Brothers of the Great Crusade:
Three Brothers, One Generation, and the Forging of American Greatness
Brothers of the Great Crusade began with a dusty box pulled from the corner of a dark closet, brought out into the light of day seventy-five years after its contents were first created. Letters, yellowed by time and stained by the handprints of the men who’d written them, told the story of three brothers who fought in World War II.
With back-breaking work and reliance on one another, they survived the Great Depression. Through the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific, they fought courageously. Storming the beaches of Normandy and facing down kamikazes, these brothers helped free the world from tyranny.
Though this novel originally drew inspiration from the letters that detailed the service of one family, I have used a certain author’s license in the retelling of their story. Despite coming from a close-knit family, forged by the hardships and hard work of life in Appalachia, each brother grew into their own unique personality. Similarly, though they all served in the Navy, each had vastly different war experiences. Understandably, by the end of 1945, they had each been molded into three very different men.
In these differences, I saw opportunity – an opportunity to tell this story in a way that moves beyond one family of brothers. Instead, this novel concentrates on the sacrifices and characteristics of America’s Greatest Generation.
Therefore, in taking certain liberties to craft their story, this book has become a work of historical fiction. While some aspects of the three brothers may naturally align with the descriptions herein, each character was fictionally crafted to pay homage to their generation. Through these characters, we come to understand the foundations on which this generation would use their hard-learned war lessons to build their massive legacy: opportunity for an unprecedented economic explosion, fierce patriotism in our emerging superpower, and the fight against oppression – both abroad and at home.
As such, Brothers of the Great Crusade was woven from the words of many voices. In addition to the experiences detailed in the letters, my book also intertwines numerous firsthand accounts of other men and women from that era. Together, these voices create historically-accurate characters who demonstrate the essence of their generation.
Most importantly, as America currently considers how to make itself great once again, a book inspired by old letters could provide the exact guidance we so desperately need. This considered, Brothers of the Great Crusade has always been intended to give tribute to those of one generation – to those of every gender, race, and religion – to those responsible for ever making America great in the first place.
May we all be wise enough to learn from them.