Knox Writes

Swanson’s Debut Novel Focuses on WWII Sacrifices

Philip Zumwalt is an accomplished musician, poet, and idealist—a dreamer. Fresh out of college in 1940, he takes a job as a music teacher in a small, rural Illinois town. His plan is to teach for a few years hoping to save enough money to finance his dreams: go to Chicago to become a professional musician and get his pilot’s license. These dreams dominate his thoughts until one summer night when he meets Elinor Robinson.

Based upon the World War II diaries of the real Philip Zumwalt, this debut novel by Barry Swanson is a bittersweet tale of the transcendent power of love and reminds us of the immense sacrifices made by the men and women of that era.

Your novel is based on the World War II diaries of Philip Zumwalt. What is your relationship to Zumwalt and his diaries? How did you come upon them? Philip Zumwalt is my wife’s uncle, the eldest brother of her father, Homer Zumwalt. At the end of WWII, Philip’s diaries and letters were recovered and sent to Homer’s parents by a friend of Philip’s named Lucky Stevens. Upon the death of his mother, Homer recovered the documents in his parents’ attic. Later, he entrusted them to my wife and me. The diaries and letters may currently be accessed in the archives section of Seymour Library at Knox College.

Many wartime stories continue to be relevant and meaningful to audiences even as time passes. How do you feel that this story will be meaningful to readers in and out of the Knox community? I suppose the essence of this story is much the same as other personal stories about families being impacted by the ravages of war. Whether the wars of previous generations or those of modern day, the cost is immense and the losses irreplaceable.

Many have written that WWII was a “necessary war.” It is difficult to argue that point given the possible implications of what an Axis powers victory might have meant to the world. However, an epigraph to the novel might best state the overall message of the story. Carl Sandburg once wrote in his epic poem, “The People, Yes,” “Sometime they’ll give a war and nobody will come.” Wouldn’t that be ideal? No more wars. Or to paraphrase John Lennon, imagine if that dream became a reality!

A couple of different themes are pervasive in the novel. First—the loss of the innocence of youth. A sensitive, young man, a poet/musician thrown into the maelstrom of war is forced to come to grips with the reality of war. Second—the transcendent power of love. To quote a character in the novel, “Even in the midst of tragedy, there is hope. Even in the midst of war, there is love.”

Perhaps, the words of the philosopher Santayana etched on the base of the statue of a Jewish prisoner at the Nazi concentration camp in Dachau, Germany, say it best, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” If we take warning from those awful lessons from the past, we can only hope that the child who uttered the words in Sandburg’s poem was prophetic and that war will be no more.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Maybe a quote from Kathleen Barber, a Galesburg High School graduate and Galesburg native. Katie is the author of Truth Be Told (now an Apple+ series) and Follow Me. Here is what she said about my novel. “Barry Swanson’s immersive debut is at once a tender romance, an insightful coming-of-age story, and an unflinching look at the realities of war. Both uplifting and heartbreaking, Still Points is a book you won’t soon forget.”

Barry Swanson was a visiting professor of educational studies from 2008-2018 and he also served as assistant men’s basketball coach. A Galesburg native, Swanson, now lives in North Carolina.

Books by Members of the Knox Community

Personalized Philanthropy: Crash the Fundraising Matrix: 2nd Edition

CharityChannel Press, 2015

Steven L. Meyers ’69

Personalized philanthropy is a radical new approach to what we traditionally call planned giving. After decades of “it’s all-about-ourorganization fundraising,” charities thought it wise to take into account what donors might need from the gift transaction. Meyers has broken through the linguistic and strategic logjam to make sense of connecting donors and charities in a way that will, and already does at some organizations, change the way money is raised.

Psychology Confidential: A Crazy Professor Tells (almost) All the Adventures and Misadventures of his Life in Psychology

Paper Raven Books, 2021

Dr. John Martin ’69

Psychology Confidential is an opportunity to plunge deep into the world of psychology through the intimate, humorous, and uniquely informed perspective of Martin. In stories, anecdotes, tales, and adventures taken from his own life and career, Martin provides readers with insights on the curious, sometimes crazy, findings and people of psychology, his world travels, and fascinating animal psychology.

So you want to get an A in Chemistry

Kindle books, 2021

Kevin Landgrebe ’80

“I believe the content may help students taking general chemistry; it gives brief synopsis of topics, chemistry problems with guided solutions, and deeper discussions of topics—all in a colloquial style that I think students will like,” said Landgrebe.

Using this book, you’ll feel like you’re having a conversation with your teacher in which you will get plainlanguage explanations of tough topics.

Lessons Learnt: The Story of Young Mai

Covenant Books of Murrells Inlet, 2020

Alfreda Williams ’69

Lessons Learnt: The Story of Young Mai is a heart-touching novel filled with life-changing realizations that will take the readers to the reallife setting where they can see how the challenges of the main character have taught her life lessons. It is a story about a young girl’s life experiences and lessons learned from them.

Lessons Learnt is an extremely honest book, sometimes painful, other times hilariously funny, which closely examines how Mai was affected by her childhood. Through this book, the author aims to give the readers a unique perspective and realization that each problem in life can turn into something great if they take challenges and experiences as lessons in life.

Death on the North Rim

Outskirts Press, 2019

By Dewey Moore

Moore’s historical fiction novel was inspired by his 1969 rafting trip through the Grand Canyon with Knox students. On the trip, he became aware of a mysterious disappearance of three of John Wesley Powell’s crew members. For the 150th anniversary of Powell’s expedition (2019), Moore used much historical research to come up with his version of what might have happened.

Death on the North Rim follows one of the men who wanted to fill the blank spots on the map: George Bradley, a Civil War veteran who joins John Powell and the crew of men who made the first trip through the canyons of the Green and Colorado Rivers. Facing unknown dangers, these men attempt to navigate territory that no American settler has ever seen before.