The Interpreter
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Book Overview
No story of World War II is more triumphant than the liberation of France, made famous in countless photos of Parisians waving American flags and kissing GIs as columns of troops paraded down the Champs lys es. But one of the least-known stories from that era is also one of the ugliest chapters in the history of Jim Crow. In The Interpreter, celebrated author Alice Kaplan recovers this story both as eyewitnesses first saw it, and as it still haunts us today.
The American Army executed 70 of its own soldiers between 1943 and 1946-almost all of them black, in an army that was overwhelmingly white. Through the French interpreter Louis Guilloux's eyes, Kaplan narrates two different trials: one of a white officer, one of a black soldier, both accused of murder. Both were court-martialed in the same room, yet the outcomes could not have been more different. Kaplan's insight into character and setting creates an indelible portrait of war, race relations, and the dangers of capital punishment. "A nuanced historical account that resonates with today's controversies over race and capital punishment." Publishers Weekly "American racism could become deadly for black soldiers on the front. The Interpreter reminds us of this sad component of a heroic chapter in American military history." Los Angeles Times "With elegance and lucidity, Kaplan revisits these two trials and reveals an appallingly separate and unequal wartime U.S. military justice system." Minneapolis Star Tribune "Kaplan has produced a compelling look at the racial disparities as they were played out...She explores both cases in considerable and vivid detail." Sacramento BeeFormat:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0226424251
ISBN13:9780226424255
Release Date:May 2007
Publisher:University of Chicago Press
Length:254 Pages
Weight:0.80 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 6.6" x 8.9"
Related Subjects
20th Century Africa Americas Europe France History Military Modern (16th-21st Centuries) World War IICustomer Reviews
3 ratings
Superlative History
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
Kaplan has written a unique book that combines history, literary biography, investigative journalism, courtroom drama, and personal memoir. The miracle is that she blends these genres so effortlessly in a book as compelling and beautifully written as French Lessons and The Collaborator. Kaplan makes us ashamed of and fascinated by the racial divide in the Army during W.W. II, and eager to know more about her title figure, a renowned French novelist. Curosity satisfied, curiosity stirred. W.W. II has proven deeply inspiring for her--may it continue to do so.
The French Perspective
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
The issue of the death penalty being applied more often to African Americans in the armed services in WWII should not surprise Americans, but thank goodness it did surprise Louis Guilloux. Kaplan has given readers a special French perspective on an ugly chapter in American history. Through both solid research into government archives and first-hand visits and interviews, she has given the Guilloux novel, OK JOE, which she has translated, a companion history that, I believe, Guilloux would have appreciated. Don't miss her excellent footnotes. The French perspective on justice and racism is a hot issue currently (pun intended while Paris burns). As I have told my friends, Americans should take caution to read THE INTERPRETER before judging the French response to what is happening in France this month (Nov, 2005). Kaplan's book deserves a global audience and thoughtful discussions in the US and France. I hope some American history scholar will pursue the subject that Kaplan has given renewed light in the 21st century.
Very timely
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
I loved this book because it reminds us of how legal process can be manipulated to lead to unfair results. It helps us be vigilant so that throwback legal processes are watched for - both in and outside of the military. Probably one of the most chilling aspects of the book are the pictures of Plot E - where the executed were buried. That one of the buried was the father of Emmett Till made one ponder the possibility of two generations of one family having been in effect lynched.
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