Bill Whiteside
@billwhiteside.bsky.social
Author: Operation Catapult: Winston Churchill and the British Attack on the French Navy at Mers-el-Kébir.
www.perfectlytruestory.com
www.perfectlytruestory.com
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
Don't steal pies this Christmas.
December 16, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Don't steal pies this Christmas.
I always believed that the raw facts I had to work with provided an opportunity to shape "Operation Catapult" (out on March 17, 2026) as a modest thriller, and so I especially appreciate Christopher Somerville's comment about “mounting apprehension and understanding.”
#booksky
#booksky
December 16, 2025 at 3:03 PM
I always believed that the raw facts I had to work with provided an opportunity to shape "Operation Catapult" (out on March 17, 2026) as a modest thriller, and so I especially appreciate Christopher Somerville's comment about “mounting apprehension and understanding.”
#booksky
#booksky
Arthur J. Marder was a U.S. historian who focused on British naval history in the first half of the 20th century. His books are extensively footnoted, and many reference “a personal letter to the author” from British and French naval officers. I HAD to read those these letters.... #booksky
December 9, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Arthur J. Marder was a U.S. historian who focused on British naval history in the first half of the 20th century. His books are extensively footnoted, and many reference “a personal letter to the author” from British and French naval officers. I HAD to read those these letters.... #booksky
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
I’m so grateful to the people who invented coffee.
December 3, 2025 at 2:02 PM
I’m so grateful to the people who invented coffee.
There are roughly 291 ways to screw up the writing of a nonfiction book. Near the top of my list of concerns was that my book might not pass muster in naval circles. That sound you might have heard several weeks ago was a sigh of relief when an acclaimed naval historian wrote this.
#booksky
#booksky
December 2, 2025 at 3:18 PM
There are roughly 291 ways to screw up the writing of a nonfiction book. Near the top of my list of concerns was that my book might not pass muster in naval circles. That sound you might have heard several weeks ago was a sigh of relief when an acclaimed naval historian wrote this.
#booksky
#booksky
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
I was waiting to use a bathroom in India and the only other person waiting was an amazing looking man who after a moment of standing silently beside me turned and extended his hand and said, “I’m Tom.”
That is my Tim Stoppard story.
RIP maestro
That is my Tim Stoppard story.
RIP maestro
November 29, 2025 at 6:16 PM
I was waiting to use a bathroom in India and the only other person waiting was an amazing looking man who after a moment of standing silently beside me turned and extended his hand and said, “I’m Tom.”
That is my Tim Stoppard story.
RIP maestro
That is my Tim Stoppard story.
RIP maestro
A small sample of the Winston Churchill-related books I read during the research phase for my book.
#booksky #churchill
#booksky #churchill
November 25, 2025 at 5:00 PM
A small sample of the Winston Churchill-related books I read during the research phase for my book.
#booksky #churchill
#booksky #churchill
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
You know how there are some historical reenactment museum areas where you can go and see people dressed old timey churning butter and making horseshoes? There should be one that's a bar and kids can go listen to reenactors complain about their city's sports teams from different decades
November 24, 2025 at 10:44 PM
You know how there are some historical reenactment museum areas where you can go and see people dressed old timey churning butter and making horseshoes? There should be one that's a bar and kids can go listen to reenactors complain about their city's sports teams from different decades
I graduated from Notre Dame 4 years before Robert Schmuhl joined the faculty. Although our paths never crossed on campus, this English-major-wannabe turned software-salesman turned narrative-nonfiction-author feels like a champion today after Professor Schmuhl’s kind assessment of my book. #booksky
November 19, 2025 at 4:27 PM
I graduated from Notre Dame 4 years before Robert Schmuhl joined the faculty. Although our paths never crossed on campus, this English-major-wannabe turned software-salesman turned narrative-nonfiction-author feels like a champion today after Professor Schmuhl’s kind assessment of my book. #booksky
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
A remarkable accomplishment and such a sad end. Feeling for his wife and kids.
A total tragedy. He developed a treatment that has proven life saving for so many patients with previously intractable depression, then himself succumbed to the same disease.
Nolan Williams, Who Stimulated the Brain to Treat Depression, Dies at 43 www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/h...
Nolan Williams, Who Stimulated the Brain to Treat Depression, Dies at 43 www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/h...
Nolan Williams, Who Stimulated the Brain to Treat Depression, Dies at 43
www.nytimes.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:00 PM
A remarkable accomplishment and such a sad end. Feeling for his wife and kids.
The story of the heart attack that Winston Churchill is said to have suffered at the White House - and it's recent debunking - is fascinating. I learned the details at the Int'l Churchill Society Conference - where I also met the key debunker - and just had to share them in this article. #booksky
Did Winston Churchill suffer a heart attack in the White House?
