COUNTDOWN DAY 1 to the 150th anniversary of the famous Battle of Lissa, and a chance to win a signed copy of the book about the ship’s surgeon who was there.

Ephraim M Epstein, 1829 – 1913

It was a magnificent battle, valiantly fought and won in two hours. Italian casualties ran to hundreds. Austria had only thirty-eight lost, 138 hurt. Like other naval Surgeons, Dr Ephraim Epstein combined all three branches of medicine. He was physician, diagnosing and prescribing; he was apothecary, preparing and dispensing medicine; and he was surgeon, performing operations. As he worked, Ephraim learned more about the triumph: how proud the men were of their Admiral, how he had drilled them in manoeuvers, in gunnery, how he planned the ramming. Most of all he showed he loved his men, he  believed in them. Late at night, exhausted and exhilarated by all he had witnessed, Ephraim began to compose  a description of the extraordinary day.

For a chance to win a copy of The Extraordinary Dr Epstein, answer the quiz question on Wednesday 20 July 2016.

Posts over the last week are excerpts from The Extraordinary Dr Epstein, Chapter 20, Battle. Ephraim’s epic poem about the battle won him an award from Emperor Franz Joseph. Author great granddaughter still seeks that poem! Go HERE for a non-fiction page on the famous Battle of Lissa, why it was fought, what else it is famous for and what happened next. As for Dr Epstein, his 600 florin award and many more adventures lie ahead, including true love and America’s wild West.