Travelogue: Gettysburg National Military Park

Our trip to Gettysburg in mid-October was everything I had hoped it would be. 

We stayed at the Gettysburg Hotel, right smack dab in the middle of the town diamond (aka the town square) where Samuel Gettys established a tavern at the crossroads of roads from Baltimore and Philadelphia-Pittsburgh in 1760. His son James bought a bunch of land and subdivided it into lots and established the town that bears his name.

Fun Fact: the Gettysburg Hotel is catty-corner to the David Wills house, where Lincoln spent the night before he delivered the Gettysburg Address during the dedication of the national cemetery on November 19, 1863.

We arrived late on Monday afternoon, driving up from Harpers Ferry, and walked to dinner in the rain. Then, for the next three and half days, the sun shone, the breeze was light, and the air was fresh and clean.

One of the most fundamental things to know about Gettysburg before you visit is that there are monuments everywhere. The preserved battlefield is huge, and the Park Service and the Gettysburg Foundation (which runs the Visitor Center, including the museum) have worked hard to restore it in terms of vegetation and buildings to how it was on June 30, 1863, so you really can see how the topograghy informed the army commanders as they deployed their troops and armaments. 

But, there are monuments everywhere. Actually, most of the monuments are located where the regiments they commemorate saw fiercest action or accomplished something significant or were destroyed. Touring Gettysburg, you never forget that this is truly hallowed ground.

Speaking of touring Gettysburg, I read that the best way to get the most out of a visit, especially for a first visit, is to hire one of the licensed battlefield guides. I booked two two-hour tours--10 am to 12 noon--on consecutive days, with day 1 covering the battle on July 1 and half of July 2, and day 2 covering the rest of July 2 and July 3. As luck would have it, I booked with Phillip Musket, the guide featured in this YouTube video about what it takes to become a guide. He was absolutely fabulous, and he enabled us to make the most of our time in Gettysburg. 

We didn't have time to do everything I wanted to in just three and half days, but one of the most memorable experiences I had was walking the mile from Seminary Ridge to Cemetery Ridge, just as the Army of Northern Virginia did on the afternoon of July 3. I was the only person out in the field, which was a bit rough and boggy, but it was a very special time for me to really think about courage and conviction, patriotism, family, and home.

One final note, the museum is huge and fantastic. We spent time there Monday afternoon and Friday morning, but felt rushed and didn't really see everything they had on display. The movie they offer was excellent, but what blew me away was the Cyclorama. It is a 360-degree painting, done on curved panels, depicting "Pickett's Charge" from the afternoon of July 3. It was painted in 1880 by a French artist and was completely restored in 2008. I loved it so much that for my recent birthday my husband gave me a book with photos of all the panels so that I can study it to my heart's content.

Page from the Cyclorama picture book

Here's a smattering of images from our trip:

Outside the Visitors Center

Statues of John Buford and John Reynolds, saving the Union Army on July 1

John Burns, local defending his town

Confederate cannon on the mile-walk east

New York Cavalry Memorial

Union headquarters on the east side of Cemetery Ridge

Union cannon facing west

Travelogue: Harpers Ferry

 "...one of the most stupendous scenes in nature" Thomas Jefferson

Last week, after the JASNA AGM in Baltimore celebrating Jane Austen's 250th birthday with 950 of my closest friends, my husband and I drove up to Gettysburg, stopping at Harpers Ferry along the way. I kid you not, this was one of the best trips of my life--seeing scenes and countryside that I've read about since I was a teen. Except for a bit of rain on our first night, the weather was lovely--crisp in the morning, clear skies, and mostly sunny all day.

This post is devoted to Harpers Ferry--we only were there for a few hours, but I loved every minute of it.

The Appalachian Trail runs through Harpers Ferry

Harpers Ferry is an old town, first settled in the early 18th century, and the US armory was established there in 1799. It became a factory town for munitions and had a much larger population through most of the 19th century than it does now. John Brown famously attacked the armory in November 1859 in an attempt to instigate a slave uprising that would start the war to end slavery. While the uprising never materialized, John Brown's raid is generally considered the spark that ignited the Civil War. 

I had wanted to visit the Kennedy farmhouse where Brown and his family and recruits prepared for the raid, but it is currently closed to visitors. I recently reread Tony Horwitz's fabulous book, Midnight Rising, about John Brown and his mission to end slavery in the US, so visiting this area was very special.

It is at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, and there really was a ferry that was essential to commerce of the region until the railroads arrived in the 1830s, making it an important RR hub. Harpers Ferry changed hands many times throughout the four years of the Civil War and suffered so much destruction that it never fully recovered.

