Jeffrey K. Walker – Sweet Wine of Youth
Frank Buckles was the last living U. S. World War I veteran until his death at age 110 in 2011. His voice and the voices of nearly 4.8 million other American men and women WWI vets have ceased; however, on the pages of Jeffrey K. Walker’s novels, we can delve into those lives, along with their families and the Allies, and imagine what it was like.
In his Sweet Wine of Youth trilogy, Jeffrey K. Walker presents us with his well-researched and epic WWI and 1920s stories. The first book is None of Us the Same, followed by Truly Are the Free. In these character-driven novels, the broad spectrum of compelling individuals includes five lads from Newfoundland who find themselves in the horror of the Battle of the Somme, an affluent black officer and other African-American soldiers from the famed 369th, the Harlem’s Hellfighters, and a Boston man anxious to volunteer for the fight in 1914 before America entered the war. Along with a particularly feisty Irish nurse and a captivating French girlfriend who also have protagonist roles, their families, comrades, and acquaintances are woven into a richly colored and authentic fabric of life during the First World War and 1920s. The confluence of these disrupted disparate lives in settings from Newfoundland to Harlem, France to Ireland results in a remarkable story of courage, loss, redemption and love.
The latest in Jeffrey’s trilogy is No Hero’s Welcome. It’s the story of the Brannigan family who were introduced in the first book struggling to keep their close bond amidst the First World War’s devastation and their homeland of Ireland\’s brutal fight for independence.
Jeffrey K. Walker’s historical fiction trilogy will surely impart knowledge and fascinate you with important events during and after World War I. An added bonus is Jeffrey’s African-Americans in WWI which you can request on his website. And while there, visit his blog and news & events calendar page that includes a list of numerous awards and recognitions, in addition to his book tour dates.
And who’s the man behind all of this? Jeffrey has had an eclectic life. He was a curious child – a reader, of course – and a bit of a wanderer. Read his bio about some of the places he’s lived and visited, the schools he\’s attended, and his varied professions and occupations, mostly as a husband and father.
Thank you, Jeffrey, for your note and the postcard image of the famous British poster. A little googling confirmed my thoughts of its intent to discourage citizens from reckless spending on clothing during a time when the preferred spending was toward war savings. It’s a good one! 🙂
~Anita~
