I'd talk to a tax adviser to me sure, but in general, the transportation to and from your residence to your job is not deductible. The cost of maintaining the Columbia residence is probably also not deductible, unless you're required by your employer to maintain it, then you might be able to claim that costs that were exclusively related to your employment under a home office deduction. Mileage for work related driving within Charleston would be deductible.
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.