It is in a beautiful location and is absolutely worth visiting for the history and the scenery.

Memorial to John Brown

Engine House where John Brown and gang holed up until arrested

Harpers Ferry 

I had been worried about how things would work given the current government shutdown. I am happy to report that the Harpers Ferry Visitor Center was open and the buses that shuttle visitors to the town (virtually no parking in the town itself) were running. I asked the Park Ranger about his status, and he said that the governor of West Virginia authorized funding to keep the park open and the rangers paid, at least for a few weeks.

We were there on the Monday holiday of October 13, and I was happy to see lots of families there, learning about the history of the area and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

And yes, I did get to actually walk a portion of the Appalachian Trail as it runs through the town. We saw some hikers with packs, and I definitely felt the urge to join them!

Stay tuned for my post on Gettysburg. Too many pictures to sort through before I post on that part of the trip.

Catching Up

It's been a while since I last posted, mostly because I am in the middle of a couple of big books, and I generally wait until I'm done with a book before posting. I'm also about to leave for a 10-day trip and am not sure I'll be posting before I get back.

What I'm Reading

John Adams, by David McCullough - this is a reread but loving this 5-star bio just as much as the first time I read it. I'm 75% done--Adams has just finished his only term as president and is ready to retire to his farm in Massachusetts. He and Abigail were the first residents of the White House and moved in while it was not really completely done, but now they are done with public life and eager to spend time together on their farm.

Reading this has made me want to reread the fabulous mystery trilogy by Barbara Hamilton in which indefatigable Abigail is the sleuth. I picked up book 1 from the library, The Ninth Daughter, and intend to read it on my travels.

Gettysburg,: The Last Invasion, by Allen C. Guezo - yes, the Civil War reading continues unabated. As I jokingly tell my husband, "I am studying for the test." So far, I have the Army command structure memorized for both the Confederates and the Union down to the Brigadier General level, and I am working on memorizing the regiments within the Brigades. Why? Who knows. Actually, I think it helps me to understand the battle of I can think about who is where and with whom and against whom. Let's just call it an obsession and move on.

Where I'm Going

First stop is Baltimore for the Jane Austen Society of North American (JASNA) Annual General Meeting (AGM). This meeting celebrates the 250th anniversary of Austen's birth and is jam-packed with excellent speakers, etc. As always, I am looking forward to scoping out all the wonderful outfits people put together--no, I don't dress up in Regency garb, but I enjoy seeing others do so!

After the AGM, my husband and I are hanging around Baltimore for a day and a half. As it turns out, the Pride of Baltimore II will be dockside, and we've booked a two-hour cruise on it for Sunday afternoon. Then, maybe the National Aquarium on Monday. There are lots of interesting options, so stay tuned.

And then, drumroll please...we're heading up to Gettysburg. I've booked two two-hour sessions with a battlefield guide for consecutive mornings. And then, there is the self-guided audio tour, plus hiking trails around the battlefield, the visitor's center (which is supposed to be fantastic), and the town itself.

In addition to the reading I've been doing, I've been listening to the Addressing Gettysburg podcast, which I cannot recommend highly enough. The host and the guest speakers, mostly battlefield guides, are interesting and entertaining. 

We'll end our trip with a drive south through Shenandoah National Park, stopping first at Harper's Ferry for a quick walkaround.

Books for the Plane

In addition to The Ninth Daughter, I am bringing a few other mysteries to read on the road. After all, it is October, the season of spooky books!

July Key Words: Bee Balm, Italian Art in WWII, Civil War Stories

Garden Notes

This week's star native is Bee Balm (aka Wild Bergamot). This fragrant perennial comes in lots of colors, has spikey flowers, and it blooms for a long time. Right now, my native garden is mostly yellow and purple, with my Bee Balm providing the purple canvas on which the yellow blooms can shine. 

Bee Balm is a perfect native alternative to the ever-popular Butterfly Bush, which is actually an import from Asia, which means it may look stunning, but it isn't helping the local ecosystem and is invasive.

Bee Balm is also an edible plant. John Forti, author of The Heirloom Gardener, says:

All aerial parts of the plant can be used fresh. The tender leaves can be chopped finely and added to salads and summer vegetable dishes or made into teas and balms. However, the flowers (particularly the red ones) are my favorite edible part of the plant; they are full of an Earl Grey–like floral nectar and offer a fun kid candy from the garden. They are beautiful frozen into ice cubes for summer drinks or turned into a simple syrup for refreshing cocktails and confections. 

