Tracy Groot

Dear Readers,

Maggie Bright by Tracy Groot is the story of a little boat that was a place where Murray Vance has fond memories with his father.  Memories that are ruined when his father runs off and leaves him and his mother to struggle along.

As we move forward into WWII, Maggie Bright has already been used to rescue a few souls from being crushed by the Nazi war machine and yet she is ready to give even more.  Maggie now guards a secret, one that the Nazis are desperate to get back as if the word gets out, America maybe forced to join the war.

As Maggie guards her secret, the British Army is in full retreat on the continent and it looks like certain disaster is about to happen.  That is until a very strange flotilla comes to the rescue.  One that included any and every boat available in England with civilians from every walk of life manning the helms and Maggie answers the call.

So you have two very different thread winding their way throughout this book, but two that are connected.  Each one reminds you that war is a messy dangerous place.  Tracy does a great job of reminding us, while showing us not only the worse side of human nature, but also the best.

The story of the Dunkirk rescue of the British Army by the British people, while America sat on its hands across 'the pond' is a reminder that when a few join together, great things can happen.  So this book is not only a good read for history fans, it is just simply a wonderful read for all of us.  One that will instill a bit of awe that those who answered the call were so willing to give their lives just to make sure their army made it home.

Happy Reading,

I

Tracy Groot

Dear Readers,

 

Sometimes you read a book and it is just a wonderful read and you can't wait to read the next one by an author.  Sometimes you read a book and it just kind of gnaws at you.  It doesn't leave you alone until you are finished and then it still sits in the back your mind to be brought  out to be mulled over again and again.

 

Sentinels of Andersonville by Tracy Groot is that kind of book.  It is not a comfortable read, but it is good.  There is nothing delicate or gentle about the book even though it is set in the south and you would like to think that all the southern hospitality would invite you in for tea and biscuits.  It doesn't, instead it shows an ugly underside of America's history.  

 

Andersonville is the greatest war tragedy to happen on America's soil.  13,000 Union soldiers died at the prison in 14 months and most of them could have been saved.  Through many different reasons, but mostly hate of the Union army the prisoners never got the proper food or clothing. 

 

I could go on, but most of the information you can find between the covers of this book, but also online.  The pictures that I found online reminded me of the ones you will see of the holocaust.

 

Violet Stiles almost literally stumbles on the conditions of the Andersonville prison one afternoon when she decides to surprise her father with a visit.  Little does she know what she will find.  Her father, a doctor, has tried to shelter his wife and daughters from what is happening  at the prison. While he is trying to shelter them, he has been working to make a difference at great risk to himself and his livelihood.

 

Now that she knows, Violet wants to make a change.  She is sure that there are problems only because people in Americus, the local town, just don't know what is going on.  With the help of two soldiers, one Georgia Militia and one regular army,  she decides to enlighten the town.   This brings on more trouble than she ever expected.

 

This book was not a light winter read.  It didn't keep me entertained because it was fun to read, it kept my interest because it made me think about what I would have done.  The enemy who has killed friends and family is living in my home town, they are suffering now, do I help or do I turn a blind eye and ignore their pleas for help?

 

Happy Reading   

 

P.S. Tracy Groot will be here at Baker Book House on February 4th at 7:00 P.M. to talk about her experience writing this book and her research into Andersonville.  Hope you can join us.

Tracy Groot

Dear Readers,

I am so excited to review this book.  First because I have known Tracy Groot for a few years now (I don’t want to say many because neither of us is that old so it can’t be many). Secondly, this is a really good book.

I have read all of Tracy’s books that she has done in recent years: Madman, The Brother’s Keeper and Stones of My Accusers.  Loved all three, the last two really put faces on people that met and walked with Jesus.  Madman, a difficult as it was to read, was one of the most interesting looks at the culture of the Roman society of the time that Jesus walked on the earth.

Flames of Resistance is Tracy’s latest work and by far my favorite.  I was completely caught up by this book and it was to a point where I couldn’t wait to find out what happened, but I really didn’t want the book to end either.  Yes it was that good.

Set during World War II using the idea of Rahab from the Bible, this was a very interesting look at the French resistance.   What these people were willing to give up or risk just to fight for their freedom.  These were everyday people that just did what they thought was right.  Their fighting wasn’t done by the direction of any general and they were all volunteers.  None got paid and few received the recognition that they deserved. 

Brigitte has lost everything to the war.  Her family was killed, her home taken away, and now they have taken the one thing she had left, her innocence.  She has become the lowest of the low; she is running a house of woman that the Nazi officers visit.  Her neighbors and fellow townspeople despise her because they see her as a Nazi sympathizer and she hates herself for the job she has been forced into just because she needs to eat.  

She finally decides she needs to take a stand and when American pilot Tom Jaeger crashes in the area and is rescued by the resistance she knows it is time to make the choice.  Will she have the courage to stand for what is right?  What will be asked of her?  Her freedom?  Her home?  Her life?

There are so many good things to say about this book, I am not even sure where to start without sounding like I am going overboard.  The characters are people that we could be or have met in everyday life.  The storyline got me thinking… "would I have been willing to put myself, my family and my town at risk for just little strikes at freedom?”   I really don’t know the answer to that question and it is one I feel no one can answer honestly until they are in that type of situation.  I would like to think yes, but then again… 

I married into a family that was involved in the Dutch resistance and have heard stories off and on over the years of things that happened to them and things they did.  On the anniversary of the end of WWII the local paper ran several stories of people who live(d) in the area that fought for the resistance and many of those mentioned were related to my in-laws or were known by them.  That may be one of the reasons I loved this book so much, but over all I so enjoyed this book because it is just that good. 

Happy Reading

P.S. Tracy will be in our store next Saturday June 16th at 10 - 1.  She will be signing copies of this her newest book. 

P.S. S. This book is available at Baker Book House or online by request at bakerbookstore.com