James Patterson and Matt Eversmann w/ Dean Nelson

“These are the stories America needs to hear about the remarkable young men and women who serve.” – Admiral William H. McRaven, US Navy (Ret.). The most moving and powerful war stories ever told, by the men and women who lived them.

Join us as we learn about the creation of this powerful collection of “brutally honest stories usually only shared amongst comrades in arms. Here, in the voices of the men and women who’ve fought overseas from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan, is a rare eye-opening look into what wearing the uniform, fighting in combat, losing friends and coming home is really like. Readers who next thank a military member for their service will finally have a true understanding of what that thanks is for.”

Sponsored by CORONADO PUBLIC LIBRARY
with support from THE HOTEL DEL CORONADO

Meet The Speakers

James Patterson is the world’s bestselling author and most trusted storyteller. He has created many enduring fictional characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, Maximum Ride, Middle School, and I Funny. Among his notable literary collaborations are The President Is Missing, with President Bill Clinton, and the Max Einstein series, produced in partnership with the Albert Einstein Estate. Patterson’s writing career is characterized by a single mission: to prove that there is no such thing as a person who “doesn’t like to read,” only people who haven’t found the right book. He’s given over three million books to schoolkids and the military, donated more than seventy million dollars to support education, and endowed over five thousand college scholarships for teachers. The National Book Foundation recently presented Patterson with the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community, and he is also the recipient of an Edgar Award and six Emmy Awards. He lives in Florida with his family.

First Sergeant (ret) Matt Eversmann personifies the importance of duty, courage and selfless service to succeed when ordinary circumstances become extraordinary challenges. On October 3, 1993, Matt was placed in charge of a group of Army Rangers to lead a daytime raid against an eager enemy militia. His inspiring story of survival was immortalized in the epic film, Black Hawk Down, which recounts the harrowing experience. For his actions on the battlefield he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor device. During his remaining time in uniform, he worked at the Army War College, taught at The Johns Hopkins University and finally deployed to Iraq where he lived with the Iraqi Army for 15 months during The Surge. He remained on active duty until May of 2008, when he retired after 20 years of service. His frustration with the typical hiring process for veterans fueled his desire to help others avoid the “veteran’s predicament” – great servicemen and women overlooked because of the status quo. He and his wife Tori founded Eversmann Advisory in early 2018. Their mission is to connect great veterans with exceptional employers who realize their value. Represented by Keppler Speakers, he is also a published author, The Battle of Mogadishu, and documentarian. His film “Send Me” will air on PBS in October 2018. He and Tori live in West Palm Beach, Florida with their daughter and two black labs. Matt is a big fan of his Big Green Egg, travel and is an aspiring surfer.

Dean Nelson is the founder and director of the journalism program at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. He writes occasionally for the New York Times, the Boston Globe, San Diego Magazine, Westways, Sojourners, and several other national publications. He has won several awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for his reporting, and has written or co-written 14 books. Nelson is a frequent speaker at writing workshops and retreats.

He has traveled throughout the world covering stories of human interest — India, where he wrote about the slums of Bombay; Kosovo, where he interviewed and wrote about victims of terrorism; Tanzania, where he wrote about members of the Black Panther Party who live in exile; Tibet, where he wrote about religious persecution; Central America, where he wrote about poverty and contaminated water; New Orleans, where he wrote about the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; Haiti, where he wrote about the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake; Iceland, where he wrote about the literary scene there; Croatia, where he wrote about a part of Europe that is trying to reinvent itself after the breakup of the Soviet Union; Rome, where he wrote about the Canonization of Mother Teresa, and elsewhere.