David Holdridge, Vietnam Vet, aims high with his Second Novel, The Water Above

WESTFIELD, VT, UNITED STATES, January 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ --

David Holdridge, a former Humanitarian Manager at Catholic Relief Services, has achieved a milestone that sets a high benchmark for veteran authors across the globe with the release of his second novel, The Water Above. The story immerses readers in the experiences of an American family caught in the chaos of Lebanon’s violent civil war during the 20th century.

The novel follows a family displaced from their life in Connecticut and thrust into Lebanon, where they encounter danger, survival, and loss. The book serves as an examination of what values Americans will carry into the future, as embodied by the protagonist, who reflects the broader tragedy of Western civilization’s interaction with the Middle East.

David Holdridge, who was tapped by in 2016 to address an imminent crisis and help reshape a program critical to U.S. humanitarian efforts in Lebanon, draws on his career experiences in both military and humanitarian service.

In a statement, Holdridge shared, “My experience in the military and in humanitarian work gave me a perspective that’s difficult to capture without living it. The discipline, the hardship, the loss—these things change you. They make you reflect on the larger forces at work in the world, and they drive you to tell stories that matter. Writing The Water Above allowed me to take those experiences and transform them into something larger—a story that looks at the interplay between America and the rest of the world, and what it means to navigate both conflict and survival.”

Indeed, throughout his life, Holdridge has balanced a career devoted to humanitarian work and a deep commitment to understanding global crises.

About the Author
David Holdridge served as an infantry platoon leader during the Vietnam War in 1969, outside of Chu Lai. He was wounded and spent eighteen months getting repaired at various hospitals in the United States, culminating with operations at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut where neurosurgeon, Dr. Benjamin Whitcomb managed to free him from his trauma. Subsequently, he spent forty years working with humanitarian organizations, aiding populations affected by war, exploitation, and poverty in West Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Currently, he divides his time between Beirut, Lebanon, and a farm in Vermont, which he shares with his wife, Annie. Their daughter, Hank, was born in Beirut, and their son, Alex, was born in Tunis.

Richard Bard
Gnome Book Writing
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