And Then We Heard The Thunder

By: John Oliver Killens

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Synopsis: A fictional portrayal of real events that occurred during WWII from Afro-American author John Oliver Killens, who had previously served in the Amphibian Forces in the South Pacific. Through his characters, the reader gains a close-to-the-bone account of what it was like to be a Negro soldier fighting in segregated units under racist commanding officers. The final chapters reveal one of the war's best-kept secrets concerning the escalating racial tension between black American GIs and their white commanding officers. The story climaxes in a terrifying race riot, which took place on the seedy night streets of South Brisbane in March 1942.Editorial Reviews:"...a big and powerful, angry novel, pulsating with love and hate, laughter and tears, sex and violence, and all the other juices of life."--Sidney Poitier"...that big, polyphonic, violent novel...calls James Jones to mind."--Saturday Review"...A beautiful and powerful book."--James Baldwin