Great feedback!

I received a great email from Bill Herrick of Indian Lake today, who recently purchased a copy of "We Were There". Here it is:

Subject: We Were There
Message: Dr. Way; I share your interest in WW II especially the Pacific theater and found your book "We Where There" to be one of the best books I have ever read. You are an exceptional story teller and a great taker of people pictures (an interest I also share). Your pictures and your words truly captured the human side and Adirondack side of the Greatest Generation before, during and after their war experience. I feel as though I now have a personal relationship with each one of the folks you wrote about. I am glad to have gotten a signed copy by you when you were at Abanakee Studios a few weeks ago. Thanks again and by the way I live right across the road from Abanakee studios.

 All the best

 Bill Herrick

This made my day!

Meeting of the Iwo Jima Survivors Club at the Home Front Cafe!

I finally had my first book signing of "We Were There" at the Abanakee Studios in Indian Lake on July 2nd, while opening an exhibit of some of my best landscapes of the area. Kathy and Jane have a beautiful venue there and their gallery brings out the best in my photographs, which were expertly matted and framed by Brian blackburn of Blackburn Gallery in Queensbury. I sold thirty books and had a great time talking to fellow students of WWII, most of whomwere Baby Boomers like myself.

Ever since I first walked into the Home Front Cafe I have looked forward to my next visit. The place features a dynamic, always-evolving display of World War II memorabilia which fills almost every square inch of table, wall and shelf space, while an increasingly impressive collection of model warplanes is beginning to cover the ceiling! Meanwhile, their menu of classic diner food allows one to order a delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner any time of day.

Today I had my second book signing there at what was my third visit, and it was the best visit yet. This is because I was present for a meeting of the Iwo Jima Survivors. The meeting was attended by seven members of the US Marine Corps who participated in and survived that epic battle in February 1945 that cost over six thousand marines in order to later save the lives of over 24,000 airmen of the 20th Air Force of the US Army Air Corps and their crippled B-29s who were able to land there during the rest of the war.

Present were Francis "Dick" Valone and Carlo Valenti of the 5th Marine Division, Thomas "Doc" Smith and Sal Famularo of the 4th Division, George Ross of the 3rd Division,Tom Lenne of the 2nd Division,  and the newest member, George Beyerbach, also of the 5th Division, 13th Marine Regiment. Several family members and friends were also there to savor seeing the men together, enjoying each others' company. I was honored by their interest in "We Were There", and they autographed each other's copies in a group book-signing event that was spontaneous and heartwarming, at least for me. Look for some illustrations soon here when I have had a chance to download them. Tomorrow night I will be doing a book-signing and reading at the Chapman Museum in downtown Glens Falls.

On July 15-16, 2015, the League of Extraordinary Adirondack Gentlemen (LEAG) enjoyed a glorious overnight outing to Forked Lake. We explored the Brandreth Lake outlet and the former site of Frederick Durant's The Cedars Great Camp. Pete Hornbeck, Rick Davidson, Rich Rosen, Bill McKibben, Tom Curley, Tom Bessette and myself were present, while our guide and historian Mike Prescott was on assignment for PBS working on an Adirondack documentary and our resident folksinger Dan Berggren had a gig that week. The weather, water and cameraderie were perfect, and hopefully members of the Adirondack Moutain Club can read all about it in the just-released July-August 2016 Adirondac  magazine.

In August 2015, my illustrated account of the 2014 expedition to Long Lake, Raquette and Cold Rivers was published as the cover story in the July-August 2015 issue. You can see the photos from this year's outing by clicking my "photo album" tab at the top of this page. Also check out the excellent photos by Tom Bessette, the newest member of the LEAG. his images can be found at his website http://www.tombessette.com/Collections/League-of-Extraordinary-Adiron/

Yesterday I sent my third book manuscript to my designer and layout artist Nancy Best for production. It will feature first-hand accounts from patients, relatives and acquaintances who were directly involved in World War II. Entitled We Were There- World War II Stories from the Adirondacks' Greatest Generation. Eighteen men and women recount witnessing the attack on Pearl Harbor, dodging German bombs during the Battle of Britain, torpedoing a Japanese aircraft carrier, enduring depth charges, shooting down German buzz bombs, storming ashore at Omaha Beah on D-Day, building bridges across the Rhine under enemy fire, taking hill 382 on Iwo Jima, fighting the last battle in the European war, and many other amazing stories. It will contain historical images from the war including many previously unpublished photos provided by the veterans in this book. There are also many color portraits of the veterans, their diaries, weapons, battlefields, and warships I have taken over the years. It is my most ambitious book yet! Look for it in the Spring 2016!

A good omen!

 

On August 13, I was driving home from working at the Indian Lake Health Center when I received a text from my daughter Emily that our grandson was about to be born, and simultaneously this amazing double rainbow appeared overhead. It seemed to be a favorable sign, and about nine hours later our grandson Jay Kapoor was born.