You know how sometimes you’re out to dinner and at the end of a delicious meal, after you’ve eaten so much you think you might simply burst… they roll out that desert cart??? And once presented with all the delicious options, not only can you not indulge, but you can’t even limit your choice to just one of possibilities in front of you?
Well, that’s what it was like when it came time to pick this month’s book club title…
So let me introduce to you not one, but TWO terrific reads for the month that summer, sunshine, and some long lazy weekends (perfect for lounging, picnicking, and reading) present themselves, “The Immortals” & “In Times of Rain and War.”
BUY LINK
The first of the two, The Immortals, by Steven T. Collins, is an incredible work of non-fiction that tells the story of the four famous chaplains serving the SS Dorchester, and the previously unsung fifth hero who risked his life when the ship went down in World War II with over 900 men on board.
“In 1943, German U-boats lurked in the icy waters of the North Atlantic, anxious to bring down Allied ships.
By the time the four chaplains aboard the Dorchester descended into the lower holds, the troops knew something was going on; an announcement had blared over the loudspeakers. It was vague. The ship was entering into troubled waters. Submarines were estimated in the vicinity. They were told to put on their life jackets and clothes just to be safe. Tensions were rising.
For the first time in print, this gripping narrative features the largely untold story of a fifth hero, Charles Walter David Jr., a young Black petty officer aboard a Coast Guard cutter who risked his life over and over again, even with hypothermia setting in, to try and rescue the men from the torpedoed Dorchester.
Page-turning and inspiring, The Immortals explores the power of both faith and sacrifice and powerfully narrates the lives of five heroic men who believed in something greater than themselves, giving their all for people of vastly different beliefs and backgrounds.”
More information, the buy link, and a lovely video book trailer
for The Immortals can all be found HERE.
BUY LINK
The second volume in this Father’s Day pack is a phenomenal work of historical fiction, In Times of Rain and War, by Camron Wright, author of the best-selling novel, The Rent Collector.
“In September of 1940, during the Blitz in London, Audrey Stocking is blending in with other civilians who are trying to survive the nightly bombings, but she has a secret. She’s not British; she’s German. Her fake passport and nearly perfect English allow her to blend in as she works hard to help evacuate British children into the countryside. Audrey longs to reunite with her family in Germany, but her double life, the bombings, and the watchful British Military Intelligence have forced her to stay put. And then there are the paralyzing nightmares . . .
Lieutenant Wesley Bowers, an American soldier training with London’s Bomb Disposal Company 5, meets Audrey when an air raid leaves an unexploded bomb on the floor of her flat. She is attractive, intelligent, and compassionate, and there’s an immediate connection between them. As they get to know each other, Wesley realizes Audrey is the one bright spot amid the war’s unending bleakness and constant threat of death. But will he still feel the same if he discovers the secrets she is hiding? Secrets even Audrey is unaware of?"
In Times of Rain and War is a gripping and heartbreakingly beautiful story about the strength and resilience of the human heart and spirit, reminding us there is always hope in hard times.”
