B.O.B.

There was a time when Bombs over Birmingham, Alabama was an everyday occurrence. Innocent people, both Blacks and Whites, lived in terror as racial tensions came to blows during a hot summer in 1963. Blacks demanded equity and a legitimate hope of fulfilling the American Dream, while some Whites, not all Whites, forcefully denounced and violently opposed integration and demanded for continued State sponsored segregation.

Blood flowed through the streets of Birmingham. Domestic terrorism, corrupt government officials, and civil disobedience became an accepted norm. Party lines where drawn. Every voice – in support or alternatively in opposition – was heard. Crosses illuminated the night sky; bombs rumbled the earth; attack dogs patrolled the streets – Birmingham, Alabama and much of the south was spinning out of control.

Anthony Grooms’ novel Bombingham examines this chaotic time through the eyes of Walter Burke, a soldier fighting in Vietnam. Burke is trying to write a letter to the parents of a fallen comrade and he’s only able to think of his childhood friend, his parents, and how his life changed during one summer during the Civil Rights movement. The book is paints a vivid picture of the struggle and sacrifices of Blacks fighting for civil rights, while creating a juxtaposition with the violence of war-torn Vietnam.

This is a good read for those who like fiction co-mingled historical accuracy and historical figures.