By Donald N. Zillman and Elizabeth Elsbach

A century ago Americans entered and fought ‘a war to end all wars.’ In Living the World War: A Weekly Exploration of the American Experience in World War I we use the Congressional Record and the New York Times to see how an American citizen of that era would have experienced the World War without knowing what would come next. In addition to the War, Americans living during the weeks of October 1, 1916 to December 31, 1917 also debated women’s suffrage, race relations, Prohibition, the rights of organized labor, reconciliation of North and South, and coal and fuel shortages. That experience of war, and the emerging national issues, profoundly shape America in the 21st century.

Donald N. Zillman is the Edward Godfrey Professor of Law at the University of Maine School of Law. He majored in history at the University of Wisconsin and graduated from the Wisconsin (JD) and the Virginia Law Schools (LLM). In his career he served as an Army Judge Advocate officer and a professor of law at Arizona State University and the University of Utah before coming to Maine as the Dean of the University of Maine Law School. He also served as the President of the University of Maine at Presque Isle and as a visiting professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point and the University of Southampton (UK). His writings have focused on military law, energy law, and tort law.

Elizabeth Elsbach is an attorney and a graduate of the University of Maine School of Law. She majored in history, political science and English writing at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana. During her time at Saint Mary's College she lived abroad in Innsbruck, Austria for a time where she was able to immerse herself in the cultures, the language, and the history of Europe. In law school she successfully collaborated on an energy and natural resources article, along with co-authoring Living the World War.

The authors are law trained by profession and amateur historians by avocation. We bring the differing perspectives of men and women, military veteran and non-veteran, baby boom generation and millennial generation to our work. Join us in the experience of “Living the World War.”

November 2017, Paperback 632 Pages