Truly Are the Free

Sweet Wine of Youth #2

by Jeffrey K. Walker

2018 Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards Honorable Mention
2018 B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree
2018 Independent Author Network Book of the Year Finalist
2018 Discovered Diamond
2018 Goethe Award for Historical Fiction Long-Listed
2017 Wishing Shelf Book Awards Finalist

South Boston-native Ned Tobin has all the luck. Alive after the Somme, now an officer, he meets, beds and falls in love with the alluring Adele Chereaux, a half-English lycee teacher who gives herself fully to Ned. Their love affair is suddenly upended in 1917 when Ned is called home and Adele flees the last German advance of the First World War.
Harlem lawyer Chester Dawkins is a fine young man and a devoted brother. He dutifully joins a new regiment anxious to fight for their chance at valor in the face of deep-rooted racism. Meanwhile, his sister, Lena, is left at home to shoulder a crippling legacy of family debt.
Ned finds himself back in France with Chester's regiment. Can these soldiers from very different backgrounds overcome long-held prejudices and find common cause in the bloody trenches? Will Ned ever find Adele again? And what will become of Lena?
Journey through avant-garde Paris, Prohibition-era Harlem and newly independent Ireland in this heart-wrenching yet hopeful story of love and loss. Has Ned's luck finally run out?

Genres: Historical Fiction

279 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2017

About the author

JEFFREY K. WALKER is a Midwesterner, born in what was once the Glass Container Capital of the World. A retired military officer, he served in Bosnia and Afghanistan, planned the Kosovo air campaign and ran a State Department program in Baghdad. He’s been shelled, rocketed and sniped by various groups, all with bad aim. He’s lived in ten states and three foreign countries, managing to get degrees from Harvard and Georgetown along the way. An attorney and professor, he taught legal history at Georgetown, law of war at William & Mary and criminal and international law while an assistant dean at St. John’s. He's been a contributor on NPR and a speaker at federal judicial conferences. He dotes on his wife, with whom he lives in Virginia, and his children, who are spread across the United States. Jeffrey has never been beaten at Whack-a-Mole.

Reviews

[Chris Norbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just had my review delete itself somehow *grrr*. Won't try to rewrite other than to say it's a well -done book. Readers interested in the less well-known parts of WW I such as racism in the American military and attitudes toward homosexuality and other social issues will find this book illuminating.

[Billy Buttons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Truly are the Free
Author: Jeffrey K. Walker

Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 16
Stats
Editing: 10/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 16 readers:
16 would read another book by this author.
16 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
16 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
11 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
14 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
16 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.

Readers’ Comments
‘This is so well-written. A character-driven gem of a book. Loved it.’ Male reader, aged 55
‘This author knows how to show history to the reader without overwhelming them with facts. He had managed to do what many historical authors cannot: offer the reader a powerful historical setting and also plenty of pace.’ Female reader, aged 67
‘I was reminded a little of Birdsong whilst reading this. There’s war, yes, but it’s the language and the characters which make it so enjoyable.’ Male reader, aged 37
‘There are many elements to this story, from racism to trench warfare. The language (and the editing) is faultless. Highly recommended.’ Female reader, aged 69

To Sum It Up:
‘A complex, character-driven novel. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this remarkable second installment of his Sweet Wine of Youth trilogy, Jeffrey K. Walker brings together two minor characters from None of Us the Same, the likable Ned Tobin and Chester Dawkins, and gives us the riveting backstory on how they met and who they come to know, fleshing out their lives at home, in the trenches of WWI and post-War. Ned, a white man, and Chester, a black man, grapple with long-held prejudices and the discomfort they feel when the war throws them together. Both have strong, wonderfully vibrant women in their lives: Ned has fallen madly for the lovely Frenchwoman, Adèle. Chester leaves his beloved sister, Lena, at home in Harlem to manage the household and their declining father. Their stories held me delightfully captive through the U.S. entry into the war, avant-garde Paris, Prohibition-era Harlem, Boston and newly independent Ireland. Walker writes the most realistic descriptions of the settings, you can’t help but feel like you’re in these locations, too. His characters are richly and beautifully written. They truly come alive on the page. I couldn’t put the book down. I learned a lot about the 1920s, the Harlem’s Hellfighters, the avant-garde period, so much more! And I loved so many of the secondary characters as well as the main ones who run the gamut: kind, quirky, conniving, hateful, generous, loving, sweet, resilient, vicious. The book was a fabulous read. I highly recommend.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this remarkable second installment of his Sweet Wine of Youth trilogy, Jeffrey K. Walker brings together two minor characters from None of Us the Same, the likable Ned Tobin and Chester Dawkins, and gives us the riveting backstory on how they met and who they come to know, fleshing out their lives at home, in the trenches of WWI and post-War. Ned, a white man, and Chester, a black man, grapple with long-held prejudices and the discomfort they feel when the war throws them together. Both have strong, wonderfully vibrant women in their lives: Ned has fallen madly for the lovely Frenchwoman, Adèle. Chester leaves his beloved sister, Lena, at home in Harlem to manage the household and their declining father. Their stories held me delightfully captive through the U.S. entry into the war, avant-garde Paris, Prohibition-era Harlem, Boston and newly independent Ireland. Walker writes the most realistic descriptions of the settings, you can’t help but feel like you’re in these locations, too. His characters are richly and beautifully written. They truly come alive on the page. I couldn’t put the book down. I learned a lot about the 1920s, the Harlem’s Hellfighters, the avant-garde period, so much more! And I loved so many of the secondary characters as well as the main ones who run the gamut: kind, quirky, conniving, hateful, generous, loving, sweet, resilient, vicious. The book was a fabulous read. I highly recommend.

[Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)]

MWSA Review

Truly Are the Free by Jeffrey K. Walker is a carefully woven tapestry of nationality, race, sex, and prejudice during a difficult time in world history during the early 1900s. The textures of this literary fabric are rich and thought-provoking, rough in spots (war), smooth in others (peace), but always intriguing.

Author Walker creates a life-changing intersection for two extraordinary men. One is American Ned Tobin, a World War I veteran who has seen the ravages of war. Harlem-born attorney, Chester Dawkins, raised in a respectable, tightly knit black family, is the second character to give texture to this story. Chester joins the military with a strong sense of patriotism and pride to become an officer in an all-black regiment dubbed Harlem’s Hell Fighters. Ned is tasked as a liaison with Chester’s regiment, and he and Chester are sent into battle against the German forces. The two officers form an unbreakable bond in battle as they fight for survival from brutal enemy attacks.

In a compelling writing style, Jeffrey K. Walker weaves the stories of these two families during and after the war into the tumultuous years of the Roaring 1920s. Readers are treated to a journey of love, war, loss, and redemption through the artist community of Paris, prohibition-era Harlem, and into the lush green farm country of Ireland as the tale threads itself in and out of the lives of both men.

Review by Nancy Panko (March 2022)

[Eileen Iciek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent novel taking place during WWI and in the following few years. The author writes well about the racism of the period and homosexuality - topics that often invite either vitriol or preachiness, but not in this book.

The main characters are Adele, a young Frenchwoman; her lover Ned Tobin, an American fighting in WWI; Chester Dawkins, an African-American who enlists to fight in France; and Chester's sister, Lena, left behind to deal with their father's death and financial problems in Harlem. Not every author can write well from the POV of the other sex, but Jeffrey Walker did. The story line was fascinating and believable with no sugarcoating. I really enjoyed this novel.

[Monica Dentino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love and War. Another beautiful love story (stories) interwoven with many details of World War I and its aftermath. The characters are so vivid, their lives so clearly changed by war, by circumstances of life in the early 20th century, and by each other. Jeffrey K. Walker writes with ease about dramatic interpersonal episodes as well as historical global events and I end each chapter feeling like someone just sat down with me and told me a great story. Looking forward to Book Three of the Trilogy!

[Helen Hollick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review: Shortlisted for Book of the Month
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs

"The cast [of characters] is enthralling and entertaining: not just soldiers slogging their way through the mud and keeping their heads down from the bombardment of German shells. We meet musicians, farmers, gangsters, all ordinary people caught up in the extraordinary circumstances of war."

[Dennis Krieger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really great reading. I liked this as well as the first book in the trilogy and sets me up for wanting the third one, which is not out yet. Good history with ample explanations of “author prerogatives,” interesting characters, and so well written that I just cruised through it. A budding star!

[Jeanne Roberson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another success in this series. I love that it's so historically accurate, although it's embarrassing as an American to see how we treated the black community at that time after the heroism demonstrated by them. A beautifully written story with well-developed characters.

[Don Inman · Rating 5 out of 5]

War

This 2nd book continues the theme of the effect of war on individuals, families and nations. The various stories are woven together expertly.

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that TRULY ARE THE FREE by Jeffrey K. Walker is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read!

[david · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two in Jeffrey K. Walker’s trilogy, Sweet Wine of Youth and is every bit as good as the first, None of Us the Same. Once again, Walker writes in a smooth and easy-flowing manner that makes it a pleasure to read. The numerous stories surrounding the characters made this a real page-turner for me. Combine believable fiction with an historical setting that Walker has clearly researched in great depth. This is the type of book that keeps me coming back for more. The best compliment I can give a new author is to say, “I can’t wait to get your next book in my hands.” Mr. Walker, that definitely applies to you. I’m looking forward to book 3 in this trilogy.

[Mish Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Truly are the Free even more that I loved None of Us the Same. This time I found myself reading parts of it over again while I was reading the entire book. This was not because I thought I had missed something or didn’t understand it. It was maybe because I was charmed by it, really interested in it and/or the characters, loved the language of it, wanted to make sure I hadn’t missed something. I think the author learned something while writing the first book and even more with the second. Truly are the Free seems to be much smoother to read. I found a cohesiveness of the story, believability of the characters, the inclusion of enough history to understand the war even better, but especially the language. There were passages I read over again because I was so taken by the way they were written. I could see the characters faces, feel their thoughts, see the scenery, the horribleness of the war, Ned’s love of the farm, Lena’s strength, and so much more.

[Pam Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his second novel Truly Are the Free, Mr. Walker has again managed to convey the spirit of the time of which he writes. The drama is set during and after World War I and follows several characters through France, Ireland and New York. Those places come alive through Mr. Walker's highly detailed narrative and crackling prose. In particular, his portrayals of the African American experience in Harlem and of the artists' life in Paris after the War are especially imaginative and well written.
Several of the main characters in this book were minor characters in Mr. Walker's first novel, None of Us the Same. As part of a planned trilogy, both books are set in the same time period, and while the reader gets the benefit of familiarization of the characters, the novels can also be read on their own.
With his second book, Mr. Walker seems even more confident in telling a story, while providing a great deal of historical detail and bringing his characters to life. If you're a fan of historical fiction I highly recommend Truly Are the Free!

[Mish Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of us did not learn much about WWI in school. So Jeffrey Walker's first two books of his Sweet Wine of Youth Trilogy turn some lights on WWI for us. I loved learning. But the best thing about his books are the people and their stories. It is hard not to get very involved with his characters. They are so real you begin to feel like you know them. Truly are the Free focuses on 2 characters from None of Us the Same. We learn about them pre-war, during the war and after - so you become immersed in the settings in which their lives played out. But most of all, you become immersed in their lives. You really care about them. The other characters are also riveting. It us hard to put either of these books down and I am anxiously awaiting the third book.