Brannon Sirmon shares with great passion the words of his great grandfather. It is an historic, first-hand account of one of the brave and courageous young men who fought in World War I.
It was a war among neighbors and a battle between brothers and it had an impact that would far outlive the shots that were fired and the blood that was shed. Those shots can still be heard and that blood can still be seen in the words of Brannon Sirmon.
That's War is history brought to the present in a very patriotic and realistic way. Through this book you can experience one of the most historic moments in our nation's history and gain an appreciation for those who were there.
This book will give you an insight into the life of a soldier and the struggles endured in order to protect and preserve our nation as it is today.
Beth Chapman
Alabama Secretary of State
Sirmon's diary offers a glimpse into the daily routine of an army soldier preparing himself and his men for "the Great Adventure"—the battle fields of WWI. Sirmon's fastidious and often humorous recordation of the daily routines of life as a soldier includes more than the mundane. His insightful observations of the men he led and encountered is no less than intriguing.
The reader will be inspired by the bravery, heroism and heartfelt patriotism of this American soldier, willing to sacrifice all.
Alabama Supreme Court Justice Patricia M. Smith
That's War (Sirmon, 2011 available Amazon) is an unedited, un-retouched diary of William Arthur Sirmon, decorated WWI veteran, released by his great-grandson, Brannon Sirmon. Through this diary, the reader becomes intimately familiar with the thoughts, feelings, and actions of soldiers during the time of war.The diary begins, as most do, with trite observations of day-to-day life, seemingly more so because the diary was kept, in part, as part of Sirmon's duty during wartime. However, as the diary progresses, Sirmon writes more candidly about his thoughts and feelings toward other people, himself, and the war in general. Toward the end of the diary, which comes to a close at the end of the war, Sirmon begins to ask philosophical questions about war and life's meaning in general.One cannot talk about character development, plot, or other literary devices, since this is not a literary creation but an untouched diary. However, one can be appreciative that such a record of history, written literally on and about the front-lines of war during a time when record-keeping and observation were not readily available, exists. What makes this a truly remarkable read is the insight that Sirmon brings to the personal life and thoughts of the soldier. We all know that, to put oneself on the front lines of war, there is a level of bravery that many of us could not or would not commit to, for one reason or another. To hear the fears that soldiers like Sirmon, and many others, faced head-on, is remarkable; to read of their willingness and at times excitement to do so, is inspiring. I learned quite a lot about WWI from reading this book - much more than I ever learned in school - and recommend this book to those looking for a true, gritty account of war written from the point of view of the people who actually lived it.
Amazon Reviewer