The Boys from the South Side
µþ²âÌýBradley K. Ross (±Ê´Ç±ô³§³¦¾±â€™75)
(Independent; 365 pages; 2025)
In his third book, Bradley K. Ross pivots away from the legal thrillers that formed the basis of his first two books, The Unconventional Lawyer and Justice in Our Hearts. In The Boys from the South Side, he tries his hand at historical fiction. The story is about two young men, raised miles apart on the South Side of Chicago, who answered the call to fight for America when World War II erupted. In both cases, the heroes volunteered to fly bombers for the Allies. Ross details the hard work those young men went through to become bomber pilots. While the book is fictional, many elements of the story are based on fact, including the bomber being shot down and the men becoming prisoners of war.
The novel also chronicles how the heroes matured personally: how they were not friends at first (in fact, almost enemies) until the circumstances they were forced to endure, as well as their strong characters, made them friends forever. They were dedicated to surviving the horrible war, at great cost and peril, including their capture.
This novel is an attempt by Ross to pay tribute to members of his parents' generation and to his mother's family in particular for their sacrifice. The popularity of historical books about the Second World War -- both fiction and non-fiction -- speak to the strong attention to this story. Even after 80 years, the struggle and triumph that the Allied Forces went through rightfully resonates today in the 21st century. And yet so many of these heroes were just children, really -- children who by answering the call of duty became heroes. This novel is a tribute to them.