Jerry Borrowman

Anarchists, assassination attempts, political intrigue, plots to overthrow the government? Sounds like today’s era, but this was over 100 years ago in 1908 America. Jerry Borrowman’s Flames of Anarchy is a thrilling historical fiction based on actual events & the creation of the FBI. It’s a heart-stopping political thriller told from several viewpoints that was hard to put down.

After a bombing at Union Station narrowly misses President Theodore Roosevelt, Senator Jason Ellis vows to show more find out whether it was a lone wolf or part of an attempt to overthrow capitalism. He enlists his friend Pinkerton Agent Andy Pettit to investigate. But, the plot is complicated & those involved elusive. With the Republican National Convention looming, will they catch the perpetrators before it’s too late?

Angel Casimer, an American Bolshevik, longs to be famous for overthrowing capitalism. When his attempts are frustrated, he becomes increasingly agitated, especially with mounting pressure from those who recruited him. He hopes his next assignment to topple the financial industry & set stocks plummeting will bring him the glory he desires.

I enjoyed this well researched, historical fiction based on actual people & events. Theodore Roosevelt, JP Morgan, & others are deftly brought to life in this story. I was fascinated by the debate over the creation of the FBI. The need for protection & security versus privacy is an ongoing debate & it was interesting knowing past fellow Americans had these concerns.

I listened to the audiobook version & it was chilling getting perspectives from multiple points of view including the anarchist’s. I was on pins & needles wondering how James & Andy would ever discover the key figures behind the plot. The narrator did a good job bringing this story to life. At first, there were a lot of characters to keep track of while listening, but eventually, I was able to distinguish them all.

I enjoyed having notes at the beginning & end highlighting fact vs fiction. It’s a fast-paced thriller with several moving parts that kept me eagerly listening. DefiniteIy recommend to historical fiction fans! I received an advanced copy from the publisher with no expectation of a review. All opinions are completely my own & voluntarily provided. show less

"There are times and places where children do not dream any more about how to commit pranks, but about how to take the government to task."
— Stephan Hermlin

Rudi Wobbe grew up in Nazi Germany. As a boy his family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (also known as the LDS or Mormon Church) and he eventually became friends with two other LDS boys, Helmuth Huebener and Karl-Heinz Schnibbe. Rudi resisted joining the Hitler Youth despite the intense pressure, and as he and show more his friends watched the Nazis exercise power and control over the people they recognized it for the evil that it was. With Helmuth he began listening to BBC radio broadcasts that gave a very different picture of how the war was going than what the government said. Eventually the friends began secretly distributing leaflets (written by Helmuth) denouncing Hitler.

In this short book, Wobbe tells the story of how he and his teenage friends were caught by the Gestapo and put on trial for "Preparation to High Treason" against the nation. Helmuth bravely defended himself and his friends before the "Blood Tribunal," but the sentences handed down were unusually harsh because of the political nature of their crimes. His friend Helmuth was executed by guillotine, while Wobbe and Schnibbe were sent to prison. He tells of the brutality he endured in concentration camps, as well as the kindness of some fellow prisoners and even a few guards and wardens. It's not as polished of an account as you might expect to find in professional biographies, but it's told in his own words and feels that much more powerful because of it.

“It may be easy with the retrospect of history to see how bad the Nazis were. But to grow up in the midst of that environment, being taught every day that Germany had the best and finest government on earth and still to have the insight and courage to break free of the propaganda, took a man of a high and special caliber. ”
— Rudi Wobbe (speaking of his friend Helmuth) show less

So I found this book completely fascinating, in part because I love history, and partly because the eight events described in the book are for the most part unknown tragedies. Despite their lack of notoriety, these events nevertheless changed how the world operates as future generations adjusted for the mistakes that were made, often with devastating human costs. All the information is displayed in logical, easy read format. There is so much in this book that I never knew, not only regarding show more tragedies that could have been avoided, but also information surrounding regional history and important people who shaped the time and the future. This is a really interesting read for anyone really, but especially for history buffs. Thank you to Netgalley for the copy. show less

It feels especially serendipitous to be talking about a WWII novel on the heels of the 80th Anniversary of D-Day in Normandy. While this book covers a different geographical area of the war, it just makes the story that much more somber. I think this book is perfect for avid WWII readers and people who haven’t read much about it. The historical facts are detailed enough to be interesting and informative, without being dry or inaccessible. The fictional characters and their stories written show more in by Borrowman fit the narrative and the stories so well, and I was fully invested in the story.
I learned a lot in reading this book. It’s amazing how there is always something new to learn about the war, isn’t it? I admit I haven’t read as much about the Pacific theater, specifically what it would have been like on one of the ships. I loved the historical details and information included, and especially loved the author’s note at the end.
My husband has also been completely hooked on this book, and picks it up to read every chance he has. It’s a book that will have you cheering for our soldiers, and grieving for the fallen ones. I laughed; I cried; I feared; I ached. I felt the gambit of emotions in this one, and wholeheartedly recommend to anyone interested in WWII fiction. show less