James B. WellsJAMES B. WELLS is a retired criminology and criminal justice professor in the School of Justice Studies in the College of Justice, Safety, and Military Science at Eastern Kentucky University, and is the recipient of the 2025 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences John Howard Award, an award given intermittently, upon significant demand, to recognize an individual who has made significant and sustained contributions to the practice of corrections. A former carpenter, soldier, and correctional officer in a super-maximum-security prison and later as a researcher/planner assisting architects in prison design, he has multiple degrees, including an M.S. in Criminal Justice, a Ph.D. in Research, and an MFA in Creative Writing. He’s authored or co-authored over sixty-five books, chapters, articles, and essays, as well as over a hundred and fifty research reports for various local, state, and federal agencies. Recent essays from his research and memoir work appear or are forthcoming in Collateral Journal, About Place Journal, Wild Roof Journal, Military Experience and the Arts, The Wrath-Bearing Tree, Shift, Proud to be: Writing by American Warriors, Trajectory Journal, and From Pen to Page III: More Writings from the Bluegrass Writers Coalition.
His investigative memoir about his father's still CIA-classified death in Vietnam in 1965, titled Because: A CIA Coverup and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew, will be launched on Father's Day weekend, 2025. Links to publications, presentations, trailers, social media, blog, and other information can be found at https://jamesbwells.com. James enjoys spending much of his leisure time with his spouse on their Lexington, Kentucky farm located on the palisades of the Kentucky River, where he is an organic gardener and beekeeper.
The heavily redacted Epstein files released by the DOJ remind me of the similarly redacted files the CIA sent me after I filed FOIA requests for information about my father’s still-classified death. Remarkably, at the Air America Archives at the University of Texas at Dallas, I discovered many of the same files, completely unredacted. These […]
I’m deeply grateful that my investigative memoir, “Because: A CIA Coverup and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew,” was recognized as the #2 best-selling Nonfiction title at Kentucky’s largest literary event, The Kentucky Book Festival. Sincere thanks to Jay McCoy, the KBF team, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, and everyone who purchased a copy. […]
I’m truly honored that my investigative memoir, “Because: A CIA Coverup and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew,” was ranked #4 as one of the 10 best-selling titles at Kentucky’s largest literary event, The Kentucky Book Festival. My heartfelt thanks go to Jay McCoy, the entire KBF team, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, and […]
Independent Author Awards WINNER – Military Nonfiction International Impact Book Award WINNER Military – Military Memoirs & Biographies NYC Big Book Award DISTINGUISHED FAVORITE – Military Nonfiction Reader Views Literary Awards 5 STAR REVIEW RECOGNITION Best Book Awards by American Book Fest FINALIST History – Military International Book Awards FINALIST History – Military Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards FINALIST – Non-Fiction: […]
There are so many wonderful things said in this Reader Views review of my investigative memoir, I plan to highlight my favorite ones, starting with this: “Vietnam radically changed the way American writers approach the war narrative. This is not to say that James B. Wells’ current tome, Because: A CIA Coverup & a Son’s Odyssey […]
Yesterday, Brenda and I had a memorable experience with the veterans group at the Estill County Library. My presentation of my investigative memoir, Because: A CIA Coverup and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew, was especially meaningful for both me and the veterans group, as it focused on it focused on how […]
A rough draft of an unfinished chapter of my father’s life that did not make it into my investigative memoir, Because: A CIA Coverup and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew, is about my father’s duties while in Nuremberg from 1946 to 1952. He was a Provost Sergeant in charge of […]
Brenda and I had a wonderful time today at the Spencer County Library in Taylorsville. I discussed and signed copies of my investigative memoir, Because: A CIA Cover-Up and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew. We particularly enjoyed the discussion afterward, where we had the opportunity to meet and converse with […]
My Veterans Day presentation for my investigative memoir, Because: A CIA Cover-up and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew, was particularly meaningful last night, as it took place in Versailles—a location featured in the final chapters where several members from St. John’s Episcopal Church were included as characters. I would like […]
On this Veteran’s Day, I honor the sacrifices made by those in uniform, including the thoughts and prayers they offered to help them come to grips with what they have to do. “I live good enough when I am out then its hell. I take a few jugs of whiskey with me, my prayer book […]
James B. Wells