Alumnus releases book, donates signed copy to Union library

Maisie Nelson • November 3, 2021

Paul Isaacs ’66, celebrated his literary debut by donating a copy of his new book to Weeks-Townsend Memorial Library last week. 


Liberation tells the story of how his father, Sam, finally made peace with his World War II experiences.


Isaacs says growing up World War II was a “ghost in their house”. When he was 7 years old Isaacs read a pamphlet about a French town named Dreux and discovered his father led the troops that liberated the town. 


“I didn’t know what that meant, I didn’t know what Dreux was, and I didn’t know anything about it because he didn’t talk about it, and we were conditioned not to ask him any questions, but it stayed with me for years,” explains Isaacs.


In 1994, after a small push from his family, Lt. Sam Isaacs returned to France. While the trip brings back the horrors of combat, he begins to open up to his family unlike ever before. Exactly fifty years after he liberated the people of Dreux, they liberate him in return. 


A limited number of copies of Liberation are available for purchase at Weeks-Townsend Memorial Library. The book can also be purchased through Amazon. Union College also participates with Amazon Smile, which allows a portion of the proceeds to be donated without any additional charge to purchaser.


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