So far this is for completists only. If one does not feel a connection with his milieu, one is lost. But there are bits that make it worth the kind of sporadic reading I'm doing, because I am such a fan. One such bit is a letter written by his ophthalmologist. From Dr. Gordon Bruce, serving in WWII, to Jim:

The U.S. Marine is a wonder.... I love the dirty, profane, loyal, brutal little reprobate.... If we could only get him to take prisoners, the little perfectionist! -- or sadist, or hedonist, what you will! To me, one of his most attractive features is that he is scared -- but there are no external signs permitted to appear, ever!"

Ok done. Yup, only if one is a special fan of Thurber's context (E.B. White, Harold Ross, NYC in the 30s and 40s, etc.) can one fully appreciate this. I read it just a couple of letters at a time, and found one or two turns of phrase or wry barbs each time to enable me to keep going, but I'm relieved I'm done." ( )