At last, with much pride and an unashamed streak of nepotism, I can announce that Son has published his first book, an historical account of the 101st American Airborne’s time spent in our green and pleasant land prior to the D-Day landings of June 1944. 
After three years of extensive research which has taken him from the wilds of Wiltshire in southern England to the American Wild West and from Normandy to Holland and back again, he has pieced together archive photographs, anecdotes and interviews with veterans, the aim being:
“… not only to tell the history of this famous division during an often overlooked part of their service but to give an insight into how their relatively short period of time in England has left its mark nearly 70 years later.”
The division was made famous in 2001 when the miniseries Band of Brothers hit our screens and it was from a fascination with this that Son began his quest to discover as much about the whole division as he could. His goal was for the book to be ready to coincide with 6th June this year – the 70th anniversary of the historic Normandy invasion which was the turning point of WW2. After a few close shaves with proofing and the fine print, his book is finally published and for sale on Amazon.
You can check out his book here for UK readers and here for America.
Son will be over in Normandy for the celebrations in June – they are always extensive but this year promises to be even bigger and better as the Queen, Prince Phillip and President Obama will be in attendance. As I did last year, I will be writing some Normandy related posts in the run up to the 6th of June and re-blogging the wonderful video of Son’s 92 year old veteran friend running up the mountain he first ran in 1942.
Where to next, I wonder …
Congratulations to proud Mum, and gifted Son.
Given the publishing process it is a great achievement to be in print before the deadline.
Thanks – it was touch and go over the last few weeks but it’s amazing what a deadline can impose 🙂
Great news Jenny. Judging from Amazon it looks a real professional job. Hope it sells well though I guess its realistic market is somewhat limited.
Absolutely – never going to be a best seller but happily there are still many people with a real interest in our recent history, so a few copies either side of the Atlantic!
If the fact that it’s Friday isn’t enough reason to celebrate, you’ve just given me even more reason, Jenny! That is fantastic news!
Kudos to him for setting his goal and sticking with it. What a great example to all of us. I apologize if you’ve mentioned in previous posts, but how old is he?
Thanks for sharing the wonderful news!
Thank you Jill. He is the ripe old age of twenty three and I probably haven’t mentioned it before.
Friday’s always good – enjoy Saturday and Sunday too 🙂
Oh Jenny, such wonderful news! Got power back thanks to hubby’s borrowed charger so now I can celebrate with you, yay!! How proud are you of your baby boy??!! Many, many congratulations to your son and to you for what I know was your wonderful support throughout. As you know, my family has strong links with Americans. My mum remembers, as a girl, in WWII when her parents befriended some of the Americans who in turn kept them stocked up with ‘candy’, chocolate and stockings for my Granny! I look forward to your future posts as D Day approaches and I wish your son every success with his book.
Have a great weekend Jenny 🙂
Thank you Sherri – it’s all quite exciting although he seems to be taking it all in his stride – aren’t they funny?
Normandy is a great place for a holiday if you don’t mind changeable weather – and it’s somewhere we know quite well as before Son could drive, we spent time there with him seeking out the places he had read about! Sounds very geeky but we actually enjoyed it – and there are plenty of places to visit whether you are into WW2 history or not.
Enjoy this unexpected sunshine – I thought we were in for rain all weekend here but we’ve just had a long walk along the river.
Wow, Jenny, that’s fantastic! I have so much admiration for historical nonfiction authors. They need to have an unequivocal passion for their subject material, especially in the more obscure pieces of history. What a wonderful journey the research must have taken him on. I can hear the pride in your narrative voice, and it’s well deserved. Congratulations on this big moment.
so true
Thanks, Ingie 🙂
Thank you Gwen for your kind words. He certainly has a passion – fuelled by the miniseries when he was much younger. It really caught his imagination and made him want to trace the path to victory, as it is sometimes called. What the next project will be I have no idea, but he’s the type that needs a focus!
I thought the Queen never went anywhere these days! Proofing and fine print? I won’t even go there.
Very well done to him, especially for doing so much research. Hits both my writing and historical buttons. Can’t remember, did you say earlier why he had chosen that particular subject?
Well, she’s going to Normandy, much to the annoyance of all the regulars. 🙂 Major road blocks will be in place and MOD passes are needed to get anywhere near the main ceremonies so Matthew will be very choosy where he goes this year.