At ten o’clock on the night of December 27, 1941, Dr. Charles Wilson received an urgent message.
www.linkedin.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:44 AM
The story of the heart attack that Winston Churchill is said to have suffered at the White House - and it's recent debunking - is fascinating. I learned the details at the Int'l Churchill Society Conference - where I also met the key debunker - and just had to share them in this article. #booksky
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
Spotted as we clean out the Marketplace offices before we move. Tells you how long we’ve been here.
November 10, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Spotted as we clean out the Marketplace offices before we move. Tells you how long we’ve been here.
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
I was at a Grammy’s event one year honoring Smokey. All the Motown greats performed. And then Micheal McDonald walked out and these GOATS (a testy bunch of geniuses who survived some real shit & don’t hide their emotions) all honored that man.
All I needed to see.
All I needed to see.
He had the chutzpah to do a whole Motown collection! (Not that other while artists haven't tried, but...)
November 5, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I was at a Grammy’s event one year honoring Smokey. All the Motown greats performed. And then Micheal McDonald walked out and these GOATS (a testy bunch of geniuses who survived some real shit & don’t hide their emotions) all honored that man.
All I needed to see.
All I needed to see.
Jeff Ikler is best known for his “Getting Unstuck” podcast. Since he mentions this so frequently, I believe Jeff is most proud of his origins as a high school history teacher. So of course I’m going to brag about my book’s passing grade from this former history teacher!
#Booksky
#Booksky
November 5, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Jeff Ikler is best known for his “Getting Unstuck” podcast. Since he mentions this so frequently, I believe Jeff is most proud of his origins as a high school history teacher. So of course I’m going to brag about my book’s passing grade from this former history teacher!
#Booksky
#Booksky
Halloween 1942
October 31, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Halloween 1942
Sheer brilliance
October 30, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Sheer brilliance
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
Same, girl, same.
"I DON'T NEED YOU TO FUCKING REWRITE WHAT I'VE JUST WRITTEN!"
October 29, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Same, girl, same.
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
After 35 years, the secretive CIA sculpture finally gave up its mystery, thanks to a novelist, a playwright, and some misplaced documents. But the chase to decode continues.
Inside the Messy, Accidental Kryptos Reveal
After 35 years, the secretive CIA sculpture finally gave up its mystery, thanks to a novelist, a playwright, and some misplaced documents. But the chase to decode continues.
wrd.cm
October 24, 2025 at 3:18 PM
After 35 years, the secretive CIA sculpture finally gave up its mystery, thanks to a novelist, a playwright, and some misplaced documents. But the chase to decode continues.
One of the unexpected blessings I've enjoyed during this book-writing adventure is the encouragement I’ve received from established authors. Craig Nelson, author of "Rocket Men," "Thomas Paine," and a half-dozen other well-regarded nonfiction books shared this wonderful blurb. #booksky
October 21, 2025 at 4:57 PM
One of the unexpected blessings I've enjoyed during this book-writing adventure is the encouragement I’ve received from established authors. Craig Nelson, author of "Rocket Men," "Thomas Paine," and a half-dozen other well-regarded nonfiction books shared this wonderful blurb. #booksky
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
just got back from a lovely trip to Paris. i swear that city gets more beautiful every year. on an unrelated note does anyone have any pawn shops on the West Coast they swear by?
October 20, 2025 at 11:55 PM
just got back from a lovely trip to Paris. i swear that city gets more beautiful every year. on an unrelated note does anyone have any pawn shops on the West Coast they swear by?
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
Sorry but this is the funniest headline I will read all year
October 19, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Sorry but this is the funniest headline I will read all year
Reposted by Bill Whiteside
this rocks. when indiana edu killed the student newspaper, Purdue stepped up, printed the forbidden issue, drove it to Bloomington and stocked the boxes.
October 18, 2025 at 6:27 PM
this rocks. when indiana edu killed the student newspaper, Purdue stepped up, printed the forbidden issue, drove it to Bloomington and stocked the boxes.
The simple fact that Churchill biographer Paul Reid even knows I exist is reward enough, and the fact that he has provided this kind endorsement for my book is a quite an honor.
#booksky
#booksky
September 30, 2025 at 1:11 PM
The simple fact that Churchill biographer Paul Reid even knows I exist is reward enough, and the fact that he has provided this kind endorsement for my book is a quite an honor.
#booksky
#booksky
My book recently passed a milestone when I received the first proofs from the Naval Institute Press. After working on these paragraphs and pages in Microsoft Word for years, it's more than a little exciting to see the story in printed manuscript form.
#booksky
#booksky
September 4, 2025 at 2:35 PM
My book recently passed a milestone when I received the first proofs from the Naval Institute Press. After working on these paragraphs and pages in Microsoft Word for years, it's more than a little exciting to see the story in printed manuscript form.
#booksky
#booksky