Collection
Publication
Riverhead Books (2002), 257 pages
Description
August 1944. Follows four black soldiers of the all-black 92nd Infantry Division who get trapped near the small Tuscan village of Sant'Anna di Stazzema on the Gothic Line during the Italian Campaign of World War II. One of the men will risk his life to save an Italian boy who lives in the city where the Waffen-SS have massacred most of the citizens of the town in retaliation for Italian partisan activity. A sculpted head from the Ponte Santa Trinita in Florence is a focal point.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member Natalie220
I usually don't read war novels but I loved this book. I grew attached to Train and the young boy instantly and I was at the edge of my seat every time they were in danger. This was a heartbreaking story of brotherhood and loyalty. And a great insight of all the pain that World War II caused. And
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the ending couldn't have been better. Show Less
LibraryThing member stevesmits
While growing up McBride listened to war stories at the knees of his uncles. What makes these stories a bit unusual was that the tellers were African-American combat veterans of World War II. Black soldiers certainly figured in the war effort, but in the segregated aspect of the times were often
The story opens dramatically in the 1980’s when Hector, a postal clerk in NYC, suddenly shoots and kills a patron at his window. When the police search the clerk’s apartment they find an ancient bust long thought to have been lost in the war. The mystery of the bust and the clerk’s murderous act are unveiled as the story unfolds.
Shifting back to the war, the narrative describes a bungled advance against stiff German positions that results in separating the four from their platoon. They moved forward into German-occupied territory and decide to wait until their division catches up with them. They settle in an Italian village where they connect with the locals and with Italian partisans. One of the soldiers, Sam Train, described as the "Chocolate Giant", the largest man most people had ever seen, holds on to a bust of a Renaissance figure that had been dislodged from a famous bridge in Florence. Train in the early hours of the group’s separation encounters a young boy, nearly dead in a shelled barn. Train carries the boy to the village and develops a mystical connection with him, coming to understand him even though they do not speak each other’s language. The boy has survived a massacre of villagers from a nearby village and is thought by Train to be from God.
The soldiers learn from the partisans that the Germans will be advancing in force against their own division. One of the partisans, however, gives false information on the location and attacks a soldier who escapes death only through the intervention of a villager who was accompanying him. The partisan is revealed to be a traitor in league with the Germans.
The Germans shell the village as their advance proceeds, killing many of the villagers. In the end three of the party are killed, along with the boy.
Hector retrieves the bust from Sam and survives. Many years later he recognizes that his customer is the traitorous partisan who had attempted to kill him and who had immigrated to America. In retribution he immediately shoots him.
The novel touches on the race issues that prevailed in the war. The troops are led by white officers, some of whom openly disdain the black soldiers. The villagers have never seen persons of color and some relationships develop that would not have been possible in America in that time. The author evokes the pervading sense of mysticism and supernatural beliefs held by the Italians of the countryside. The cruelty and dark spirit of the war is skillfully portrayed.
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relegated to non-combat support roles, e.g. cooks, teamsters, etc. McBride builds his novel from these stories and centers it around four soldiers of the 92nd Infantry Division, an all-black unit that fought in Italy. Three of the soldiers were black and the fourth was Hector Negron, a Puerto Rican of such dark complexion that he was assigned to this unit. The story opens dramatically in the 1980’s when Hector, a postal clerk in NYC, suddenly shoots and kills a patron at his window. When the police search the clerk’s apartment they find an ancient bust long thought to have been lost in the war. The mystery of the bust and the clerk’s murderous act are unveiled as the story unfolds.
Shifting back to the war, the narrative describes a bungled advance against stiff German positions that results in separating the four from their platoon. They moved forward into German-occupied territory and decide to wait until their division catches up with them. They settle in an Italian village where they connect with the locals and with Italian partisans. One of the soldiers, Sam Train, described as the "Chocolate Giant", the largest man most people had ever seen, holds on to a bust of a Renaissance figure that had been dislodged from a famous bridge in Florence. Train in the early hours of the group’s separation encounters a young boy, nearly dead in a shelled barn. Train carries the boy to the village and develops a mystical connection with him, coming to understand him even though they do not speak each other’s language. The boy has survived a massacre of villagers from a nearby village and is thought by Train to be from God.
The soldiers learn from the partisans that the Germans will be advancing in force against their own division. One of the partisans, however, gives false information on the location and attacks a soldier who escapes death only through the intervention of a villager who was accompanying him. The partisan is revealed to be a traitor in league with the Germans.
The Germans shell the village as their advance proceeds, killing many of the villagers. In the end three of the party are killed, along with the boy.
Hector retrieves the bust from Sam and survives. Many years later he recognizes that his customer is the traitorous partisan who had attempted to kill him and who had immigrated to America. In retribution he immediately shoots him.
The novel touches on the race issues that prevailed in the war. The troops are led by white officers, some of whom openly disdain the black soldiers. The villagers have never seen persons of color and some relationships develop that would not have been possible in America in that time. The author evokes the pervading sense of mysticism and supernatural beliefs held by the Italians of the countryside. The cruelty and dark spirit of the war is skillfully portrayed.
