Authors’ advance praise for ‘Bones of My Grandfather’

May 16, 2018

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I am deeply honored to have the several outstanding writers provide “cover blurbs” for the first edition of Bones of My Grandfather: Reclaiming a Lost Hero of World War II, available now for pre-order and due in bookstores July 10.

It is the author’s responsibility to approach prospective blurbers, and it’s always a little awkward making such a large request of someone’s time. And then there’s always the possibility that someone won’t like the book, and will simply decline to provide a blurb.

I am happy to report that every one of the authors of whom I made my request not only agreed to read the book, but recently provided unbelievably kind words about it. I am deeply grateful to each of them.

Here’s what they had to say:

“War, reclamation, and what Tim O’Brien called ‘the Lives of the Dead’ are eternal literary themes for men. Clay Bonnyman Evans has honored that lineage with this masterful melding of military history and personal quest.” —Ron Powers, co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Flags of Our Fathers

“Clay Bonnyman Evans has crafted a tremendous book, intertwining the story of his heroic grandfather, a Medal of Recipient lost for more seven decades under the sands of Tarawa, with his own dogged efforts to find and bring him home. Part war history, family memoir, and travelogue, Bones of My Grandfather is an absolute triumph.”

—James M. Scott, author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid that Avenged Pearl Harbor and Rampage

“I don’t know when I have been so moved by a book. Clay Bonnyman Evans takes us on an exciting and unforgettable journey as he searches for the remains of the grandfather and WWII hero he never knew and unexpectedly finds parts of himself. He is a master story teller. Bones of My Grandfather is not to be missed.”

—Margaret Coel, author of the New York Times-bestselling Wind River mystery series

“Like Flags of Our Fathers, this book reveals the twists that the truth can take on its way to becoming history, and how respect for a man’s sacrifice only deepens when the mythology is brushed away. Evans provides an engrossing, highly readable account of his quest to find his grandfather, literally and figuratively. Outstanding work.”

—Gregory A. Freeman, bestselling author of The Forgotten 500, Gathering Wind, The Wooden Horse, and others

“Filled with mystery, adventure, and poignant reflection, Bones of My Grandfather is an unforgettable story of courage, sacrifice, and family.”

—Wil S. Hylton, New York Times Magazine contributing writer and author of Vanished: The Sixty-YearSearch for the Missing Men of World War II

“Deftly written and meticulously researched, Bones of My Grandfather is first and foremost a poignant and unvarnished story of family that reaffirms a hero’s standing and against all odds brings him home to a final resting place of well-deserved honor.”

—Walter R. Borneman, author of The Admirals and MacArthur at War

“Clay Bonnyman Evans expertly weaves the quest to learn who his grandfather was and the truth about the posthumously awarded Medal of Honor with the current day search for his grandfather’s remains. The result is a seamless, beaitufully written, well-researched story of discovery. Evans uncovers the man behind the legend—his strengths and flaws. Evans’ relentless pursuit of truth removes the shadow from his grandfather’s legacy. His candor reveals that the devastation of war wasn’t limited to the battlefield but ripped into the heart of his family, destroying lives here at home. And finally, Evans openly discusses the frustration of dealing with competing government agencies whose focus isn’t always on accomplishing the job at hand. Shining a light on the long-forgotten battle of Tarawa, Bones of My Grandfather is a must read for anyone interested in the Pacific theater of WWII.”

—Jonna Doolittle Hoppes, daughter of Gen. James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle and author of Calculated Risk: The Extraordinary Life of Jimmy Doolittle, Aviation Pioneer and World War II Hero and Just Doing My Job: Stories of Service from World War II