Despite the passage of two decades, "Kent State" is still an instantly recognized & controversial subject. TO HEAL KENT STATE is a riveting reconsideration of American's shared & painful memories about the May 4th, 1970, shootings, which epitomized Vietnam's home-front for many Americans. It is also the only account of the attempt to create a memorial on the site, culminating in the 1990 dedication of a partial memorial, boycotted by many of KSU's current students. Although thoroughly grounded in factual research, the book is not merely another history. Rather, it focuses on healing the wounds, on all sides, which were inflicted by those violent years of war, protest & repression. Told from the perspective of one of the memorial designers at work, it is a fascinating view of an artist coming to terms with the traumas of the Vietnam era. Its balanced, yet emotionally honest approach has been praised by Vietnam veterans & ex-activists (& their parents), & has been recommended for courses on Vietnam & free-speech issues. If you remember Kent State, this book offers healing; if you do not, it offers insight into a tragedy which still has the power to spark protest.

Order from Worldview Press, 901 14th St., N.W., Albuquerque, NM 87104.