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LibraryThing member Bookmomhp
A wonderful, magical story. Some of the war-related details made it a bit slow for me in parts, but overall a very good read.
LibraryThing member whitewavedarling
The story here is well worth reading, so if it sounds interesting, I'd recommend it, but the writing can be a bit jarring at times. Changes in first person aren't always given enough depth to feel necessary, and there are Many "he saids, she saids" that are...well, just awkward. I'm also a big fan
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of finding the one perfect metaphor instead of listing five--McBride isn't. In the end, I enjoyed the story, and there are some moments even of brilliance to the point where what Should be a contrived ending ends up working, but I'd rather he'd have spent 50 of the 300 pages on depth instead of somewhat self-indulgent description. Still, recommended based on the characters and story. I'd read it before you see the film coming out this fall. Show Less
LibraryThing member brodiew2
Overall, I found this book very rewarding. There were times in the middle, after the main plot had been solidified, that the author's tangents into Italian history and personal histories of characters intoduced midaway, were a bit mystifying. But, as I read those sections, I was wrapped up in them
McBride richly draws his characters in their own right, as the story progresses, which leads to a meeting of peoples with different histories, cultures, attitudes, and feelings.
You have the African-american soldiers, the Italian villagers, and the young Italian partisans. Each has their own agenda, their own needs, their own thoughts on surviving the war.
At its core, I found this book to be about the heart of Italy during WWII. It is about how much had been lost. Yet in the wake of such tragedy and death, hope, pride, love, and freedom came alive.
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as a microcosm of the greater story. McBride richly draws his characters in their own right, as the story progresses, which leads to a meeting of peoples with different histories, cultures, attitudes, and feelings.
You have the African-american soldiers, the Italian villagers, and the young Italian partisans. Each has their own agenda, their own needs, their own thoughts on surviving the war.
At its core, I found this book to be about the heart of Italy during WWII. It is about how much had been lost. Yet in the wake of such tragedy and death, hope, pride, love, and freedom came alive.
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LibraryThing member cameling
Over in Italy, 4 soldiers from the US Army's Negro 92nd Division are separated from their unit because of inept commands. They face the horror of having seen some of their platoon mates blown up and shot down in front of them. This is a story of how they found a quiet little village of St Anna di
One soldier, Sam Train, is from the South, illiterate and a simple man ... he's also really large. All he wants is to get out of Italy and go home to his grandmother. He finds the marble head of the bust of Primavera, and thinks it's magic, so he keeps it with him at all times. He finds a little boy, shell-shocked and injured, hidden under a haystack, scoops him up, and tries to find medical help for him.
Bishop is a manipulative con-man, who found people would drown him in money if he pretended to be a preacher and dish out fire and brimstone sermons while telling his growing congregation not to give him money but to come to him only because they wanted their souls to be saved.
Hector is Hispanic, so he doesn't know why he's even with this division except that he's a little darker than his cousin who also signed up and was assigned to the white division. So he's disgruntled, has sleep apnea and definitely hates the war, hates Italy and figures he's got the short end of the stick being lumped with this lot.
The last, Stamps, is their lieutenant, tries to lead them back to their division but is challenged by their commander's demand at the base, that they hold their position until they capture a German soldier.
While fictitious, there's enough historical facts woven into this story to bring the the horror and terror of wartime Italy to the reader. The author also does a wonderful job of bringing out the depth of each character, and in the case of the separated soldiers, their memories and bitter resentment against the unfair treatment they faced back home before the war, in the war, and what they know they will once again face in terms of discrimination when they go home after the war.
This is one of those books that plucks at your heartstrings, brings tears of sorrow to your eyes, twists your gut in anger, and gives you a little chuckle every now and again.
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Stazzema in Tuscany, and how despite the horrors of war, they managed a few days of peace and relative normalcy among the villagers.One soldier, Sam Train, is from the South, illiterate and a simple man ... he's also really large. All he wants is to get out of Italy and go home to his grandmother. He finds the marble head of the bust of Primavera, and thinks it's magic, so he keeps it with him at all times. He finds a little boy, shell-shocked and injured, hidden under a haystack, scoops him up, and tries to find medical help for him.
Bishop is a manipulative con-man, who found people would drown him in money if he pretended to be a preacher and dish out fire and brimstone sermons while telling his growing congregation not to give him money but to come to him only because they wanted their souls to be saved.
Hector is Hispanic, so he doesn't know why he's even with this division except that he's a little darker than his cousin who also signed up and was assigned to the white division. So he's disgruntled, has sleep apnea and definitely hates the war, hates Italy and figures he's got the short end of the stick being lumped with this lot.
The last, Stamps, is their lieutenant, tries to lead them back to their division but is challenged by their commander's demand at the base, that they hold their position until they capture a German soldier.
While fictitious, there's enough historical facts woven into this story to bring the the horror and terror of wartime Italy to the reader. The author also does a wonderful job of bringing out the depth of each character, and in the case of the separated soldiers, their memories and bitter resentment against the unfair treatment they faced back home before the war, in the war, and what they know they will once again face in terms of discrimination when they go home after the war.
