PHOTO: Dr. John Andrews at his desk, where history and imagination come together to create deeply moving and character-driven fiction.
Bringing World War I History to Life
Dr. John Andrews blends his expertise in medicine and military passion to craft emotionally rich historical fiction about World War I’s unsung heroes, capturing the essence of courage, sacrifice, and humanity.
Author John Andrews stands as a remarkable testament to the power of storytelling enriched by a lifetime of extraordinary experiences. From his beginnings in psychology and medicine to serving his community as an EMT and firefighter, Andrews’s journey is nothing short of inspirational. Yet it is his transition into historical fiction that truly illuminates his exceptional ability to breathe life into history. Through his introspective and character-driven prose, Andrews pays homage to the unsung heroes of World War I, crafting narratives that delve deeply into the human side of one of the most challenging chapters in history.
His debut trio of novels – Our Desperate Hour, An American Nurse in Paris, and Dogs Don’t Cry – exemplifies his profound storytelling mastery. Each work is a poignant exploration of ordinary individuals grappling with harrowing circumstances, interwoven with meticulous historical accuracy and emotional depth. Our Desperate Hour, centred around the legendary Battle of Belleau Wood, captures the indomitable spirit of the US Marines and Navy medical personnel. Meanwhile, An American Nurse in Paris provides a compelling glimpse into the resilience of a young woman navigating sexism and wartime tragedy, and Dogs Don’t Cry offers a touching account of friendship, loss, and hope through the eyes of orphaned adolescents and their faithful canine companion.
Andrews’s ability to blend his experiences as a physician, a Marine Corps father, and a deeply empathetic observer of life lends his works an authenticity that speaks to the soul. His passion for illuminating forgotten stories and bringing to light the sacrifices of medical professionals, journalists, and children during war underscores the human cost of conflict, as well as the resilience of the human spirit.
It is our utmost privilege to welcome John Andrews to this edition of Reader’s House. In the following pages, he shares insights into the inspiration behind his acclaimed works and the challenges he faced in transitioning from medicine to literature. His thoughtful reflections and dedication to his craft will undoubtedly resonate with readers and aspiring writers alike. For those yet to discover his works, prepare to be captivated by his stories of courage, sacrifice, and the boundless strength of humanity.
Dr. John Andrews brilliantly crafts stories of resilience and heroism, bringing history’s forgotten voices to life with authenticity and heart.
What inspired you to focus your novels on World War I, and how do you approach balancing historical accuracy with fictional storytelling?
The Novels of the Great War series was inspired by my sons and their fellow US Marines. When my oldest son enlisted in the USMC, I realized I knew little about the organization’s history. As I delved into it, I read stories about its involvement in World War I that are not taught in American schools or in the brief histories Marines learn in their training. Frankly, most Americans know next to nothing about this war. I wanted to bring these stories and the men involved “back to life” to a modern audience through historical fiction.
“The unifying principle is character-driven fiction in which ordinary people struggle against extraordinary circumstances.” – Dr. John Andrews
Your background as a physician and Marine Corps father clearly influences your writing. How do these experiences shape the characters and themes in your novels?
Both of my sons have been in combat and I have an intimate understanding of the worries and fears parents and families experience “on the home front”. My oldest son lost his best friend in Iraq and accompanied his body back for funeral and burial. I shared his family’s anguish. I know how it feels to hear my son’s small unit lost three Marines, knowing my son might be one of the dead. Then there is guilt in relief when I heard that he was alive—knowing three other fathers would grieve the loss of their sons. This has a huge impact. I try to convey this in Our Desperate Hour.
I’m a critical care medicine physician. I use my knowledge and experience to show readers what it was like for the doctors, corpsmen, medics, and the nurses taking care of the wounded under the most difficult circumstances imaginable. The medical side of war is rarely told since most writers focus on other areas and don’t have my medical background.
“An American Nurse in Paris” and “Dogs Don’t Cry” have received critical acclaim. What do you think resonates most with readers about these stories?
I believe that the thing that fiction readers yearn for is the human dimension of stories. I endeavor to bring the human side into stories that readers have never seen or heard. An American Nurse in Paris looks at the war through the eyes of a young American woman who strived to be a war correspondent only to be shut down by a misogynistic press corps and the US Army. Her only recourse was to fall back on a nursing degree she never intended to use. Her hospital work with wounded doughboys turns out to be the best angle for her to see the war in human terms. One facet of the “Great War” that deserves attention is the plight of the children of France. I could find no English language fiction that touched on the tragedy and resilience of these kids. Dogs Don’t Cry is a dog novel wrapped inside a coming of age story about two orphaned WWI French teenaged refugees. I think both novels touch hearts.
Your latest novel, “Our Desperate Hour,” delves into the Battle of Belleau Wood. What drew you to this particular battle, and what message do you hope readers take away from the book?
The Battle of Belleau Wood can be seen as the birthplace of the modern US Marine Corps. The Marines were placed in front of the tip of the German spear aimed at Paris. Inexperienced, outgunned, and outnumbered they made a desperate stand at the last moment that stopped a juggernaut that the French government thought would not be stopped. Most Americans alive today know nothing about this key battle. It is as if the Light Brigade had won. I hope readers will understand the importance of this battle after reading the novel. I also hope they will appreciate the heroism of the US Navy medical personnel who served there, far from the sea.
As someone who transitioned from a medical career to writing historical fiction, what challenges did you face in becoming an author, and what advice would you give to aspiring writers?
There are only a few physicians who have become fiction writers. I know none of them personally. The biggest challenge is to become “known”. That is true for any new writer regardless of age. Age is an extra challenge. It is extremely difficult for writers over the age of 60 to break into the market for a variety of reasons. I’m 71. My advice to writers of any age is: believe in yourself, be true to yourself, and above all else be patient, persistent, humble, and realistic. And write, write, write. For me, writing is a joy.
Your novels often highlight unsung heroes, such as nurses, journalists, and medical personnel. Why is it important to you to tell their stories, and how do you go about researching their experiences?
I enjoy reading and writing about common people put in uncommon circumstances. I have little or no interest in the famous and fabulous. Medical people are rarely seen as courageous or heroic. I found stories that contradict that bias as I researched US Army and Navy records and histories through a “medical lens”. The challenge of being a woman journalist in WWI caught my eye as well, though the story is a short one with regard to war correspondents.
