Ben Ames Williams (1889 -1953) was an American writer who published over thirty novels, including All the Brothers Were Valiant (1919), The Strange Woman (1945), House Divided (1947), Leave Her to Heaven (1944), and Come Spring (1940). All the Brothers Were Valiant was his first novel and has been adapted too film three times. Joel Shore was appointed captain of the whaling ship following his brother's apparent demise when captain of the same ship. He decides to make his first cruise as captain to the very location where his brother had last been seen in the Gilbert Islands. He hoped to discover what had happened to his brother. The crew travels half way around the world encountering many adventures in their travels.