Miriam de Uriarte

It is sometimes hard to remember, in the Twenty-First Century, that not that long ago we joined the Allies to fight against the Axis troops of Germany in 1942. Although it may seem a distant struggle, removed to another century, it is still relatively close. Solace Wales’ book Braided in Fire brings us the immediacy of the fight during the battle in Sommacolonia, on the Gothic Line, Italy, on December 26, 1944. Through intense reliving as told, detail by detail, she documents the battle of the black G.I. soldiers who survived and perished, including the vivid first-hand experiences of the contadini (peasants). Her empathy for both her Italian neighbors and American Buffalo Soldiers, who were supported by the Italian Partidini gives the story a remarkable intensity. The American soldiers were a segregated outfit whose courage and camaraderie in defending the Italian villagers has been commemorated by them with a park to peace and a museum in Barga, Italy. Wales’ gift for narration captures the G.I.’S colloquial jargon and the Italian’s jubilant response. She makes the experience present, palpable and fulfilling.