See Jeff's post ( http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001155.html ) which echoes your question, and Rob Conery's response ( http://blog.wekeroad.com/blog/asp-net-mvc-avoiding-tag-soup ).
If you don't like the default View engine, you can use another one.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.