On to Books...

The Last Masterpiece, by Laura Moretti - Moretti is an art historian and historical novelist who focuses on the Renaissance and Italy, and I have read just about all of her books. This latest is set during WWII, featuring two young women, an Austrian and an American, on opposite sides of the war but both working to preserve the art treasures of the Italian Renaissance from destruction and looting during the war.

I loved it. In fact, I think it might be my favorite of Moretti's novels. The Nazi part of the story begins in Florence, with Eva, the Austrian woman, newly arrived with a job to photograph the paintings and sculptures that the German art historians are cataloging and putting into storage, with the help of the local Italian art historians. Her father is actually heading up the operation to store art from around Europe in the Austrian salt mines, and Eva truly believes that the Nazis are trying to preserve and protect the art for the Italians. Turns out she's wrong about that.

Josie is a WAC from Connecticut who is assigned to provide secretarial support to the Monuments Men. In the course of her duties, she comes to learn about and then love Renaissance art. She also learns to love Italy, particularly Florence.

Now I am all primed to finally read Saving Italy, by Robert M. Edsel, who also wrote The Monuments Men, the book on which the movie is based.

The March, by E.L. Doctorow - this is much-lauded novel is about General Sherman's 1864-1865 campaign in which his army of 90k+ subdued Georgia and the Carolinas and helped bring the Civil War to its end. 

Definitely a 5-star book, and not just because of my abiding interest in the Civil War, but because of the breadth and scope of character and story, the insight and compassion, realism and historical accuracy, and eloquence.

Doctorow tells the stories of a cross-section of people involved--the generals and other officers, of course, a smattering of soldiers from both sides, both the brave and the not-so brave. He tells the stories of civilians whose towns, farms, and homes were invaded, sometimes burned, almost always violated. He tells the stories of newly freed African Americans as well those who had enslaved them, and those who are on the periphery of the fighting but still a part of it--the British war correspondent, the itinerant photographer. 

My favorite story was that of a German doctor who came to America to find personal liberty and found himself tending the wounded and dying of both sides. I also loved the story of Pearl, an African American girl whose skin was so pale that she could pass but struggled with whether she wanted to live in the white world as a white woman.

Here's my favorite passage, which stopped me cold, near the end, when Sherman is negotiating terms of surrender with his Confederate counterpart, Joe Johnston.

And so the war had come down to words. It was fought now in terminology across the table. It was contested in sentences. Entrenchment and assaults, drum taps and bugle calls, marches, ambushes, burnings, and pitched battles were transmogrified into nouns and verbs. It is all turned very quiet, Sherman said to Johnson, who not quite understanding, lifted his head to listen.

No cannonball or canister, but has become the language here spoken, the words written down, Sherman thought. Language is war by other means. 

Ragtime is the only other one of the many noteworthy books by Doctorow that I've read, but I mean to remedy that, although some of them seem mighty grim. Any suggestions?

Topic: Slavery - The Eulogist and James

 I just finished two books that deal directly with slavery--both were gut wrenching, powerful, and left me angry that we are still fighting the racism, ignorance, self-righteousness, and greed associated with this most heinous thing. Sometimes if feels as if the Civil War will never end.

The Eulogist, by Terry Gamble, was the May selection for the GoodReads True Book Talk group. I wanted to provide the GoodReads blurb, but it contains way to many spoilers...glad I didn't read it before I read the book!  So basically, the story is about an Irish family that emigrates to the U.S. in the early part of the nineteenth century. 

The three children of the family--two sons and a daughter--make their way in Ohio, mainly Cincinnati. The main character is really the daughter, Olivia (aka Livvie), with older brother James marrying well and becoming a successful businessman, and the second brother, Erasmus, charming the socks and everything else off every female he encounters while trying his hand at revival preaching, ferrying people across the Ohio River, and sundry other things.

Livvie is a wonderful heroine--strong willed, plain, intelligent, and interested in how things work. She is a woman of science and a woman of conscience. Being a woman of conscience, she is compelled to try to help slaves to freedom, putting her own life and that of her family in danger. Being a woman of conscience requires being a woman of courage as well.

I will definitely be checking out other books by this author.

And then there's James, by Percival Everett. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in May, and it is clear why. Definitely the best book I've read this year and the best in a long time. 

