John Merson’s book War Lessons interweaves his own experiences in war with thoughtful assessments of how to prevent it. The book portrays both a poignant personal voyage and a struggle to understand why young people are drawn to war, how it changes those who fight it, why its destructive effects persist on both sides, how former enemies reconcile, and how soldiers want to be treated and remembered by the citizens who send them to the battlefield. Merson served in the Marines from 1965 to 1968 and spent more than a year in Vietnam. These days, he speaks on the subject of war at universities, churches, and veterans groups. His topics include the effects of war on foot soldiers and civilians in war zones, war crimes, and ways to prevent war. He lives in Nantucket and revisits Vietnam annually.