At the Roanoke County Public Library, local author Jim Morrison shared stories of Bedford, Virginia citizens during World War II.

Mr. Morrison invited Dr. Cavitt Bartley to speak of his experiences as a POW of the Germans when he was 19 years old. He appears on page 58 of Bedford Goes to War.

Mr. Morrison signed books and visited with audience members after his presentation.

James W. Morrison served thirty years in the Department of Defense, three in the Army and nearly twenty-seven in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, he directed offices dealing with international security policy. He is a graduate of Indiana and Columbia Universities and the National War College and served as a visiting fellow at the National Defense University. He has devoted much of his retirement to creative writing and volunteer activity. In 2003-2004, he served as president of the Virginia Writers Club. He has been active in its Valley Writers Chapter and the Smith Mountain Arts Council's Lake Writers. He lives with his wife, Edie, at Smith Mountain Lake in Southwest Virginia. The Morrisons are active in their church and other comunity activities. They have two grown children and two grandchildren. (From the book jacket)

July 27, 2004