James is the story of the slave Jim, Huck's companion in Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. Everett begins pretty much where Twain did, but the story of James--he rechristens himself--is so much more than Huck's sidekick. I don't want to provide a synopsis but suffice it to say that James's journey is convoluted--full of forward motion, backtracking, false starts, near escapes, heartbreaking and soul-wrenching loss, and the absolute certainty that he is a man of integrity, dignity, intelligence, and heart. James's journey is America's journey. Just as James's story didn't end with the last page of the novel, America's journey is ongoing as well, convoluted, full of false starts and stuttering steps.

I absolutely loved what the author did with language in this book. I'm not the biggest fan of dialect in books, but dialect in this book is essential to both the plot and the themes explored. Brilliant.

The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace

I just finished H.W. Brands' wonderful bio of U.S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, the top general of the Union Army, and the soldier that Lincoln finally found who would and could fight and win.

I started this 643-page whopper in mid-March--I didn't read it straight through but took a few breaks along the way. Still, it was a two-month book, densely packed, superbly written, and a fitting monument to a truly great American.

While I chose it because of my interest in the Civil War, it covered Grant's time as president as well as the four years following the war while Andrew Johnson was still president and reconstruction was just getting underway, and Lincoln's vision of reconstruction was being systematically dismantled. I confess that my knowledge of the last half of the nineteenth century is weak, so this was a good survey of the key people, issues, politics, and global relationships that shaped that time period and led to the turmoil of the twentieth century.

What do I like about Grant? Mostly that he was self-effacing, quiet, calm, and incredibly good at his job. When put in a position of leadership, he was decisive and confident. He didn't second-guess himself but wasn't arrogant about it. He was loyal to his friends, family, and those who served under him. Despite the scandals that rocked his administration, he was a man of integrity and truly tried to do what was best for the country. He battled the Ku Klux Klan, worked hard to try to carve out lasting treaties and land for the Native Americans, helped resolve the economic panic that hit when unscrupulous financiers tried to corner the gold market, and tried to implement Lincoln's vision for reunification. He made mistakes, but he did believe in the 14th and 15th amendments and tried to make them a reality for all Americans.

I found it interesting that after his second term as president, he and wife Julia traveled for about two years, all through Europe, and then the Middle East, and then Asia. He was absolutely beloved and revered not only in the U.S. but all over the world. Newspapers reported on his travels, his speeches (which he hated giving), and his life in general

I really did enjoy the Civil War section the best--I am still wrapping my brain around the geography, topography, strategy, and timelines--and Brands did an excellent job of explaining it all from Grant's involvement and perspective. Now, I am eager to read Grant's memoir, which he wrote while dying of cancer so that his wife would be able to live off the proceeds of the book. I've heard that it is well-written, detailed, and accurate, according to those who fought for him and subsequently read his accounts of their campaigns.

Fun Fact: Did you know that Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) published Grant's memoir? They had met a few times and shared the stage on at least one occasion. When Clemens learned the paltry amount that Grant's original publisher was going to pay for his memoir, Clemens basically bulldozed everything, offered to publish it himself, gave Julia Grant the lion's share of the sales revenue and turned a decent profit himself.

Here are the opening paragraphs of Chapter 87, which covers the response to his death in July 1885 at age 63.

The country had been bracing for the news, but no one expected the flood of emotion that followed. In cities and towns all across America, memorials and resolutions were read extolling the accomplishments of the great man. The South joined the North in commemorating his virtues; New Orleans and Richmond matched New York and Chicago in celebrating the life well lived. Condolences came from most countries of Europe and serval in Asia and Latin America. London's Westminster Abbey held a special service in his honor.

The African American community mourned particularly. "In General Grant's death, the colored people of this and all countries, and the oppressed everywhere, irrespective of complexion, have lost a preeminently true and faithful defender," a group of black veterans resolved in New York City.

In closing, Brands says:

One thing all Americans could agree on was Grant's central role in saving the Union. As commanding general in the Civil War, he had defeated secession and destroyed slavery, secession's cause. As president during Reconstruction, he had guided the South back into the Union. By the end of his public life the Union was more secure than at any previous time in the history of the nation. And no one had done more to produce that result than he. 

A five-star bio, for sure! 

From the Depths of Winter

January truly is the longest month. The holiday decorations, except the outdoor lights, are put away for another year. Too cold and snowy to deal with the outdoor stuff, besides they are pretty so I still turn them on every night to drive away the dark.

Here's what has gotten me through the darkest part of the year.

The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, by Helene Hanff - a Christmas gift from my son (yes, it was on the list I shared with him!). I simply devoured this short book. Hanff, the author of 84 Charing Cross Road, visits London as part of the promotional campaign when 84 is released in the UK, and she is the ultimate tourist, visiting all the places she has read about and longed to visit her entire life. She is wined and dined, feted as a celebrity, and has the best time. A wonderful armchair trip to London in the 1970s.

