"It's not what a book is, it's what a book does"

As I started thinking about different ways to tell the world about my book, I found this bit of inspiration in a book written by someone else - Ryan Holiday's Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work That Lasts. “It’s not what a book is, it’s what a book does.”
 
By now you surely know that my book is about Winston Churchill and the unlikely clash between the French and British Navies at the beginning of World War II. But what does my book do?
 
First, I want Operation Catapult to inform and entertain you, for you to consider it a genuine page-turner, to leave you with the sense that your time reading this story is time well spent. Perhaps surprisingly, not every book is specifically written with this in mind. I hope I will accomplish that.
 
You will learn a great deal of history (not just about Winston Churchill), and perhaps realize that you are even more interested in reading the stories of real-life heroes, villains, and historical commotions than you ever suspected. 

More than a few people who read this newsletter know more about the life of Winston Churchill than I do. (As a result of my work on this book, I suppose I am now an authority … on three months out of the ninety years of Sir Winston’s life). Regardless of the depth of your knowledge, my book will add some great new stories to what you already know.
 
Churchill’s decision to inflict Britain’s wrath on their "dearest friends of yesterday” remains controversial to this day. That painful decision was anything but automatic in the summer of 1940. My book provides both the British and French perspectives to help you determine if Churchill’s decisions were justified. Of course, I share my judgment as well.
 
I want you to understand the impact of Churchill’s decisions and actions on the leaders and the populace of France, Britain, Germany, and – perhaps surprisingly - America.
 
And lastly, I hope you will find the story of Operation Catapult a fitting parable for leaders – in government and business – in 2026 and beyond.

Thanks for reading,
Bill