This is one of those books that plucks at your heartstrings, brings tears of sorrow to your eyes, twists your gut in anger, and gives you a little chuckle every now and again.
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LibraryThing member ShermanJackson
This book is about African American soldiers in World War 2. The soldiers are stranded in a town surrounded by Germans. The biggest soldier(Train) saves a kid , and finds something very special about him .
LibraryThing member E.J
This is a beautiful, beautiful, moving powerful book. I learned quite a bit about this region during the war and this story will stay with me for a long time.
LibraryThing member lucybrown
At times touching, and at other times annoying.
LibraryThing member lucybrown
At times touching, and at other times annoying.
LibraryThing member lucybrown
At times touching, and at other times annoying.
LibraryThing member BookConcierge
From the book jacket: McBride was inspired by an historical incident that took place in a Tuscan village and by the experiences of the Buffalo Soldiers of the 92nd Division, who served in Italy during World War II. It is the story of four American soldiers, the villagers among whom they take
My reactions:
Like any good war story, McBride includes dangerous situations, tense relationships, descriptions of brutality, and strong characters who behave admirably in dire circumstances. Sam Train is a giant of a man, with limited intellectual capacity, but a strong faith and a tender heart. Bishop Cummings is a minister from Kansas City, but he seems more interested in gambling than fighting. Hector Negron is a Puerto Rican from Harlem who resents having been assigned to the Negro division, but whose modest knowledge of Italian is crucial to their mission. Second Lieutenant Aubry Stamps is an educated man, who went to officer candidate school, but is unable to understand or connect with the rural Southern blacks he is commanding. And then we have Angelo, the young Italian boy who has witnessed atrocities no one should have to see, and who is nearly dead when Train plucks him from the rubble.
I like magical realism, and McBride does a reasonably good job of using this technique. But he does not sugarcoat the realities of war, or of the conditions the villagers endured in Tuscany during this time period. The writing is realistic and visceral, though he does add small scenes of compassion that serve to ease the tension. At heart it is a story of brotherhood, redemption, and the power of love and faith.
A few passages really struck me:
To fight the enemy? Which enemy? The Germans? The Italians? The enemy was irony and truth and hypocrisy, that was the real enemy. That was the enemy that was killing him.
A Negro was trying to make rent, save up enough to buy milk for his kids, survive this fucked-up war, and still, when the war was over, when all the fighting was done and all the people made up, a German could go to America and live well, start a factory, wok in business, run a bank, while Stamps would still be … a n*gg*r. He’d be lucky to get a job delivering their mail.
And this description of the Mountain of the Sleeping Man:
Once you see him, you cannot escape him. He follows you everywhere you walk, morning, noon or night, his gargantuan face just over your shoulder – an enraged, snoozing ogre, about to awaken.
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refuge, a band of partisans, and an Italian boy, all of whom encounter a miracle. My reactions:
Like any good war story, McBride includes dangerous situations, tense relationships, descriptions of brutality, and strong characters who behave admirably in dire circumstances. Sam Train is a giant of a man, with limited intellectual capacity, but a strong faith and a tender heart. Bishop Cummings is a minister from Kansas City, but he seems more interested in gambling than fighting. Hector Negron is a Puerto Rican from Harlem who resents having been assigned to the Negro division, but whose modest knowledge of Italian is crucial to their mission. Second Lieutenant Aubry Stamps is an educated man, who went to officer candidate school, but is unable to understand or connect with the rural Southern blacks he is commanding. And then we have Angelo, the young Italian boy who has witnessed atrocities no one should have to see, and who is nearly dead when Train plucks him from the rubble.
I like magical realism, and McBride does a reasonably good job of using this technique. But he does not sugarcoat the realities of war, or of the conditions the villagers endured in Tuscany during this time period. The writing is realistic and visceral, though he does add small scenes of compassion that serve to ease the tension. At heart it is a story of brotherhood, redemption, and the power of love and faith.
A few passages really struck me:
To fight the enemy? Which enemy? The Germans? The Italians? The enemy was irony and truth and hypocrisy, that was the real enemy. That was the enemy that was killing him.
A Negro was trying to make rent, save up enough to buy milk for his kids, survive this fucked-up war, and still, when the war was over, when all the fighting was done and all the people made up, a German could go to America and live well, start a factory, wok in business, run a bank, while Stamps would still be … a n*gg*r. He’d be lucky to get a job delivering their mail.
And this description of the Mountain of the Sleeping Man:
Once you see him, you cannot escape him. He follows you everywhere you walk, morning, noon or night, his gargantuan face just over your shoulder – an enraged, snoozing ogre, about to awaken.
Show Less
LibraryThing member crazeedi73
I couldn't get into this book at all
LibraryThing member addunn3
Well written story of the intermingling of forces and people in central Italy during WWII.
LibraryThing member kslade
Good tale of Black American soldiers in Italy in WW2 and encounter with small boy.
ISBN
1573222127 / 9781573222129