The Boys from the South Side

In this his third book, the author pivots away from the legal thrillers that formed the basis of his first two books, The Unconventional Lawyer and Justice in our Hearts. In this book, he tries his hand at historical fiction. The story is about two young men raised miles apart on the South Side of Chicago who answered the call to fight for America when World War 2 erupted. In both cases, the heroes volunteered to fly bombers for the Allies. The author details the hard work those young men went through to become bomber pilots. While the book is fictional, many elements of the story are based in fact, including the bomber being shot down and the men becoming prisoners of war.

The novel also chronicles how the heroes matured personally, how they were not friends at first, in fact almost enemies, until the circumstances they were forced to endure, as well as their strong characters, made them friends forever. They were dedicated to surviving the horrible war, at great cost and peril, including their capture.

This novel is an attempt by the author to pay tribute to members of his parent's generation and to his mother's family in particular for their sacrifice. The popularity of historical books about the second World War, both fiction and non-fiction, speak to the strong attention to this story. Even after 80 years, the struggle that the Allied Forces went through, and their triumph, rightfully resonates today in the 21st century. And yet so many of these heroes were just children really, children who by answering the call of duty became heroes. This novel is a tribute to them.