A depression child (born 1930) and too young for WWII, Ken made up for his absence by living the war’s geography and literature. Ken went to college determined to live and write even better than WWII-era authors, then used his degree to qualify for real higher education: four years of international travel as a U.S. Navy officer out of Newport, RI. Ken logged 5 continents and 22 countries on that cruise, learned that the United States, though the boss, was far from the whole world. He then went to graduate school and came out a teacher. His country count is now up to about a dozen, he’s had a lot of fun, and learned a lot—mostly that people have to educate themselves.