The Fine Line

As a historian/author, I have to walk a fine line in my writing about a subject.  When it comes to my books on the Great War, I have to present not just the good about the men I write about, but their weaknesses as well.  Such is the case with my latest book on Bert Hall which I’m hip-deep on writing. 

Historians should be relatively fair and balanced.  It isn’t easy with a character like Bert Hall.  But I am finding out some truths that were a bit surprising as I dig through the thousands of pages of research material.

When I was writing Terror of the Autumn Skies about Frank Luke Jr., I was tempted to expand on what I was thinking about Frank’s relationship with Marie Rapson and the possibility that they may have had a child.  I could never find the proverbial smoking gun, simply facts that, if taken in the right context, pointed to this birth happening. Proving it and thinking its right are two different things.  So I presented the facts in the book and allow the reader to form their own opinion.  It was the right thing to do and I stand by my decision. 

In Cruise of the Sea Eagle where I wrote about Count Felix von Luckner I did the same sort of thing about his alleged ties to the early Nazi movements.  There’s facts, then there are speculations.  As a historian, I had to straddle that line carefully.  I had to present the known facts and from there, readers need to draw their own conclusions. 

I’m having the same sort ‘fun’ with my Bert Hall book project. 

One thing I intend to probe is Bert Hall’s reputation.  Many of the ‘sources’ of the stories about bawdy Bert can be tied to one man – Paul Rockwell.  This presents something that every character needs, an antagonist.  Paul certainly filled that role for Bert.  It is clear that Paul Rockwell had a hatred of Bert Hall that began with his brother’s death in 1916.  He fed information (true or false?) to historians for years, working hard to minimize or even exclude Bert Hall from the Lafayette Escadrille’s history.  This was validated when I spent time at Washington and Lee University in their collection of Paul Rockwell’s correspondence and materials.  So while I will present the perspective of Bert that most people are familiar with – the brothel hopping, card cheating, scoundrel…I will also present how that image got formed and what was behind it. 

In the research for this book I have also come across some tid-bits of information that present Bert in a less-than-lovable light.  Those will go into the book as well. 

In the end I want readers to form their own opinions.  My job is to present the facts.  All I can say is if you think you know Bert Hall, I intend to give you some new details about his fascinating life and career that will force you to rethink your view on the man.  If nothing else, it is entertaining.  I’d write more, but Chapter Seven is calling me...

My Bert Hall book project is leaping forward!

This week has been focused on my Bert Hall book – The Bad Boy: Bert Hall: Aviator and Mercenary of the Skies.   I’m pleased to say I have a contract in-hand for the project.  I will be announcing the publisher soon.  Needless to say it has taken a long time to reach this point and frankly I’m quite excited. 

Three years of research is finally taking form in words on paper (so to speak – really it’s just words stored digitally, but humor me…) So far I am through three chapters and plowing ahead.  I’m still doing research too, which makes for a fun parsing of my time.  I would complain but I am loving it. 

The research is taking me down some paths I had not planned on traveling – which is what research has a tendency to do.  I spent two weekends ago going over material from the Revolutionary War – both research and writing.  What does the Revolutionary War have to do with Bert Hall?  Let’s just say that I have learned if you want to write about the man, you have to dig into the family history.  Bert Hall comes from a long line of rebels – both in the Revolutionary War and his father in the American Civil War. 

I have solved more than a few mysteries in the last few weeks too.  The biggest was around Bert’s autobiographies.  He wrote one right after the Great War and another ten years later.  I finally have good primary research material detailing why Bert’s second autobiography, One Man’s War, not only didn’t jibe with his first – but introduced material that was outright fiction.  When you are a researcher and you hit a homerun like this – in the form of a stash of letters – it’s just plain fantastic. 

For me this book is the last book of a trilogy of sorts.  I started with Terror of the Autumn Skies about Frank Luke Jr.  In that book I found a reference to Frederick Zinn who helped qualify what happened when Frank was shot down.  That led me to write a book about Frederick Zinn – Lost Eagles.  One of Zinn’s lifelong friends was Bert Hall of the Lafayette Escadrille.  I researched enough of him to realize that Bert deserved a book on his own.  It’s a little weird where your research takes you; it can be a rollercoaster ride.  And like a ride, it is a lot of fun along the way. 

This book is coming out this autumn.  I have some fun things planned when it comes out, fun if you are a WWI aviation aficionado/buff, so make sure you follow my blog from time-to-time.  Until then, I need to get back to Chapter 4…