The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara - continuing down the Civil War rabbit hole, I reread for the 3rd (or is it the 4th?) time this incredible novel about the Battle of Gettysburg. Shaara, father of historical novelist Jeffrey Shaara, focuses on Lee and Longstreet for the Confederate side of the story, and Burford and Chamberlain for the Union side. Even if you aren't a fan of war stories, this novel is worth reading just for the portrayal Shaara provides of the scholarly hero, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, the language professor who ultimately rose to general in the U.S. Army. A truly admirable man.

Jeff Bridges (left) as Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (right)

The introduction to the audio version that I listened to was by Jeffrey Shaara, who described visiting Gettysburg on a family vacation when he was young. His father was a struggling novelist and was starting to research Gettysburg as a possible novel topic. He spent many years researching and writing the novel. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1975 but was not a bestseller until the TV mini-series, titled Gettysburg, was broadcast in 1993. Sadly, Michael Shaara died in 1988 and so never knew that his masterpiece finally found its audience.

I am planning a Civil War battlefield tour before or after the JASNA AGM in Baltimore in October, and Gettysburg is top of the places I hope to visit. 

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, by Robin Wall Kimmerer - I actually received my copy of this little book, courtesy of a GoodReads giveaway. Kimmerer is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass, which I loved. Serviceberry is basically an extension of many of the themes in Sweetgrass--the basic idea is that the plant world shares its gifts with the fauna of the world, and we humans need to learn (or relearn) how to share with each other and the world. There is room for everyone at the table, so we really don't need to hoard, grasp, and connive others in order to get more than what we need. 

In the spirit of sharing, I decided to donate my copy to one of the Little Free Libraries in my neighborhood with a note asking whoever takes it to read it and share it in turn. I noticed that it was gone from where I left it, so hopefully it will find many sympathetic readers out there.

Hope everyone is getting through all 1000 days of January with great reads!

Murder and Mayhem - Fall Reading, Watching, Learning, and Playing

I didn't do the R.I.P. challenge this year. Not from not wanting to, or not trying. I simply couldn't figure out the logistics based on Instagram posts. I tried searching for a hosting blog, but that seems to be old school. I guess I am feeling my age, but I couldn't figure out how to sign up. post, etc. So, I punted and just read a bunch of mysteries sans challenge.

The Last Devil to Die, by Richard Osman - 4th in the fantastic Thursday Murder Club series, I gave this 5 stars on GoodReads as there is some seriously beautiful, heartbreaking, breathtaking writing that isn't part of the overall whodunit but puts this book outside the realm of a simple mystery novel. And the mystery part of the book is really good--we dive into the world of antiques, antiquities, fraud, and heroin smuggling, and there are some wonderful characters in this world, some of whom end up dead and some don't. And the fab four are as wonderful as ever. I am so looking forward to the Netflix movie that just finished production.

The Zig-Zag Girl, by Elly Griffiths - I have been hearing good things about Griffiths's Ruth Galloway series but decided (mainly because my library had a copy) to start with book 1 of her Stephens and Mephisto series. Set in Brighton in the 1950s, not long after WWII has ended, the book features a police detective and a famous (on the UK vaudeville circuit) magician who have to figure out who is murdering people using magician's acts horribly gone wrong. Good writing, good setting, good characters--I will definitely be reading more by this author.

Vanishing Edge, by Claire Kells - I've gotten burnt out on the Nevada Barr series, so when Lark from Lark Writes blogged about a mystery series based in National Parks, I knew I had to check it out. This is the first book in the series--set in Sequoia NP in CA. The main character, Felicity Harland, is a former FBI agent now working as a detective with the NPS and her sidekick in this novel (and hopefully into the future) is the brawny, sweet park ranger known as Hux. They are a wonderful pair, with some chemistry, but lots of smarts and wilderness skills. I enjoyed the mystery, setting, and characters and already have the next book in the series on my nightstand.

The Woman in Cabin 10, by Ruth Ware - I picked up this book on vacation in WA state and devoured it while traveling. I had heard lots of buzz about it earlier in the year, and it was a "can't put it down" thriller. Lo, the main character, works for a travel magazine in the UK and is lucky enough to get chosen for a major perk--a berth on a luxury cruise in the North Atlantic. She stumbles into a mystery and finds herself in grave danger in her attempt to figure out who she saw in the supposedly empty cabin next to hers, and what happened to her.

