Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "Brothers In Arms"

Tim Walbert is the director for Orioles games on MASN. We share a love of history and of the books that tend in that direction.

Tim brought to my attention "Brothers In Arms" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I'm glad he did.

This is the story of an African American tank battalion in World War II that courageously fought in some of the most intense battles of the war. They were called on when the war was at a turning point and the U.S. needed manpower, especially tank support for the infantry.

The book details the battles fought by this group of heroes. More importantly, you get to meet these men in a very personal way.

Abdul-Jabbar has written a number of children's books. This is not one of them.

How he came to this subject and why it became imperative for him to write the book is a background story of some note.

Tim can give us the details.

No matter how often we hear of racial segregation and the ugliness attached to it, reading this book brings front ad center the personal tragedy racism brings.

For these men who were as heroic as any in the war, their treatment during the war and after is a reminder of the damage hatred does to good people.

This battalion was not the only black unit of the war, or the only one that suffered racism before and after the war. They were, however, one such unit and their story was thankfully fleshed out in this book.

As a matter of World War II history, heroism and discrimination, this book delivers on all counts. We have progressed as a society in our racial relations, but too many instances of such discrimination faced by these men is far to readily recognizable in our country today.

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." - Winston Churchill

Our Enoch Pratt Free Library recommendation comes from Shaileen Beyer, teen and fiction librarian: "Our Souls at Night" by Kent Haruf. Here is her recap:

"It's 'an evening in May just before full dark' when Louis, a widower in a Colorado town, opens the door to Addie, a widow neighbor with a surprising proposal: Since she is lonely, and he might be, too, would he like to sleep with her some nights? Quiet on the surface, the relationship that ensues is inwardly rich in drama. Conversation by conversation, Addie and Louis reveal themselves and their scarred pasts to each other, and obstacle by obstacle, from small-town gossip to a visiting grandchild, they find their intimacy deepened by what threatens it - until one threat is too much. Kent Haruf's brief, beautifully plainspoken last novel touches us as directly as a love song or lullaby and runs out too soon, like a mellow evening in spring."

Shaileen, thanks for a work that begins with a tremendous theme.

Gary Thorne is the play-by-play voice of the Orioles on MASN, and the 2016 season is his 10th with the club and 31st covering Major League Baseball. His blog will appear regularly throughout the season. The Orioles and Sarasota County have partnered on the Big League Reader Program, which rewarded kids who read three books in February with tickets to a Grapefruit League game at Ed Smith Stadium in March.

* Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne. © Copyright 2016 Gary F. Thorne. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Gary F. Thorne and MASNsports.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.