Relative excerpts from the podcast:

Chris (Host): Welcome back, folks, to another enriching episode of Coffee on the Couch.

I’m your host, Chris, and today we’re diving deep into the mind of a man whose words don’t just tell stories—they carry the weight of history, experience, and keen observation.

He’s navigated the highest levels of government, wielded words in ways that have shaped policy and perspective, and now brings that same depth to the written page.

So get ready for a conversation packed with insight, heart, and maybe even a twist or two.

Let’s welcome Robert B. Charles to the show!

Robert B. Charles (Guest): Thank you, Chris. It’s a pleasure to be with you today.

Chris (Host): Yeah, it’s great to have you on—especially after all the trouble we had getting this set up!

Robert B. Charles: Ha! Absolutely. But I’m glad we made it work.

Chris (Host): Same here. Let’s jump right into it.

From the pine trees of Maine to the halls of power, your book, Eagles and Evergreens, beautifully captures your upbringing in rural Maine.

How did your early years shape your worldview and, ultimately, your approach to writing?

Robert B. Charles: Great question.

So, Eagles and Evergreens is a book I wrote about six years ago. But my newest book, Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness, continues that journey.

Both of these books were influenced, I think, by the kindness and strength of the people who shaped me—mentors, though we didn’t call them that back then. Just the folks I grew up with in a small town of 500 in rural Maine.

Robert B Charles

The first book—and even Cherish America, which you can find on Amazon and Tower Publishing here in Maine—captures those values.

It features 56 stories, highlighting World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam-era veterans—men and women who, in many ways, set the tone for the community I grew up in.
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Robert B. Charles (Guest): My first book, Eagles and Evergreens, is more of a memoir—capturing what it means to grow up in rural America, and specifically, rural Maine, under the influence of World War II veterans.

The second book, Cherish America, is the one I’m really focusing on right now. It’s already sold thousands of copies, was featured in People magazine, and has received some incredible endorsements.

This book isn’t political—it’s all about courage. More than anything else, that’s the heart of it.

It highlights stories of everyday heroes—law enforcement officers, nurses, teachers, parents, military aviators, and soldiers, including members of the 101st Airborne in Vietnam.

Each story captures a pivotal moment—just a single slice of time—when someone had to show courage, unsure if they had it in them… but when the moment came, they stepped up.

Take the first story, for example. It follows a law enforcement officer coming home late at night when he spots smoke curling from a trailer. And as most people know, once a trailer catches fire, it goes up fast.

So, in that split second, he has to decide—does he run toward the flames, risking everything?

(Spoiler alert ahead if you listen to the podcast…)