An American Life

by Jimmy Gentry

Written by Jimmy Gentry, An American Life chronicles a time that has almost disappeared in small town America (set in Franklin, Tennessee). It gives one soldiers account of surviving WWII and tells what has become of Williamson County Tennessee over the years that followed the return of that soldier. An American Life is about Jimmy Gentry, about Franklin, and about America.

Genres: Nonfiction

200 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Caren · Rating 3 out of 5]

My friend and colleague had the pleasure of hearing this author speak at Ft. Knox and urged me to read his book. Mr Gentry, born in 1925, is of my parents' generation, a group which is dwindling. In his memoir, he recounts his years growing up as part of a large family in rural Tennessee. His father passed away when he was still in elementary school, but all of the boys in the family helped out by taking odd jobs, hunting, fishing, and trapping (selling the pelts). These were the years of the Depression, but there is never a complaint from Mr. Gentry; rather, the story is rich in family love and mutual respect. While in high school, World War II loomed. He remembers clearly when he heard the radio broadcast that Pearl Harbor had been struck and said all who were listening with him received the news in silence, knowing that the country was now at war. As he graduated from high school, he learned his older brother had been killed in Italy. He immediately enlisted and was sent for training and then put on a boat to England and then on to France. His descriptions of the action his unit saw were pretty gripping. I'd say he was very lucky to have lived through it. The unit then liberated Dachau, the full impact of which he says didn't hit him until much later. He was sent on to Austria to guard POWs. By chance, he saw a notice on a board saying that if a soldier had a family member who had been killed in action, he would be eligible to be discharged and return home, which is just what he did. His high school sweetheart was waiting for him and they married and began life in their home town of Franklin, Tennessee. The least interesting part of the book for me was about the years he spent as a high school teacher and football coach. Football makes me yawn, so I just skimmed over all of that. The end is a bit poignant as he looks at the changes in his town from the days of his youth to the present. In his "retirement" years, he has kept busy running a farm along with his three sons and their families. The farm is still in operation: http://www.gentryfarm.com/
The book is filled with old photos and lots of Mr. Gentry's wonderful sketches. He seems to be a talented man who could as easily have been an artist/illustrator. My friend was very impressed with his talk. She said he is obviously a sincere and kind man. I wish I could have heard him too.

**Ah, the magic of technology. I can, after all, hear Mr. Gentry speak:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeQ3T...

[Denise Nutt-Beers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave it 5 stars, because if you knew Coach Gentry, you would understand that anything less for this local treasure would be a travesty.

Let him take you on a little jaunt to times past, when the hunting was plentiful, the rules easy to follow, and the community woven into a beautiful quilt of love.

[Lindsey Garrett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting life story and easy read. Didn't greatly enjoy the writing style.

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Gentry and talking with him about his book when he donated a copy to the library about 10 years ago, but I had not read the book until now. I have always remembered our conversation about his experience at the liberation of Dachau, and how he had buried those painful memories for so many years. This autobiography is a simple story well told, of a mostly-happy boyhood in Franklin Tenn. in the 1920s and 1930s. The author himself illustrated the book with line drawings that help make the story even more personal and touching. Gentry's description of his horrific experiences in Europe during WWII are memorable -- even though what he experienced can hardly be put into words. The last part of the book in which he details his football career was less interesting to me, but will be enjoyed by the many men whose lives he touched in his long career.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about a man who grew up and still lives very close to where I live. I really was interested in the part about him participating in the liberation of the concentration camp, Dachau. That is why I read the book. However I ended up enjoying the entire book because it was intriguing to learn how much has changed in my county since Mr. Gentry was a child. He paints a vivid picture of life in Franklin, TN before the war and describes all of the changes that the war brought. He also taught and coached in various schools around town and shares stories about teaching and coaching and the changes in those over the years as well. It is a very easy and quick read and for me, it was worth it.

[Deb Stern · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an honor to meet the author at a Holocaust rememberence ceremony. I immediately wanted to read his story. I enjoyed his drawings throughout the book as much as his words. What a solid, stand-up human being he is. I feel lucky to have been able to read this story of a man, soldier, son, brother, husband, father, coach and teacher.