Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Review of "The Sentinels of Andersonville" by Tracy Groot

I am so glad I read this book. It took me quite a while to "settle in" and really enjoy it, but I am thankful I stuck it through!  A story heavily based in the reality of Andersonville Prison in Georgia, which (especially towards the end of the Civil War), was literally hell on earth. Housing close to a total of 50,000 (in and out) prisoners, the number of men who died there are so high that they are almost unfathomable. Most died of starvation or exposure to the outside elements. Disease ran rampant and at Andersonville, the conditions are not something that anyone would describe as livable - war or no.

The author posts a "note to the reader" at the beginning of the book that is a warning of sorts - and truly, the descriptions of what happened there are hard to read. However, they happened. And may we all take a note to ourselves that this should not ever be repeated. For that reason alone I would suggest you read this book. However, her sense of humor is wickedly depicted, and her characters are real and interesting. Please read this book. You, as I, will be glad you did.

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