The Afterglow of War: Lessons Learned

It was the era of the Baby Boom, new jobs, automobiles, and housing opportunities for American after WWII. 

William Henry faces his teenage years with the fervor of most kids that age, and all the joys, anxieties, and learning that come with them. When the first jet flies over his hometown in Indiana, he and his best friend Peanut are enthralled, a fitting introduction to the many changes their youthful eyes would soon witness in years to come.

The Afterglow of War: Lessons Learned is the final book in a two-book series of short stories which give an accounting of these times. When War Was Heck, the first book, describes William Henry’s view on life during the War. And now he, his family, and his friends—old and new—learn fresh lessons about life after the war. Some are typical experiences familiar to most kids, like driving a car, changing tires on the car, the woes and throes of puppy love, the language of golfing, and secretly sipping on whisky from the kitchen.

But the greatest lesson for William Henry is realizing that opportunities are earned, and once earned, the most appreciated of gifts.