In a prior edition of the Lambda Alumni Newsletter, we featured Jim Pierce’s historical novel, Treachery: A Story of Deception Behind Union Lines, involving Abraham Lincoln’s tumultuous first eighteen months in office. Jim’s story line posed plausible reason why the Union armies had been outmaneuvered time and again by Confederate forces in the early years of the Civil War.

Jim’s new historical novel, The Beginning, focuses on Winston Churchill’s rising to the position of Prime Minister in May 1940 during the early days of World War II. Jim says in his Author’s Note that The Beginning is generally chronologically accurate with some occasional poetic license as to dates and times of Churchill’s memorable speeches. 

Both Treachery and The Beginning are available on Amazon. Jim will be giving a book reading and discussion session at the Kenyon Bookstore at 2 PM on Saturday, October 26, during the Lambda Alumni Weekend.

Jim writes:     In writing “The Beginning”, I traveled a similar path to that taken when I published “Treachery”. Namely, as I did with Lincoln’s early years as President, I focused this time on the first year and a half of Churchill’s first run as England’s Prime Minister.

My goal was to write the book in such a way that the reader feels like he or she is sitting next to Churchill as he endeavored to save Britain from what at face value appeared to be overwhelming odds against its survival.

The book attempts to follow the actual chronology of events in 1940 and 1941, but at the end of the day, it is a story; hopefully readers will agree that it is a good story!

The reader will see that he was beset with monumental challenges from day one. He never wavered. Few people know that in addition to his wartime leadership. Churchill also won a Nobel Prize for Literature. Indeed, his pen was the Churchill’s primary source of income in the decades leading up to WWII. The way he navigated through one challenge after another was quite remarkable. His ability to communicate with the British people proved to be invaluable. As is evidenced myriad times in the book, the man had a way with words!

I had fun writing this book. My admiration for Churchill’s wartime leadership has no limits. His passion and wit were unrivaled, and the world is a better place because of his steadfast and resolute leadership.