Robert Richardson was born and raised in Spokane, on the edge of Idaho in eastern Washington. Like many in his generation, writing was a third calling: raising a family and having a career put historical research and writing on the back burner until retirement. "The Jagged Edge of Duty" will be published just before his 68th birthday, and his current project, "A Mustering of Heroes" will not be in print until 2019. But its clear that historical research and writing some of the untold stories of our Greatest Generation are very much to his liking.Richardson believes that World War II and its consequences are too enormous for anyone to comprehend. That the losses, the destruction, and the emotional toll are beyond anyone’s compass. But within that horrible carnage, the small stories can be told. The service, bravery and sacrifice of the young men who fought that war can be recounted. Their stories, told on a more human scale, permit an understanding of what it was like for America at that time and place. He believes that there are as many stories to tell as there were men and women in service. And some, representative of so many others, can be compelling. It’s the recounting of those stories that makes his research and writing so engaging, and rewarding.