You're not over thinking he;s kinda pushing it being a workaholic and all.
Talk to him and say you would like to see him more, if he misses you so much and you're as important to him as he says he'll make time for you.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.