Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books! Review
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Synopsis:
Sons
of My Fathers, based on the true story of author Michael A. Simpson’s
family, is a multi-generational journey that intertwines two dramatic
stories set one hundred years apart—the heroic saga of 19-year-old
Ulysses Simpson who, when "hell comes to Georgia," joins his father on a
course of revenge, a path that will forever change the destiny of their
clan. And the true tale of another young Simpson man six generations
later who, despite his moral reservations, enlists in the U.S. Army,
following in the footsteps of his father who was a WWII Marine Corps
combat veteran and one of the legendary fighting force's elite
instructors during the Korean War.
When Ron volunteers as a "walking dead"—the term for those who fly unarmed medevac helicopters during combat because of their high mortality rate—but is instead assigned to fly a Huey gunship, he fights a personal war with himself over whether to keep a century-old family oath. As his brother Michael comes of age and experiences his first love, Ron's fateful decision forces him to confront his family's past and risk sacrificing his own future, an act that ultimately sets a landmark precedent for "soldiers of conscience" who would follow him in military service.
Deeply personal and compellingly written by the younger brother in this story, the book is uniquely set against America's involvement in two great civil wars—our country's own conflict in the 1860s and Vietnam in the late 1960s. It is an evocative journey into the author's family history and the universal themes central to it—the bonds of family and star-crossed love, duty versus faith, the true nature of patriotism and conscience in war, and the turbulent end of innocence. Rich in emotional textures, Sons of My Fathers is a transformative and timeless coming-of-age narrative.
When Ron volunteers as a "walking dead"—the term for those who fly unarmed medevac helicopters during combat because of their high mortality rate—but is instead assigned to fly a Huey gunship, he fights a personal war with himself over whether to keep a century-old family oath. As his brother Michael comes of age and experiences his first love, Ron's fateful decision forces him to confront his family's past and risk sacrificing his own future, an act that ultimately sets a landmark precedent for "soldiers of conscience" who would follow him in military service.
Deeply personal and compellingly written by the younger brother in this story, the book is uniquely set against America's involvement in two great civil wars—our country's own conflict in the 1860s and Vietnam in the late 1960s. It is an evocative journey into the author's family history and the universal themes central to it—the bonds of family and star-crossed love, duty versus faith, the true nature of patriotism and conscience in war, and the turbulent end of innocence. Rich in emotional textures, Sons of My Fathers is a transformative and timeless coming-of-age narrative.
Other than his mother’s lullabies, the whistle of the Dixie Flyer was the earliest sound Michael Simpson could remember hearing.
Since
the time of Baylis Simpson and the Confederacy, the locomotive’s
melancholy cry had announced its passage through Forest Park, a quiet
Georgia town of hard work and modest dreams snuggled on Atlanta’s
southern doorstep. The rail line pierced through the heart of this
blue-collar community, running parallel to Main for several blocks
before bending south, just before the street emptied out onto Jonesboro
Road in front of the Fort Gillem Army base. The road was the same one
that Rhett Butler and Scarlet O’Hara used for their imaginary escape
from Atlanta. The fictional Tara plantation was said to have been
located just a short stride down its blacktop.
Every
night of Michael’s young life, the Flyer’s whistle beckoned him,
filling his imagination with a long-vanquished landscape of graceful
mansions and stately plantations, of hoop-skirted ladies who thought
about things tomorrow and men who frankly didn’t give a damn.
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I'm not usually a 5 star reviewer but.....
Two
stories that reverberate the lessons of life through time. A story of
love, hate, war and peace. There are real life lessons to be learnt by
people everywhere in the pages of this book.
I
laughed and cried reading this. It's such a brutally honest book, with
some shocking events in the chapters. It was a book I devoured, wanting
to hear about the characters and how things panned out.
I
loved how determined Baylis was. Also Ron who followed his convictions
and saw through the consequences of these, even at a loss to himself.
I
haven't read a book like this in a long time that deals with real
events, feelings and people, comparing different eras, but showing so
starkly how humanity seems to make errors and repeat them.
Absolutely awesome read. Thank you Michael A Simpson!
*
A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a
review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest
opinion. *
