In Love, War & Polio, acclaimed Michigan memoirist Tim Bazzett continues to examine his small town roots, this time through the memories and letters of Bill Porteous, who came of age during the Depression and the Second World War. Coupling meticulous research with personal recollections and anecdotes, Bazzett's narrative conveys a contagious and obvious delight in discovering how we are all connected. Here is a homespun history lesson about the nearly forgotten polio plague years, and about our fathers' and grandfathers' war, presented in a story that manages to bridge the gap between generations, and even allows us to laugh a little as we learn of such serious matters. In the end though, Bill Porteous's story is perhaps a simple and universal one: a tale of faith, of hope, and -- perhaps most of all -- of the healing power of love.