(Author House)
31 January 2015. Retired foreign service officer Bruce Byers reached into his past to create a new novel, The Extraordinary Journey of Harry Forth, published by AuthorHouse in November 2014. The book tells of a fictional American teenager whose life is changed by a student exchange experience in Germany in the summer of 1960 that draws from Byers’ own life and career in public diplomacy.
The book follows Harry Forth as he struggles to become a better student while also striving to be more socially accepted by his peers. With his teacher’s encouragement, he applies for and is accepted into an international student exchange program.
To reach his destination, he boards a transcontinental bus to Montreal and sets out on an ocean voyage and a great adventure. During his odyssey across the United States he talks with several interesting strangers. Their discussions opened his perspective to the wider world, with the journey becoming one of discovery and unexpected fulfillment.
“Harry’s story is a reflection of my personal experiences about intercultural relations and international diplomacy, based upon my 30 years in the Foreign Service,” says Byers. “Harry’s story is one that could be written about today’s young people and their quest for greater international understanding.”
Byers served as a public diplomacy officer in USIA and State Department at posts in South Asia, Europe, and East Asia, retiring in 2000. He continued working part-time for several years in the Office of International Visitors, and posted essays on foreign policy topics on AmericanDiplomacy.org and in Foreign Service Journal.
The Extraordinary Journey of Harry Forth is available directly from AuthorHouse in softcover and e-book format, as well as Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Byers welcomes comments and questions by e-mail: ingbru2 [at] verizon [dot] net or bkbing11 [at] earthlink [dot]
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