Murder in Chianti, by Camilla Trinchieri - book 1 of yet another mystery series, and this one was also recommended by Lark. Again, I have found a new series to love, as I really enjoy reading books set in Italy, and in this case, we have a former NYPD cop who has relocated to Tuscany and gets roped into helping solve a murder. Again, great setting, interesting set of villagers and side characters, and lots of discussion of great food and drink.

Fatal Pursuit, by Martin Walker - finally, not a new series! This is book 9 in the fabulous Bruno series set in the Dordogne valley in France. One of my absolute favorites in the entire series so far -- we have another WWII mystery, this time involving a gorgeous racing car (only 1 of 4 made) that went missing with a French resistance driver on his way from Alsace to the Dordogne. We also have a rally car event with Bruno as a reluctant participant, as well as the usual horses, dogs, friends, baguettes, fabulous food and drink, and cultural history.

I'm halfway through Magpie Murders, by Anthony Horowitz, which I am loving and will wax poetic about in a later blog post.

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Still reading up on the Civil War--1/3 of the way through another Bruce Catton, this time The Coming Fury, which covers a lot of the same ground as The Demon of Unrest, but terrific nonetheless. I also watch Manhunt on Apple TV about the search for John Wilkes Booth and the other conspirators involved in the Lincoln assassination. Tobias Menzies was excellent as Edwin Stanton, Lincoln's Secretary of War, sometime political rival, and friend and champion. Definitely worth watching.

Also, just started watching The New Look on Apple TV about Christian Dior and Coco Chanel during WWII in Paris and afterwards. Absolutely riveting. Honestly, I am glad I no longer use Chanel No. 5. Coco should have been prosecuted as a Nazi spy.

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Still harvesting tomatoes--what a bumper crop. My freezer is full of tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes,  and we've been eating a lot of tomato soup, salsa, bruschetta, and tomato sandwiches. And I have given away so many bags to friends, neighbors, and the food share.

I just started piano lessons--I haven't played in >30 years and I was mostly self-taught, so this is great fun and challenging.

Gearing up for quilting season. I have a king-size quilt that I am almost done quilting, and then there is a Civil War era quilt that I would love to make this winter.

And that's a wrap. Hope everyone is doing well, staying healthy and reading lots!

Civil War - Chain of Thunder: Siege of Vicksburg, Battle for the Mississippi

 

Another chunkster from Jeff Shaara as part of the great American Civil War deep dive, A Chain of Thunder details the siege of Vicksburg and the overall U.S. Grant campaign to gain full access of the Mississippi River for the Union.

As with his other war novels, Shaara's narrative shifts among various players on both sides, generals and other officers (of course) Grant and Sherman for the North and Pemberton for the South, as well as a Union soldier from Wisconsin (Fritz aka Dutchie Bauer) whom I met in the previous novel, A Blaze of Glory, about Shiloh, and several civilians from Vicksburg who remained until the final surrender of the fort by the Confederates. 

The main civilian given voice in this novel is Lucy Spence, a young woman, only 18 years old, who is on her own after her mother dies (her father had already abandoned the family). She is taken in by neighbors when the town's residents move into caves to shelter from the constant shelling by the Union Army, but she volunteers as a nurse and so through her eyes we see first-hand the horror and pain of the battlefield survivors.

All of the military personnel featured in the novel as well as Dutchie and Lucy and her neighbors were real people, and at the end of the book, as always, the author provides a glimpse into their lives post-war.

These novels are really such an excellent way to learn about not only the details of the campaigns and the military strategy, which I do find fascinating, but also how the people actually lived through the experience, including the politics, the rumors, and the hopes and fears that are not tempered by hindsight. For example, I have read several non-fiction accounts of the Vicksburg campaign, and they all rather glibly mention how the town's residents lived in caves, but reading a fictional account of how the residents actually had to live (i.e., digging out the caves, putting up supporting timbers, figuring out how cook and what to cook as food stores ran out and starvation set in, how to clean themselves, etc.) brings home so much more powerfully what was endured and what was sacrificed.

I also really enjoyed reading about the role that the engineers played on both sides in devising ingenious solutions to tough military problems. In particular, the "Coonskins Tower," constructed by a lieutenant out of discarded railroad ties and that enabled Union sharpshooters to have a clear shot at the Confederate ramparts is a great example. Another is the second earthen wall constructed overnight by the Confederate soldiers under the direction of their chief engineer after the Union artillery blasted through one of the outer walls late one afternoon in preparation for a massive assault the next morning.