The subject chose him, I think. He used to watch Band of Brothers with his Dad when it was first on TV and was fascinated that it was actually true. He then (later on) met up with other like minded folk and attended conferences and a tour of Europe with a military historian – he was hooked. His trip to America, planned with military precision, took in visiting several veterans he had made contact with to verify some of his research and they welcomed him with open arms. He’s had a fantastic time for someone so young but it became almost an obsession at times. I suppose you have to be single minded to keep at something and get a result. I have no idea where he gets that particular trait from. 😉
Congrats proud Mum! Delighted for you, your son and your family.Wonderful to see such passion in a young person. I expect this book will open very many doors for him in him in so many aspects of his life. Great news!
Thanks RH – the passion was all encompassing at times but a very interesting and rewarding journey. He has been lucky enough to meet so many lovely people who, because he is so relatively young, have taken him to their hearts and been very helpful in his research.
Congrats to Matthew for his time and effort leading to his success, and much happiness to your family for your support of him in this endeavor.
Bless you Holly – thanks for your kind words which of course, I will pass on.
Drum roll is right, Jenny! Congratulations to your son, and double kudos to the brilliant mother of this new author.
It really is excellent news. The book sounds fantastic, and I love the cover. How exciting for both of you to celebrate the result of all his fine work.
Thanks Marylin! Its been a long time in the making but it’s so rewarding that everything seemed to come right at the last minute and it is ready for the 70th anniversary. He should have a ball in Normandy this year!
The writing talent runs in the family 🙂 Congratulations to Matthew – shows great determination to make something of his passion and to get it done before his deadline.
Ah thanks, Andrea – I will pass on your congratulations.
I wish I had his tenacity actually – sticking at things is not my forte!
Congratulations to all. D
Thanks, D – it’s almost a relief all round!
Yup … I can relate! Now … both of you … on to even bigger and better things. D
Well done! It takes a lot of endurance to write a book and often for little (financial) reward, but his name is now out there and this may be the start of a long and happy career. If that is what he wants.
Thanks Jude. Yes, he’s not expecting major sales but just the satisfaction of having it as a tangible thing – and a good addition to his CV 🙂
Congratulations! Completely wonderful! 🙂 I will be interested as I love reading about WWII.
Oooh, thanks Lynette – I remember the post you wrote about your father’s war.
Wow! What a wonderful achievement! This will be a big year in Normandy and it’s so wonderful that a younger generation is there to keep the memory alive.
Oh Rose thank you! Yes, exciting times for your neck of the woods coming up – even with all the barricades in place because of Obama and the Queen!
I must let you know – I had been following your blog and enjoying the wonderful pictures of your tour, but then I had problems because every time I went to your site, my screen froze. I’ll try again, with my fingers crossed 🙂
Oh, dear, that’s not good. Please let me know if you’re still having problems…maybe a problem on my side.
Where to next, indeed, Jenny… I’m tempted to say, the skies the limit… and so I did… 😀 Many congratulations to your son, and to you too… for all the hard work was worth the joy of seeing the book finished and in print. I bet it’s like seeing a baby born and shown for the first time, like proud parents eh? Please pass on my best wishes to your son Jenny, for future sales to take off too… have a great week.. xPenx
Many thanks Pen – will pass your kind words on.
You have a good week too 🙂
Super–and how cool that he gets to go to Normandy! I’m so impressed that he finished a book at his age. That takes an incredible amount of stamina–he must be a really special person.
Thanks, Tracy. I’m his Mum so I think he’s special, obviously, but it’s nice of you to say so!
Normandy will be in full celebratory flow at the beginning of June. I went with him for the 65th anniversary and it was a truly awe-inspiring few days. We have been to Normandy several times on holiday – there is so much to see and do there that it matters not one bit that the weather is often wet!
I don’t mind rain–I suppose that comes from having lived in rainy Hamburg. I was very happy there.
I’d love to see Normandy some day. Northern seacoasts are so much more compelling and soulful to me than southern. I wonder whether that’s genetic? All of my ancestors come from cold places…
I think you may be right. I hail from northern climes too whereas my husband is of Italian/Greek stock and he takes more convincing!
You must be so proud. I have to tell our daughter, since she also is so interested in this part our history! Congratulations!!!! A lot of hard hard work!!!!!
Ah, thank you Hollis. Yes, very pleased for him that he has achieved his aim. Am wondering what he’s going to do now with all his free time!
Lyla said” This is amazing!”
Thank you Lyla! So lovely to know there are other young people out there with a similar passion.
Congratulations! I’ve just told the Publisher I want to read this on Kindle, although I will buy it in paperback if no Kindle becomes available. From what I can see of the preview, the pictures really add a lot to the atmosphere. Matthew writes a bit like you too! Such an amazing amount of research to have compiled.