Civil War Sergeant (ePub)

Many of you may already have met William Keim when 1st Books Library last summer published his novel And Youth Was Gone, a highly autobiographical study of his own life in the military during World War II.

Again, in Civil War Sergeant, William Keim takes one back to another war viewed this time from the mind of a sergeant who fought in that war. The author, a retired teacher and school superintendent, grew up in the small town of Meadville, Pennsylvania, where as a child, he often watched parades in which a few Civil War veterans participated. His memories of several childhood conversations with these old fighters led him to study that war with great care and to the writing of this novel.

Like millions of veterans of World War II, where William Keim was a medic, he came home and was educated at Allegheny College, Penn State, Delaware and several other colleges through the famous GI Bill. He started his long educational career in 1949 and is happy to say that he still hears often from his former students, many of whom are now senior citizens, themselves.

For William Keim, teaching was both a love and really full-time occupation. Outside of some professional writings about education, he had little time to write fiction – something he has always wanted to do. Retirement after ten years as an innovative school superintendent has offered that opportunity to write. He feels fortunate that he has been given the time to pursue a second career. He and his wife, who has Alzheimer’s, now reside in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. He currently is writing a third novel and taking care of his beloved wife who he feels deserves most of the credit for being able to pursue his careers.