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    In the Shadow of Alabama
    In the Shadow of Alabama
    In the Shadow of Alabama
    Audiobook10 hours

    In the Shadow of Alabama

    Written by Judy Reene Singer

    Narrated by Carol Monda

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    About this audiobook

    Judy Reene Singer's newest novel is a masterful story of the American experience. Between the past and present, between love and war, between the burdens of race and hope, a woman returns home to discover her father and a history she had never known... Rachel Fleischer has good reasons not to be at her father's deathbed. Foaling season is at hand and her horses are becoming restless and difficult. Her critical mother and grasping sister could certainly handle Marty Fleisher's resistance better without her. But Malachi, her eighty-something horse manager-more father to her than Marty has ever been-convinces Rachel she will regret it if she doesn't go. When a stranger at her father's funeral delivers an odd gift and an apology, Rachel finds herself drawn into the epic story of her father's World War II experience, and the friendships, trauma, scandal, and betrayals that would scar the rest of his life-and cast a shadow across the entire family. As she struggles to make sense of his time as a Jewish sergeant in charge of a platoon of black soldiers in 1940s Alabama, she learns more than just his history. She begins to see how his hopes and disappointments mirror her own-and might finally give her the means to free herself of the past and choose a life waiting in the wings.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMay 30, 2017
    ISBN9781501955433
    Author

    Judy Reene Singer

    Judy Reene Singer is a dressage competitor, horse trainer, and all-around animal lover. She has written about the equestrian world for more than a decade and was named top feature writer of the year by The Chronicle of the Horse. She is the author of Horseplay and Still Life with Elephant.

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    Reviews for In the Shadow of Alabama

    4/5

    13 ratings3 reviews

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    • 4/5
      4.5 stars.

      Alternating back and forth between the present and the early '40s, In the Shadow of Alabama by Judy Reene Singer is a heartrending novel of complex and difficult relationships, race relations in the South and the lingering effects of wartime.

      Rachel Fleischer's relationships with her family are fraught with tension and the last place she wants to be is her father's bedside as he refuses medical treatment for his failing heart.  Marty Fleischer has always been a hypercritical, bitter, angry and deeply dissatisfied man whose hateful words continue to haunt her.  At the urging of her farm manager and friend Malachi Charge, Rachel reluctantly goes to see her father one last time before his death. At his funeral, stranger Rowena Jackson presents them with a puzzling package from her father, Willie Jackson. Intrigued and wanting to understand a shocking allegation against her father, Rachel later goes to Boston to meet Willie where he recounts his tangled history with Marty.

      Rachel's dysfunctional childhood left an indelible mark on her and even as an adult, she cannot escape the legacy of her father's painful words and lack of love. The owner of a horse farm, she lives with her longtime partner, David, and Malachi. Emotionally closed off and protective of her heart, Rachel is unable to fully commit to David and she soon becomes aware there are deep fractures in their relationship. Reluctant to discuss her fears and concerns with him, she ignores the growing distance between them and instead makes the decision to go to Boston to meet Willie.

      Rachel knows absolutely nothing of Marty's experiences in World War II and she is quite shocked to learn that he was in charge of a colored squadron in Alabama.  Neither man lived in the South prior to their assignment at Gunter Field so they are ill prepared for the reality of segregation and the animosity directed towards Jews.   Although both men are college educated, they are assigned to a squadron that cleans aircraft engines.  Marty is a benevolent leader who looks out for the men serving under him although his efforts are not at all appreciated by the white soldiers on the base. Despite Willie's best efforts to remain under the radar, he and Marty form a friendship of sorts that comes to an abrupt end following Marty's well intentioned but misguided efforts to treat his men as equals. The two men eventually go back to their regular lives but neither of them are able to escape the tragedies of their shared history.

      Based on the real life experiences of Judy Reene Singer and her father, In the Shadow of Alabama is a deeply affecting and rather poignant novel of reconciliation and healing.  After learning of the events that shaped her father into the haunted man who raised her, Rachel has a better understanding of herself, her mother and her sister. With newfound awareness of the negative effects of her behavior, Rachel tries to repair her tattered relationships, but is it too late to salvage the one that means the most to her?
    • 5/5
      In the Shadow of AlabamaBy Judy Reene SingerNarrated By Carol MondaPublished 2017 by Recorded Books10 hours and 56 minutesI received a free audio copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.Rachel Fleischer, a middle-aged woman with emotional baggage and a troubled love-life, returns home to see her estranged father who is on his deathbed. At her father’s funeral, a stranger brings an unusual gift and an apology which sparks the beginning of Rachel’s journey towards discovering the truth about her father. I immediately connected with Rachel. She is a strong, independent woman who runs a horse farm and is a successful writer in spite of having left home at 16 with no familial support. Her internal struggle between the desire to be a good daughter that is worthy of love and the overwhelming need to protect her heart from additional pain and rejection is raw and real. Rachel is searching for excuses for her father’s behavior—reasons that might allow her to forgive and move on. The more she learns about her father’s past, the more sympathetic she becomes toward her father. This story alternates between present day and flashbacks to her father’s time as Sergeant Fleisher in the Army Air Force during WWII. Sergeant Fleisher was a Jewish soldier in charge of a troop of all black soldiers in 1940s Alabama. It becomes obvious to Rachel that her father’s experiences during his time as a soldier are directly responsible for the hard man Rachel knew as her father. I don’t think this knowledge was able to excuse his behavior, but it did lend an understanding that eventually allowed Rachel to move on with hope towards her future.This book is a glowing example of literary fiction. The complex, well-developed characters made this story one to remember. My favorite character was Malachi, the 80-something farm manager. Everything about Malachi tugged on my heartstrings. I would love to see him get a book of his own to learn his backstory and what made him into the man he was. The writing style was also noteworthy and there were several profound ideas that made me wish for a highlighter and a physical copy to mark up. This book was narrated by the talented Carol Monda. I will be adding her to my auto-buy narrator list. Her voice has a maturity and heaviness that complemented the serious subject matter. I really appreciated the inflections and emotion that she conveyed through her reading. Not only was she the perfect choice to tell Rachel’s story, but the multi-character performance of the soldiers was extraordinary.
    • 4/5
      So, so much is right with this wonderful book, from the title, the inviting and gorgeous cover to the heartfelt story and amazing characters.Have adored horses since I was a preteen, and Rachel our main character is writer who also happens to raise and train horses on her very own ranch. The old man Malachi, who seems to have come with the property quickly won my heart, just adored this character.Rachel's father is dying, she receives a call from her sister and though she does not have any fond memories of her father, nor feel much love for the man he was, guilt and responsibility wins the day. He subsequently dies, and a happening at his burial will have Rachel seeking answers and understanding for the man she felt she never knew. This quest will take her and us back t 1941, an army base in Alabama where her father was the Jewish lieutenant in charge of an all negro crew.Racial prejucide and the treatment of blacks in the service, so awful how these men were treated. A man who cared so much for his men but coming from the North had little or no understanding of how things went in the South for blacks at this time. Experiences that scarred many for life, the effects of PTSD, and all around disillisionment with the human race, reflected in the treatment of family and friends. We meet a wonderful elderly black man who will tell Rachel her father's story and it is the realization of the man he was that propels Rachel to examine and make changes in her own life.I loved the story before reading the acknowledgements, but after reading that this is basically her own father's story I realized why this story seemed so real, why the writing seemed so personal. A wonderful story about a heartbreaking time with serious repercussions.ARC from Netgalley.