The Sooner You Forget

by Christopher Bensinger

Based on a little-known chapter of World War II history, The Sooner You Forget dramatizes the struggles of a young American soldier to not only survive a Jewish labor camp, but also to later reconcile what happened to him at the hands of the Nazis—and his own government.

Soon to be eighteen, Charlton Buckley is looking to escape the grips of his dead-end Wisconsin hometown and abusive father. When his dreams of joining a Major League Baseball team fall short, he channels his enthusiasm toward piloting for the Air Force. His youthful optimism is quickly burnt away when his plane is shot down on his first mission, causing him to be captured and sent to a German stalag. As the Nazis’ war efforts start to fail, though, they pull only Jewish soldiers from the Allied ranks and transport them to a secret labor death camp. Despite his Christian background, Buckley is taken, and there he experiences horrors beyond imagination. Navigating trauma, faith, love, and loyalty, The Sooner You Forget is the story of one man’s search to find true liberation decades after imprisonment.

Genres: Historical Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

Published February 4, 2025

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlton Buckly, a Catholic, joins the Army and gets sent to Europe to fight against the German. Plane shot down and they are taken hostage and put in a POW camp a German stalag. Though him being a catholic American he is picked out as being a Jew as treated as so.

Discovering the Nazi's had POW camps for Americans was intriguing, it was new to me. I knew other countries had them. I've read a lot of true and based on true stories of Nazi camps for jews and betrayers. With the POW camp being new to me, I went to do some research and couldn't find much. Yes' I'm aware it's fairly new in history history compared to concentration camps. I have discovered a couple other books, but was hoping an appendix would have been with it. Hopefully the released copy will have one in it for those interested in digging down the rabbit hole. That and being a slow read is why my rating is 3.5, but rounding up to a 4, sadly I was really debating.

Thank you NetGalley and Subplot for allowing me to read the arc.

[Shawna Briseno · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story about WWII provides a different perspective from other historical fiction books I’ve read. It’s about a young American man who leaves his small hometown, and the girl he loves, to go fight in the war. When his plane is shot down, he’s taken as a prisoner and sent to a Nazi concentration camp. Although he does survive, the atrocities he experiences are hard to imagine. When he finally returns home he’s encouraged, even forced, to forget everything that happened to him. Eventually he realizes that’s not possible…

[Emily Gains · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sooner You Forget is one of those rare debut novels that not only tells a gripping story but also sheds light on a harrowing piece of history that has too often been overlooked. Christopher Bensinger’s storytelling is visceral and unflinching, yet filled with moments of deep emotional grace.

At the heart of the novel is Charlton Buckley, a character I won’t soon forget. His journey, from an abusive home in small-town Wisconsin to the horrors of a Nazi labor camp, unfolds with a quiet intensity that never feels forced. Buckley starts as a kid chasing baseball dreams and ends up facing unspeakable brutality, not just from the enemy, but from the very government he served. The emotional weight of this betrayal lingers through the decades of his life, and Bensinger handles that long tail of trauma with remarkable care and honesty.

One of the most compelling aspects of the novel is how it blurs lines between enemy and ally, faith and doubt, survival and surrender. The fact that Buckley is mistakenly sent to a Jewish labor camp despite his Christian background adds a layer of tragic irony that underscores how easily identity can be weaponized in times of war. The scenes in the camp are haunting, but what stayed with me even more was Buckley’s life afterward, his struggle to find peace, connection, and a sense of self in the aftermath.

Bensinger's prose is cinematic and raw, sometimes painful to read, but never gratuitous. The historical details feel authentic, yet they never overwhelm the story. It’s clear the author did his research, but it’s Buckley’s inner world, his loneliness, his flickers of hope, his fractured faith, that hit home for me.

If you're drawn to World War II stories but want something that goes beyond the familiar narratives, this is a must-read. It’s about more than survival; it's about the complicated work of healing, and the courage it takes to confront not only the past but your place in it.

[R Seykora · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a powerful story. Thank you for the ARC. This heartbreaking story revealed the American POW experience in Europe. Charlie, a young pilot with US Army Air Corps, is captured after his plane crashes and joins other US POWs. Eventually the prisoner of war camp where he is detained removes the POWs of Jewish faith. Charlie, although not Jewish but in love with his Jewish girlfriend, is transferred to Berga 2. In Berga 2 he witnesses deaths of many friends and almost loses his life. As the war ends, he is injured, loses a leg and agrees to never speak of Berga 2 or his experience. This agreement haunts him and as he fights cancer 50 years later, he feels the need to share his experience and to recover evidence that was lost. With his wife, son, and fellow Army Air Corps POW he travels back to Berga and finds the evidence.

Although this is a book of fiction, there is many Berga, POW camps, extermination camps and other evil crimes that we may never know. The Sooner You Forget draws attention to government secrets. In war, the enemy you fight may not be your only enemy.

[Sav · Rating 4 out of 5]

This WWII story offers a deeply emotional journey, following a young American soldier whose life is shattered when he’s captured and sent to a Nazi concentration camp. The book doesn’t shy away from the brutal realities of war, showing both the physical and emotional toll it takes on him.

What struck me the most was how the story didn’t end with his survival but explored the challenges of returning home. The pressure to stay silent about his experiences was heartbreaking, and it made his path to healing feel even more profound.

Living in Austria, a country with its own complicated WWII history, made this story resonate with me even more. It’s a raw, thought-provoking read that stays with you long after the final page. Thats why I‘m giving it 4 ⭐️.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy!

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not sure what to expect when I started reading this book. But once I got into it I couldn't put it down. The story is interesting and horrific at the same time. I kept thinking this can't be based on anything real and then I did some research and yes it is. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in WW2 history and Holocaust history. Very well written and despite the horror it has a happy ending.

[Ash Laverty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a moving account of a part of WWII that I had not heard about before. We have all heard how the Nazis treated people, and how the Americans were treated by the Japanese, but I did not realise how many Americans were put into camps by the Nazis.

Overall this was a very interesting read, and it is one I will remember and think about for a long time to come.

4 stars out of 5 ⭐️

[Kahra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good put you in the War of an American that the Nazis thinks is a Jew and what all he endured while in Nazi camps. Thank you to the Author for the free copy.

[Rochelle Hansen]

OMG this book was absolutely so moving. It’s a must read by everyone, especially in a time of unrest in our country right now, so we don’t repeat our past!! It’s covers the trials and tribulations of a POW WWII veteran. He is shot down in Germany and mistaken as a Jew and sent to a slave Jewish Prisoner of War Camp that the government said never existed. It’s graphic, it’s honest, it stirs your soul that someone should have to endure this type of torture. There is justice in the end for him and many others as he helps expose what he and his 101st Air Force battalion had to go through. Well done, Christopher.