Sons of My Fathers by Michael Simpson
I read this first book,
Sons of My Fathers, by Michael Simpson with much enjoyment. It was an easy
narrative spanning over 100 years and moves back and forth easily between the
story of Baylis Simpson in 1864, to Mike, Ron and Alex six generations later.
Each story is harrowing
in its own way, with Baylis’ family and home destroyed, physically and mentally
by deserters during the Civil War, and the latter Simpsons harrowing march
through the Vietnam War years. Sometimes I felt a little bit of American
Graffiti but the two stories were too exciting and
informative to keep comparing.
It’s
indeed hard to realize that this is Mr. Simpson's first book, though he is a screenwriter, director
and producer of note. In his narrative of his ancestor, Baylis, I could feel
and hear and practically smell, the horrors and tragedy of his family and the
war as he tries to make his way back home. Then moving to Mike as he gives us
his tale from age 10, and the night of The Dixie Flyer, to growing up with his
older brother and his best friend Alex, both heroically cool to the young
boy. Then the decision that his brother, Ron, makes during the Vietnam War that
almost destroys his parents.
Though
I knew where his dad was coming from-a Marine in WWII and a fine upstanding,
godly member of his town in Georgia-I was also remembering how I felt at that
time, which was about the time of the Mai Lai Massacre.
Thank
you, Mr. Simpson for your clear vision of these times and events, and your
solid narrative that made me see things through your eyes. Great book!
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