching literature do best to look elsewhere. Pop that old VHS of Dead Poet’s Society into the VCR and have some hot chocolate instead of opening this realistically intellectual reflection on teaching. Perhaps in an effort to stay analytical, Samet sticks to a chapter structure eerily reminiscent of many academics’ first monographs. In a book that’s marketed as being about affect, the writing lacks affect almost purposefully.But for that reader looking to reconcile her love of Delta Wedding with a world in which people die for her right to read Eudora Welty, Samet strikes a smart, clean blow, showing that Welty reader what it means to read.

[neverwithoutabook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Soldier's Heart: Reading Literature Through Peace And War At West Point has won multiple awards. Los Angeles Times Book Prizes, New York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2007, USA Today Best Book of 2007, and Christian Science Monitor Best Book of 2007. It deserves those awards. It is not, however, a quick, or light read. It's the kind of book that requires the reader to pay attention. It is thought-provoking and illuminating and it will make you think. Elizabeth Samet takes us through her years of teaching literature at West Point, from her early arrival for her first interview, to her continuuing communications with the soldier's she taught over the ten years she spent there. This is a memoir of her experiences and observations and is filled with many references to the books she used in her classes and some of the insights that both she and her students gained from studying them. It made me want to read some of these books too, as I feel I would understand them now in a different perspective. When I first started this book, I felt disconnected and that it probably has more relevance to American people in general, and to those more intimately connected to West Point specifically. Now I have to say that I feel it is worth reading for it's glimpses of life at West Point, and in the military, but also for the literature itself. In the back is included a list of recommended books and films and I'm thinking I might just try to work my way through them!

[bnbooklady · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is chock full of literary analysis and sociological exploration, and it is a beautiful meditation on the importance of literature and the many ways in which books educate, enhance, comfort, and encourage us and our men and women in uniform. Samet’s argument that an education in literature and the humanities is important and beneficial for military personnel is persuasive and cogently presented, and her passion for her work is evident.I loved this book and wholeheartedly recommend it to readers interested in literary analysis, education, and a new perspective on military life, and I think it is wonderful, powerful addition to the genre of books about books.Read my full review at The Book Lady's Blog.

[cindysprocket · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I always enjoy books about books. This book was that and more. Having toured West Point just a few years ago. I could picture in my mind.her descriptions of the grounds and the Hudson River Valley. We were not able to see any of the academic buildings or the libraries. Which was a disappointment.

[coloradoreader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as an early reviewer...thank you. I was skeptical. In fact I had to laugh when I read another review here that says: "Okay. I have to be honest. I am politically and socially liberal, and fairly anti-military. So I give myself some credit for choosing to read this book." Well, I would have to state the opposite: I am politically and socially conservative, and fairly pro-military. And I also give myself credit for reading this book! I thought I had the author "pegged" for being totally hostile to the military. While she openly states her opposition to the War in Iraq, she surprised me with her ultimate respect and love of military men and women. I also thought I might assume she wanted to "sissify" the military with literature. I ended up with a completely different view.I enjoyed the reference to wonderful works of literatrue, and film as well. I believe that literature and history provide a wonderful foundation in life. Certainly that is no less true for the military. This was a wonderful memoir of one civilian woman's journey in a military academy. There were wonderful stories of the fine young people serving our country. The one criticism I walked away with is her frequent reference to Abu Ghraib and other atrocities. While those incidents are disgusting and regrettable, there are so many more stories of heroism, courage, and valor on the battle field. I wish she would a provided a fair representation of Abu Ghraib, which in my opinion is a small matter that was dealt with appropriately and never should have heppened. However, sadly, that incident has overshadowed so many other positive actiions by our military men and women.All in all, this was a fine book about some of the best our society has to offer...both in regards to literature and our military.

