The Mystery of Courage Author:William Ian Miller Few of us spend much time thinking about courage, but we know it when we see it—or do we? Is it best displayed by marching into danger, making the charge, or by resisting, enduring without complaint? Is it physical or moral, or both? Is it fearless, or does it involve subduing fear? Miller culls sources as varied as soldiers' memoirs, hero... more »ic and romantic literature, and philosophical discussions to get to the heart of courage—and to expose its role in generating the central anxieties of masculinity and manhood. "Acknowledging that 'courage is no easy virtue to get a grip on,' Miller nonetheless charges fearlessly ahead in this entertaining, troubling, and fluid meditation on what he calls 'the most frequent theme of all world literature' … Well-researched and gracefully written." —Kirkus Reviews "[Miller] displays an exquisite feel for the warring emotions overlain by courage, such as cowardice, fear, and shame, and for the situations in which courage is displayed. [The book's] stage is primarily combat … [which] Miller examines with astuteness and sensibility to layered meanings … An accessible intellectual exploration." —Gilbert Taylor, Booklist« less