As you can tell, I'm not nearly through with my deep dive, and this book was another exceptional piece of balanced writing by a wonderful historical fiction author who respects his source material.

And yes, at 562 pages, this book most definitely is part of the #BigBookSummer of 2024.

Update from the Civil War Deep Dive

Erik Larson is one of my favorite non-fiction authors. When I heard that he had a new book out on the Civil War, I knew I had to read it. That put the worm in my brain to finally read James MacPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom, and then that made me want to read some fiction. The best Civil War fiction writer around is Jeff Shaara, son of Michael Shaara, whose Killer Angels is one of my favorite books. You see how this goes. One minute I am planning on reading one tome on the Civil War, and pretty soon I'm down the rabbit hole and getting lost in the warren.

So, let's start with the Erik Larson book, which I finished last weekend. The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War is a painstaking, slow crawl from November 1860 to the firing on Fort Sumter in the Charleston Harbor in April 1861. It may be a slow crawl, but Larson is an incredible storyteller whose writing is sharp and incisive. 

I particularly liked learning about the so-called Southern Fire-Eaters, who preached secession for decades before 1861 and were instrumental in rousing sectional violence through their rhetoric. Most of the history books I've read on the Civil War mention the Fire-Eaters as a collective but don't provide particulars as to who they were and what they even said or did. Not so with Larson--one of the Fire-Eaters, Edmund Ruffin, is a major character in Demon of Unrest. Same with Mary Chestnut whose diary is quoted frequently but not much of her backstory is provided to put the quoted parts in context.

Larson used the Southern version of the ancient Code Duello has a framework for exploring and attempting to understand the irreconcilable chasm between the North and South that made the Civil War inevitable. I don't believe in single causes, but I did find this framework to be a useful way of corralling the many perspectives on why and how Americans came to such savagery 163 years ago.

This was a 5-star book for me--compelling, structured, meticulous, insightful.

Before reading Demon of Unrest, I spent a couple of months slowly reading James McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom. First published in 1988 and winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 1989, it is an absolutely superb cover-to-cover book on the war. Not only are the major battles and major military leaders covered in detail, but McPherson dives into the politics, the economies of both North and South, the international factors, and the role of the navy, the industrial revolution, and the western frontier in how the war was waged. I absolutely loved reading this book, and interestingly, I found it familiar in that the lecture series I listened to from the Teaching Company seemed to come straight from this book, not only in the outline but in anecdotes and references. 

Bruce Catton is one of the giants of Civil War non-fiction, with in-depth treatments of various battles, generals, and phases of the war, I decided to start with his survey book, titled simply The Civil War. It was outstanding. At 400 pages, it is less than half as long as McPherson's 867-page tome. They cover the same ground and with much the same analyses regarding the causes, the resources, and the impacts of various decisions along the way. I must say, though, that Catton's final chapters in which he talks about how the effects of the conflict are still being played out today (i.e., 1960 was when this was first published) and today (2024) are chilling and sobering, but his writing is beautiful and memorable.

If there is only one book you read on the Civil War, I would recommend this one. Truly a classic.

Now for the fiction. Michael Shaara wrote the fabulous The Killer Angels, about the battle of Gettysburg. After he passed away, his son Jeff took up the mantle and has written two trilogies about the Civil War, one focused on the eastern theatre and one on the west (meaning west of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland). Gods and Generals is the first in the eastern series. It is a prequel to The Killer Angels and ends with the battle of Chancellorsville. A Blaze of Glory is the first in the western trilogy and includes the battle of Shiloh.

I decided to read all six books, including a reread of The Killer Angels. While I love to read the non-fiction, I also love stories and both Shaaras do an excellent job of portraying the players (military officers, politicians, regular soldiers, and even civilians) with credibility and empathy. The real people only say things they are documented as saying, and I know it's cliche to say, but these novels are really meticulously researched. I trust their history!

I'm currently reading A Chain of Thunder, book two in the western theatre series, which focuses on the seige of Vicksburg on the Mississippi.

I'm also haunting Jeff Shaara's events page to see if/when he might be speaking on the Civil War. He has an October lecture in PA, but it is focused on WWII. He also has series of novels about WWI and WWII, which I will likely read at some point.

Simon the Fiddler is another novel, this time set in the immediate aftermath of the war and in the far west, Texas. in fact. The author is Paulette Jiles, author of the wonderful News of the World, and Captain Kidd from News does make a cameo appearance in this novel near the end, which was a real treat. Simon is a reluctant soldier who survived the war by playing his fiddle in the regimental band. After the fighting ceases, he teams up with three other fellow musicians and they make their way as a band playing in bars and saloons and occasionally for weddings and other social events when they can find respectable clothes. Simon falls in love with an Irish immigrant girl who is an indentured servant to one of the army officers, and the bulk of the novel is about him working towards winning her heart and her freedom so that they can start their own life together. As might be expected, there are loads of challenges along the way.