[bookbully · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

For the life of me I can't put my finger on what didn't "click" for me with this book. I admired the writing and the subject matter. Like most bibliomaniacs, I enjoyed the book discussions. But something was missing.Samet makes several interesting points along the way, including the fact that so many of us harbor a certain narrow vision of the type of people who chose to serve our country. She explores subjects such as the role of women at West Point and the fact that over the last several decades, the Acadmeny has softened its treatment of plebes.It is also interesting to read how an academic like Samet became intrigued and later invested in the West Point traditions. And how her relationships with several of her students continued and comforted each side of the teacher's desk long after the pupils departed.At one point in the book, the author noted that many of the cadets never read a piece of literature without trying to find a military lesson within it. But "others become passionately invested in separating the activities of the classroom for the business of soldiering. They take a more expansive view." Perhaps I, too, brought a narrow viewpoint to this particular book and need to give it a "more expansive" reading.

[acornell_13 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Here is my favorite part of Soldier's Heart: "...Andy wrote"I don't know if the soldier's in my platoon will want to pass around "Poetry" in the same way they do other magazines, but I will surely try to get them started." Perhaps, I replied, he would forge an entire platoon of warrior-poets."I like the idea that Elizabeth Samet is teaching officers in the US Army to be warrior poets. Somehow, knowing that our military is taught to read Dickens and Dickenson and think critically about thier role in the world conflict vis a vis literature is comforting.This was an early review pick for me. I am not sure why it was an early review as it has been out on bookshelves since 2006. The new afterward by the author was interesting but did not add more to the orginal narrative.

[pdebolt_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book held great interest for me. My husband is a West Point graduate and I am a voracious reader with an English degree. The concept of creative thinking among the military is counter to the imperative and reigning philosophy, particularly in combat situations. Yet, the understanding of the literature that Samet presented to her students expands their intellectual and emotional capacities, which in turn makes them more effective leaders. Samet's choice of the literature they read is absolutely excellent. It was fascinating to read about their spirited discussions in the classroom and to become acquainted with some of the cadets whom she taught. Her own reflections about the emotional cost to her of personally knowing some of the young men and women who would be deeply involved in life-threatening situations were deeply moving. By knowing and challenging each other, she and her students all gained an enlightened perspective. I am deeply grateful that someone as filled with heart and knowledge is teaching at an institution I revere.

[hemlokgang · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Okay. I have to be honest. I am politically and socially liberal, and fairly anti-military. So I give myself some credit for choosing to read this book. However, I am also a bibliophile and was fascinated to learn what role literature might play at an institution like West Point. This book was extremely interesting. The choice of literature both classic and contemporary was intriguing. It was such a pleasure to read of the author's attempts to reinforce that one can be ambivalent and committed at the same time, that thought is a good thing to hold on to, even in the obedience mentality of the military. There were many interesting anecdotes about individual students and the role literature plays in their lives. The reader is also privy to the dilemmas facing a civilian instructor at a military educational institution. Perhaps one of my greatest pleasures in this book is the marvelous use of vocabulary by the author, who clearly loves using the myriad of words available to all of us in our language. The only negative is that there were a couple of slower sections. But they are brief and certainly outnumbered by engaging and thought provoking writing by this fascinating author.

[pensivepoet · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is possibly the best book I've read all year. It's extremely well written - something I would expect from an English teacher - but beyond the amazing fluidity of prose Samet manages to capture multiple parallel realities: the plebe experience, her experience, the West Point experience, the experience of women within military culture. Samet depicts each reality without any "witness" cross contamination, she editorializes but not to the point where any description loses its vivid essence. I love how anecdotal incidents are explained with a side of literary allusion. It's a fabulous book for educators, avid readers, people within military culture - actually - I think it's plain fabulous for everyone to read.

[bookangel_a · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I feel more well rounded for having read this book. I must admit I have only rarely thought about the students at West Point Military Academy, and this book changed all that. It is interesting to see how Samet, an English Professor, helps her students to enjoy and appreciate literature. Reading and literature may seem at first to be of secondary importance to West Point cadets, but Samet says to them: "I like to think I'm arming you with something you may need, something of value." And in her correspondence with many of them proves that she is right. I always enjoy reading about fellow book lovers, and this was an unexpected surprise.