Reviews

John Mullins
DeKalb History Center

Emerging author George Coletti did not test the writing waters gingerly – but jumped in with both feet, producing a huge 736 page historical novel of a hard working farmer, his family, friends and neighbors living, toiling and surviving during the tumultuous years of the Civil War.

In many ways this could be called a history text, albeit covering a limited territory and time frame. Mr. Coletti has researched his subject thoroughly and documented his facts with 637 footnote citations. But, by hanging these facts, figures, places and people around the story of a fictitious family, he brings continuity, order and a sense of pace that the facts alone do not provide.

Buck Jernigan, his wife Betty Gail and twins Norman and Polly live literally in the shadow of Stone Mountain. The story begins in April 1852 at the funeral of Andrew Johnson, owner of Stone Mountain and one of the founders of the town, or village really, of the same name.

From there, the pre-war years introduce the people (historical and fictitious), places and events that will lead up to war and its aftermath. DeKalb County voted against secession and so did the Jernigans. These “union sympathizers” stayed in their homes and remained active in their churches and communities throughout the war- They tilled the land, volunteered in hospitals, and served in the military.

For most of the war, life in rural Georgia went on pretty much as usual. As in Georgia during the Vietnam conflict, loved ones and friends were conscripted and served in the military - most outside the state of Georgia. There were deaths, the wounded and the disabled, but the rhythm of life went on unchanged. There were shortages - medicines, paper, coffee, tea and other imported goods screened out by the blockade - but food was plentiful and the land was un-ravaged. That is - until “Uncle Billy” Sherman crossed over from Tennessee into Georgia in May 1864.

Thereafter the story becomes one of military communications with the civilian population reacting to the events resulting from them. Life in Georgia changed. The Confederate forces under Confederate General Johnston and later Hood were inadequate to defeat or drive out the 100,000-man Union Army under Sherman. Fear of harm from the armies affected all civilians. Hoarding and hiding food and valuables became a way of life. The increasing number of dead, wounded, disabled and deserters, as well as the need to help family, friends and neighbors who suffered harm, placed a strain on morale and available resources.

The story portrays General Sherman in an even handed manner. Neither good nor bad, he was a commander with one goal - to end the war as quickly as possible. He did burn Atlanta, even designating which homes and businesses were to be put to the torch. But he did not harm Savannah, probably as there was no longer a need to do so. The war was essentially over.

Dr. Coletti was raised in his grandparents’ home in what is now The Stone Mountain Memorial Park. He attended Georgia Military College (GMC figured prominently in this book) and has served on the Board of Directors of both the DeKalb History Center and the Stone Mountain Historical Society. We hope to see more works from Dr. Coletti.

Deborah Smith
NYT Best Selling Author

"What Gone With the Wind did for the plantation class, Stone Mountain: The Granite Sentinel does for the average person in this era."

Sandra Anglin Chastain
Author

"A must have for anyone interested in the Civil War, Georgia history or a great story."

Gary Livingston
Author
Fields Of Gray, The Battle of Griswoldville
Fall of Fort McAllister
Cradled in Glory
Fallujah, With Honor
AnNasiriyah, The Fight For the Bridges

In the genre of Georgia Civil War writers, Margaret Mitchell and Maggie Davis, comes another great novel about Georgia. Stone Mountain: The Granite Sentinel by Georgian George D. N. Coletti. Stone Mountain is an historic novel of epic proportions about how several common families in Georgia coped with this bitter and tragic war. The research that Coletti undertook had to be awesome in its scope. His style is similar to James Michener in that the reader learns much about what he is reading, in this case Stone Mountain, Georgia, and how the every day citizens handled the devastating situation they were hurled into. Coletti uses footnotes to back up the historical theme of the book as well as letters and orders from the Official Records of the Civil War. He ties the fact and fiction into a great story. It is a good read as one is quickly transported back to that time of brother against brother. I highly recommend it and would love to see a movie adapted from the book.

