Battle for Athens

In 1946, 3,000 World War II veterans returned to McMinn County, and discovered a corrupt and oppressive government that engaged in false arrests, bribery, extortion, and other crimes. They put together an all-G. I. ticket in the town elections. On election-day, Senator Cantrell and Sheriff Mansfield, the corrupted party, engaged in election fraud, even shooting Tom, a black farmer, for voting against them. The veterans acquired guns and mounted a violent defensive revolt. Anna Faktorovich is the Director and Founder of the Anaphora Literary Press. She previously taught for over four years at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and the Middle Georgia State College. She has a Ph. D. in English Literature and Criticism, an MA in Comparative Literature, and a BA in Economics. She published two academic books with McFarland: Rebellion as Genre in the Novels of Scott, Dickens and Stevenson (2013) and The Formulas of Popular Fiction: Elements of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Religious and Mystery Novels (2014)."What we left behind is not always what we return to. 'Battle for Athens' is a collection of poetry from Anna Faktorovich, who uses her poetry to tell the story of World War II veterans returning to Athens, Tennessee, to a city run by a corrupted government. Telling of the veterans rising up politically, then arming themselves violently, 'Battle for Athens' is a riveting twist of poetry with an enticing premise, much recommended..." -James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, Small Press Bookwatch: December 2012, Midwest Book Review, The Poetry Shelf"You will probably read Battle for Athens in one sitting, unable to stop reading as this shocking historical tale unfolds in its pages, reminding the reader that democracy is fragile. You will feel transported into the middle of the fray, bullets around you, desperate G. I.'s having to fight again on their home soil for the rights they had already won abroad. The book will haunt you with its suggestions that we, too, have to watch out for those corrupt officials who would steal our democracy. The reader is dropped right into the middle of the action and the anguish, as well as sharing the satisfaction of the G. I.'s victory over evil." -Dr. Glen A. Mazis, professor at Penn State Harrisburg, author of The River Bends in Time"The Battle for Athens by Anna Faktorovich is a fascinating read about U. S. government corruption and the 1946 battle against it in Athens TN. Not only is the story fascinating, but Faktorovich's format emphasizes the beauty and terror inherent in the uncovered illegalities and ensuing battle against them. She writes this history entirely in poetry with each poem standing alone and also each poem returning to and becoming an integral part of the complete story... You don't have to be a history buff to enjoy it. The Battle for Athens is well worth your reading for enjoyment as well as for information about this little known period." -Dr. Audrey Lavin, author of Aspects of the Novelist: E. M. Forster and a series of Eloquent murder mysteries, audreylavin.com"Wielding language that is simple and sharp, poem by poem, Faktorovich presents her reader with a vile and noble slice of American history. Battle for Athens explores the worst and best of our country, the worst and best of humanity. These words must be read and read again. The education they offer is invaluable." -S. Thomas Summers, author of Private Hercules McGraw: Poems of the American Civil War