About the Book

Anyone who has ever gazed at an old, faded photo of a relative from their distant past, and wanted them to tell their story, will cherish Courage of the Heart: An American Odyssey 1915 to 1923. This is a true historical narrative of World War I. Based on letters found in the house of her husband’s grandmother, Christine Chatterton has masterfully crafted an intimate account of two families and four brothers from Western Illinois. Each brother faced “The Great War” in uniquely different ways that revealed the difficult decisions they had to make and the courage that showed through their characters. Further, it is the extraordinary love story of Haidee Wilson and Maurice Chatterton written in their own words and spanning the years from 1915 until 1923. This is an epic odyssey of courage, hardship, war, death, illness, and ultimately -- survival. It is also a love story that timelessly endures. This true American Odyssey brings to life those faded old photos and letters that were found, and Christine has expertly coaxed them to whisper to us from over a century ago – a treasure-trove of American heritage that you will not want to put down!

Features & Details

About the Author

Christine Chatterton is an artist, author, poet, and teacher. She has taught Reading Improvement and Special Education for almost 30 years in every grade from Elementary to College level. She is dedicated to her family consisting of her husband, who is also a teacher, and two sons. She has two grandsons, although her first grandson lost his battle to brain cancer at 12 years old. Her passion is in telling the stories of her life and family in a way that brings out the challenges everyone faces. Christine has also written and illustrated a children’s book, Samuel’s Alphabet Zoo, and she is now working on her story of growing up in Detroit, The Kids on Ford Street. She divides her time between writing, painting, making jewelry, visiting classrooms presenting science and cultural lessons, and enjoying her family.