We know where we are. In Swarthmore.

To the Editor,

John McPhee takes the title of his first book, “A Sense of Where You Are: Bill Bradley at Princeton,” from what basketball star Bradley said when explaining how he knew where the hoop was even when he was facing in the other direction. In her article about Kyle McCarthy’s book, “Everyone Knows How Much I Love You” (Swarthmorean, 2/26), editor Rachel Pastan quotes from the novel:  “... everywhere we went [in Swarthmore], we knew where we were.”

Whether scoring a basket on the court or developing a perspective about life, having a sense of where you are is helped greatly by knowing where you came from. In addition to the psychology of the family of one’s origin and the nature of one’s tribal culture, the geography, landmarks, and memorialized events of one’s childhood are influential. I look forward to recommending Kyle McCarthy’s book to my children, who grew up here.

John Brodsky
Swarthmore