Fullbore Friday
authors matter
This FbF I'd like to take a moment to recognize someone who is, in my mind at least, fullbore.
He did not do anything exceptional in war or other usual benchmarks to make FbF ... but he did something more.
He brought to life to a huge audience the great deeds of others in the naval service. He did it in a way that made people think about the example set and the lessons that could be useful for today and the future.
Brain cancer took him this week, too soon, but he left behind a legacy generations will benefit from.
Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, Neptune's Inferno, Ship of Ghosts, A Fleet at Flood Tide and more. Regulars here know these books and their author, James D. Hornfischer.
He was always a gentlemen and always responded to DMs and emails. I am mad I never tried harder to have him on Midrats more than just once. I looked at the emails I exchanged with him in 2016 for A Fleet at Flood Tide and we just couldn't get the schedule right. It's my fault, really.
A lesson for me here. I'm sorry I didn't try harder Jim. Your books deserved it. My bust.
James D. Hornfischer; author, historian, navalist, and an all around great guy. Thanks for the gifts you've given us all.
Fullbore.
There are only a few in each generation who have the intellect and the drive to gather the facts, and then collect them in a manner which will allow posterity to grasp the what, the how, and the why of important historical events, I tend to see history as a great tide that I must attempt to understand in order to fully comprehend the causes and the impacts of either a single incident, or a chain of incidents. For example, George Custer did not wake up one morning and decide to take the regiment for trot up the river. I greatly admire an author who can place me into that tide so that I can appreciate the background and understand the significance of the action. Indeed, authors do matter! And those of us who share a love of history have lost a true giant of the craft .Fair winds and following seas my friend. You shall be greatly missed.
Agree completely. Met him once when he presented at our Naval Order National Congress in 2018; I had the pleasure to lead the event and meet with all our presenters and guests. He put on a great discussion about what he planned to be the part of the subject matter for his next book. I’ll have to (re)read his titles; he honored USS Houston (CA-30) so magnificently and he will be missed.