Books

 

The FIGHT OF THEIR LIVES

2024 GOLD MEDAL WINNER - Literary Titan Awards

"In The Fight of Their Lives, author Andy Kutler has crafted an engrossing and history-packed primer on World War II. From Stalingrad and Midway to the internment of Japanese Americans and the role of women in the workforce, Kutler tackles everything from the war’s major battles to the economics, technological innovations, and societal struggles that played a role in the global conflict that shaped the world we live in today." – James M. Scott, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Black Snow and Rampage 

September 1939. To fuel his hate-filled quest for global supremacy and an eternal Third Reich, German dictator Adolf Hitler orders a blitzkrieg attack against Poland, a gateway into the East where prized lands and economic resources await. A sea of tanks and troops storm across the border, prompting Britain and France to declare war on Nazi Germany. The conflict soon widens, consuming the European continent, and in late 1941, Japanese forces strike American naval forces at Pearl Harbor, drawing the United States into a blistering Pacific brawl. Once again, the world is at war, and the consequences are devastating, pushing humankind to the brink of utter catastrophe.  

The Fight of Their Lives: A 21st Century Primer on World War II, is a riveting account of the peril and resiliency that marked the darkest chapter in human history. From blood-soaked clashes across farm fields and jungle islands, to the code rooms and factory floors that powered the Allies to final victory, the fast-paced narrative fully documents the epic struggle that claimed at least sixty million lives. Styled to appeal to all audiences, The Fight of Their Lives is a timely read, from the legacies that remain supremely relevant today, to the lessons humanity cannot afford to learn again.  

“An incredible book!”

– Tim Gray, Founder, President, and Filmmaker, The World War II Foundation

Honorable Profession

"Andy Kutler knows Washington and politics from the inside out, and his novel spans the great divides of our politics: gender and generation; ideology and principle, in a way that will speak to you regardless of which side you’re on."

– Paul Begala, campaign strategist and former White House official

Honorable Profession: A Novel of American Politics is a compelling, hopeful story of a cynical former Secret Service agent and his idealistic daughter as they follow a longshot candidate into the perilous arena of presidential politics.

After resigning from his agency under an ethical cloud, 46-year-old Dan Cahill commits himself to rebuilding his relationship with Megan, the college-aged daughter in Las Vegas he has long neglected. She persuades a reluctant Cahill to join the student-let campaign of a popular professor competing in the Nevada presidential primary against impossible odds. As they face powerful forces conspiring to clear the field, Cahill’s deep-seated disdain for electoral politics collides with Megan’s higher ideals. Each of their faiths are tested by political allies and adversaries, all desperate for victory, no matter the costs.

Crafted by award-winning author Andy Kutler, Honorable Profession is an absorbing, modern-day political drama filled with authentic and indelible characters, each struggling with their own loyalties and principles as they duel with unscrupulous rivals and the meaning of public service.

"A fresh, engrossing take on the political novel with a striking hero."

– Kirkus Reviews

The Batter’s Box

2019 WINNER Military Writers Society of America,
Gold Medal – Historical Fiction

"The Batter’s Box is a tour de force—a riveting tale of baseball, war, and the human spirit...This is an amazing story—well-written, beautifully designed, and emotionally satisfying."

– Military Writers Society of America

 In 1946, a returning World War II veteran is determined to reclaim his place among professional baseball’s upper echelon and win back the woman he once fell for. Two months into the new season, at the top of his game, he abandons his team, casting aside his fame and riches and vanishing forever from the public eye. What drives a man to walk away from everything he cherishes, never to be heard from again?

The Batter’s Box follows the path of Will Jamison, a star player with the Washington Senators who enlists in the U.S. Army following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. When the war ends, Jamison returns to Washington, a decorated hero tormented by deep emotional scars. Burdened with a crushing guilt and harrowing memories he cannot escape, Jamison’s life is consumed by an explosive temper, sleepless nights, and a gradual descent into alcoholism. He must also navigate public misconceptions about mental illness in the 1940s, and stigmas that often silenced those who suffered and drove veterans like Jamison into dark corners. Will he continue, alone with his anguish and misery? Or will Jamison level with those around him, including the woman he loves, and seek the professional care he desperately needs, even at the risk of exposing his secrets and shame?

"An emotionally affecting story, both heart-rending and thrilling."

– Kirkus Reviews

The Other Side of Life

2016 WINNER Independent Publisher Book Awards,
Bronze Medal – Military & Wartime Fiction

2016 WINNER Foreword Magazine INDIEFAB Awards,
Honorable Mention – War & Military Fiction

"Readers will find themselves immersed in this story and captivated by its principal characters."

– James M. McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winner author of Battle Cry of Freedom

 December 1941, Pearl Harbor. A peaceful Sunday morning turns into a devastating attack on American soil. Naval officer Malcolm “Mac” Kelsey is severely wounded while defending his ship. A flawed man abandoned long ago by his alcoholic wife, Kelsey has been mired in despair and hopelessness following the accidental death of Lucy, the young daughter he considers the only redemptive aspect of his life. Near the point of death, Kelsey is brought to what he believes to be an afterlife where he is offered an opportunity to shed his past memories and embark upon an alternate path in another place and time. Eager to escape his torment and begin a more tranquil existence, Kelsey accepts, only to feel quickly betrayed as he soon finds himself back in the midst of battle, this time as a Union soldier at the dawn of the Civil War.

Through Antietam, Gettysburg and four years of relentless fighting, Kelsey attempts to cast aside his painful past while trying to survive the horrors of combat. He crosses paths with compelling figures on both sides of the conflict determined to persevere and return to those they left behind. Idealistic Ethan Royston, promoted from the enlisted ranks, believes in preserving the Union but is plagued by insecurity and self-doubt. His closest friend, West Point-trained Cal Garrity, remains loyal to his home state of Virginia despite his misgivings about the virtue of the Southern cause. The war will divide these friends, just as it will divide Garrity from his adoring wife, Emily, the charismatic and headstrong daughter of a prominent Norfolk shipbuilder, forced to face the onset of war alone.

Each will endure unimaginable hardship and brutality that will forever reshape their core beliefs and values. Each will find their strength and resolve tested as they search for self-purpose, humanity, and reconciliation. Most of all, Mac Kelsey will discover the very essence of life and death, and whether the new beginning he has long coveted will bring him the inner peace he has so desperately sought.

"Profound, smart, and entertaining – the path through The Other Side of Life is an amazing journey through history."

– Joe Weisberg, Creator and Executive Producer of FX’s The Americans and author of An Ordinary Spy