Spare Parts

• Genre: Nonfiction/Autobiography
• Originally Published: 2004
• Reading Level/Interest: Adult/college
• Structure/Length: 10 chapters; approximately 313 pages
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: Following the death of his brother, Buzz Williams enlists to join the Marine Reserves. When he is unexpectedly deployed during Operation Desert Shield, he struggles to become more than a “spare part” as a Marine Reserve in active military duty.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Graphic depictions of war violence; racism; PTSD

Buzz Williams

• Bio: Marine Reserve combat veteran; former National Teacher of the Year; secondary school administrator with Harford County Public Schools in Maryland

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Education
• Seeking a Sense of Belonging

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Gain an understanding of the historical and social contexts surrounding the US Marines and the Gulf War, both of which shape Williams’s experiences.
• Study paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Education and Seeking a Sense of Belonging.
• Review and partake in a physical challenge inspired by the US Marines’ own physical fitness requirements to develop a stronger understanding of Williams’s experiences.
• Examine and appraise the author’s purpose and techniques to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding how Williams’s Marine life co-exists (or clashes) alongside his civilian life, how Lenny’s legacy impacts Williams, and other topics.