This was a really interesting novel in terms of showing the struggles of the common soldier as he was turned loose from the confines of military life and left to figure out how to survive in a hostile environment.  Simon is a wonderful character, full of grit and honor, passionate about his music, introspective, and always searching to understand who he is and how he fits into the world.

Not quite as good as News of the World, but still a very enjoyable story told in a compelling way.

Big Book Summer Challenge 

Now for the tally. Simon the Fiddler was under 400, and I started both Battle Cry of Freedom and Blaze of Glory before Memorial Day.

Demon of Unrest, 565 pages read in July 

The Civil War, 400 pages read in July

Gods and Generals, 498 pages read in mostly June and a bit of July

So, three books to add to my Big Book Summer Challenge 2024.

Big Book Summer Challenge

It's that time of year again--time to break out the big books for reading during the hot days of summer. I am not a beach or pool gal, but I do love to read on our covered back deck when it's too hot to garden.

Once again, Sue from Book by Book is hosting the Big Book Summer Challenge--her 12th year! All you have to do is read at least one book over 400 pages between Memorial Day and Labor, and you've completed the challenge.

I am definitely planning on reading Drood, a 775-page whopper by Dan Simmons, after I finish Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which I am reading with the Victorians on GoodReads.

I would also like to read some more of Jeff and Michael Shaara's Civil War novels, all of them are 400+ pages. I read A Blaze of Glory, about Shiloh, in May and am eager to read more of the Western Theatre novels as well as all the others.

My brother Mark told me about a series of books by Alice Roberts, non-fiction on British history. The first, Ancestors: A History of Britain in Seven Burials, clocks in at 400 pages, so it is also a definite possibility for this challenge.

Happy Summer Reading! What's on your shelf?

Learning Company Great Courses

I am a long-time fan of the Great Courses and have listened to many courses over the past 20+ years. I first discovered them in my local library when I was commuting 40 miles to work and couldn't find an audio book on the shelves that I hadn't listened to already. Those were the days of CDs, and I have many fond memories of mostly history and literature courses that I listened to.

Most recently, I listened to a marvelous course on How to Listen to and Understand Opera, taught by the funny, enthusiastic, and insightful Robert Greenberg, music historian and so much more. Thirty lectures and 24 hours later, I feel like I have just skimmed the surface but also know that I have a richer understanding and appreciation for opera. I grew up listening to it as both parents were fans, but I never had the context for understanding the development of this art form. My favorite section was, of course, Mozart and the in-depth discussion of The Marriage of Figaro, followed closely by Rossini and The Barber of Seville. 

If you want a taste of Greenberg's style, this YouTube short video provides the first part of the introductory lecture.

My current course is Gary Gallagher's The American Civil War--we're talking 48 lectures and 19 hours, but Gallagher is a leading expert on the Civil War and is a first-class instructor.

I am taking a bit of a break from audio novels while I wait for the current ones I have on hold at the library to become available, so this is a wonderful way to dive into topics that are particularly interesting to me.

Final note - many Great Courses (including the two I just plugged) are free to active Audible listeners, which is just incredible, imo.

Any other fans of the Great Courses out there? Any courses you can recommend?

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Ambrose Bierce, American author and journalist, 1842-1914

I've known for years about An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, a short story by Ambrose Bierce.  It's included in a collection I have entitled Shadows of Blue & Gray: The Civil War Writings of Ambrose Bierce.  I'm interested in the Civil War and heard that this was a chilling story.  Since I'm in the chilly story mode these days, I thought I'd give it a go.

It is remarkable.  Just twelve pages long, it is a perfect story.  The writing is crisp, almost clinical, as the narrator describes the execution of a Southern plantation owner during the latter days of the war when defeat was inevitable but loyalty to the cause still ran high.

As with any great short story writer, Bierce manages to convey a strong sense of the personality and drivers of the main character, the man being executed, in but a few phrases.  And as with any great short story, there are one or two moments at which the reader does a double-take.  The end of the story, of course, takes your breath away.

I love stories like this one and writers like Bierce.  At least I think I like him--I should probably read more than one story by him before making such a blanket statement.

Read it here and tell me what you think!

And in case you don't read it, I assure you, it qualifies as an R.I.P. challenge work!