Sandee Carlisle
Author
Forgetting the Hurt, Remember the Hope
A Memoir of Endurance

My dear friend George Coletti undertook the massive task of writing the history of Stone Mountain during the devastating period of civil war in our country. Not only was it historically correct, but he made it very personal and entertaining by depicting the lives of a fictional family and what they had to endure as a result of the political unrest. It is indeed a love story. As someone who is a descendant of soldiers who fought and died in the civil war, I found it interesting to see that all of the sentiment in Georgia was not necessarily with the secessionists. I would love to see a sequel which would extend into the reconstruction period in the area and throughout the south. I think this would further explain the feelings of those who survived this war. Thanks to George for a monumental job welldone!

J. Louis Markham
Veteran of WWII and the Korean War
Residing in Loganville, GA

"Stone Mountain: The Granite Sentinel" is only the second book out of hundreds and hundreds I have read that is worthy of re-reading immediately. The other book was "Gone with the Wind" in 1939.

Commentary by Richard Mailman
City Councilman
Stone Mountain, GA

"Stone Mountain: The Granite Sentinel" is a Civil war historical novel about great loss of life, property, and dignity. But, in this novel is spun much more than sorrow over a war that pitted brother against brother, and that is love of family, love of friends, and love of home. Great job, Dr. George Coletti!

Commentary by Hugh Jordan
Former State Representitive
Former Member of the MARTA Board
Former Executive Secretary of the Public Service Comission

If you are a history buff you will enjoy this book. Interaction between humans is always interesting. Mixing it with history is even more interesting. The book is 665 pages, but reads like it is half of that. I was sorry it had to end.

Mary Beth Reed, MA
President
NEW SOUTH ASSOCIATES, INC.

In this first novel, George Coletti brings together his love for Stone Mountain and its history, his love of family, and his interest in the Civil War into a historical narrative. The book can be read in several ways. For those interested in the history of the mountain and village, George Coletti’s careful research shines through, as he brings historical facts into the storyline. He clearly provides the reader a strong sense of Stone Mountain as a historic place. In addition, his comprehensive research on Stone Mountain during the Civil War is well worth reading. This book has another dimension as well. During its writing, the author excited the village, his friends, and family with his passion for the novel and its characters and gave us a chance to share, albeit a second-hand one, in his experience. We have enjoyed reading the fruits of his labor and are inspired by his accomplishment.

Mac McGuirt
Retired Businessman & Amateur Genealogist

Dr. George Coletti has performed the incredible task of combining the key aspects of drama, action and romance novels into one exciting story based on historical fact. It paints the mosaic of how difficult life was for the working class in Georgia when the Civil War appeared at their doorsteps as General Sherman marched through Georgia to the Sea.The Granite Sentinel is an incredible literary achievement and a riveting read from cover to cover.

Hayne Palmer
Resident of City of Stone Mountain

I have lived in Stone Mountain for 10 years and did not have a good feel of the history of this city and area until I read "Stone Mountain: The Granite Sentinel". An engaging combination of both fact and fiction provided a read full of history and adventure. As a history enthusiast, it gave me a great sense of the roots of the area I am raising my family in. Great job George!

ELAINE BEASLEY

I have had the pleasure of knowing Dr. George Coletti for almost 40 years. I have known him as a neighbor,when our children were little and also as a patient in his dental practice. I have just finished reading his book Stone Mountain: The Granite Sentinel. This book is a wonderful story of a time in our history of great turmoil and sadness. Dr. Coletti does a really good job of telling about factual events and entwines them with real and fictional people in the book. I found it very hard to put down once I started reading it and getting to know the families, trying to get through all the trials of that period in our country's history. You will shed a tear or two along the way with these families' ups and downs. You did a wonderful job on this book Dr. Coletti. I am glad I had the opportunity to read and enjoy it.

SAMMY WADE

You do not have to be a resident of Stone Mountain, have any deep South interest, or be an avid reader to enjoy this book. It has a great story that will cause you to become absolutely obsessed with getting to the next chapter.