As I prepare to teach WWI in History 30 I am reflecting on my own learning and realizing that I often learn more that sticks with me from reading specific war stories (often novels), as opposed to sweeping summaries (often found in texts). Maybe I should just teach a novel. You need a bit of both, but I think we rely to heavily on the timeline type of teaching in history. That said, the novel doesn't make as much sense without the greater context.
I found a recent stat that was alarming and poignant: the money spent by France alone in WWI could have build every family in Europe a new home.
