           |
by David H. Jones Staghorn Press, 2008 Historical Fiction/Novel Reviewed by: Ron Ballister Available in MWSA Bookstore. An American family’s struggle woven onto the tapestry of one of the most bitter times in US history! Many authors who attempt to write historical fiction have difficulty weaving their story onto the backdrop of the historical time-period they use as a setting. Those authors could learn a lot from David H. Jones. Taking only a few snippets of journals, memoirs, and obscure newspaper articles, Jones expertly tells the tale of a Maryland family driven apart by the Civil War. The youngest brother takes up arms with the Confederacy, while an older brother becomes a Union officer. Both serve with distinction, meeting on the field of battle at Petersburg. The main characters in the book are all historical figures, and the esteemed poet Walt Whitman is a key figure in the book, as he spends time with both brothers as they are recuperating from wounds. The author does a masterful job of taking the historical characters and events and filling in the gaps in the historic timeline with completely believable events which only add to the rich tapestry of the story. Civil war enthusiasts as well as those who enjoy good family drama stories will find this book hard to believe. FIVE STARS.
|
Two
Brothers: One North, One South 