This blog is named Victorian Scribbles and the original idea was to write about all things Victorian—which normally we associate with England. You know: cobblestone streets, London fog, Victoria and Albert, Tennyson and all the famous Victorian poets, and, of course, Sherlock Holmes. What is strange to realize is that just short of the midpoint of Victoria's reign, the Civil War was raging in the U.S., and the following aftermath built up in southern states to what later became Jim Crow.
Just recently I read Vicki Lane's new book, And the Crow Took Their Eyes, in my opinion, a masterpiece.
When I think of the Civil War, in the past I've always imagined a unified Confederacy. But that wasn't the case. Slave owners fought to preserve their way of life, but a large proportion of of villagers in small out of the way places didn't have any desire for war. They had no desire for slaves, didn't want to be dragged into any fighting. They just wanted to be left alone and get by. If they did join the Conferate army, often it was at gunpoint. More often, they just vanished into the woods and hills until the recruiters left.
One such place was Shelton Laurel in North Carolina, where thirteen men who wouldn't fight were suspected of being Union sympathizers and were massacred. Apparently the history is factual, the massacre famous, but the story Lane tells is through the eyes of five fictionalized characters, all with different voices. And, fiction being a powerful tool for truth, the story unfolds, voice by voice, showing the ravages of war that alter communities and don't end when the shooting stops. It's a heartbreaking read, but a valuable one, and the writer's mastery of language and culture of the area make the community and the individual characters come alive for the reader. This is one of the best books I've ever read.
If you click on the title above, you'll be taken to the book itself. Go there, please.
What books have you been reading? Please share.
16 comments:
When drafting, I tend not to do any "real" reading. I prefer not to have voice-interference. Can't wait to return to good books. My TBR pile is enormous.
Wow. This sounds like a very powerful read. I will put this one on my list. I have to say the title gave me chills. Thanks for telling me about it.
Hi, Mirka, I get that. Unfortunately, I'm not disciplined enough to resist a good book while I'm writing - which may be one reason it takes me so long to finish writing a book. :-) When you return to your TBR stack, I hope this book is included. It's an incredible story told with incredibly good writing.
(I deleted the earlier comment because I had said "while I'm reading," which made no sense at all. Lol.
Rosi, I think you will find the book a terrific read. The title gave me chills, too, and for a long time I hesitated to order and read it. But Lane is such a good writer on her blog that I took the leap and am not sorry. It's a book I will read again. Rajan liked it, too.
The Civil War was not a good period in our history. But I'd never realized or thought about the fact that as this was going on, it was smack in the middle of the Victorian era. That led me to thinking that my second great grandparents emigrated from London in 1850 to upstate NY (Buffalo) and I'm wondering if he had to join in with the Union. I've never found any Civil War records on that. I might have to go down the rabbit hole again!
I'm going to rewrite this because I think I Xed out of the page before the captcha showed up, which google is making me do on everything these days! I said that I had never realized that the Civil War fell smack into the middle of the Victorian era. I suppose I should have, considering the fashions of the time that you would see in drawing of Mary Todd Lincoln. That's very interesting. It also made me think back that my second great grandparents emigrated from London to Buffalo, NY in 1850 and I wonder if he was put in the position (as an immigrant) of serving in the Union Army. I might have to go down the genealogical rabbit hole again.
Right now I'm reading a mystery called "Murder in Chianti" by Camilla Trinchieri. I'll soon be doing my January book wrap up post! My pile to read is VERY big!
Sounds like a good one! I shall keep an eye out for it.
Hi, Jeannie, your comment made me look up the question. In 1863 the Conscription Act was passed, and all men between the ages of 20 and 45, including aliens with the intentions of becoming citizens. So, I'm guessing yes. It was the first "draft." But you could buy an exemption for $300 or by finding a substitute draftee.
Kate, it really is so good. So sad. But wonderful.
Don't you wonder how, as Americans, we can be so poles apart in our thinking?
I thought that book was fab.
Sandra, yes, I wonder all the time. It's heartbreaking. But then, we are such a huge country. On the other hand, when I consider that only 30% of the population are die-hard supporters of the former guy-just less than a third— he majority of Americans are not poles apart. Still, 1/3 is a big chunk. And I think religion plays a big part in that. I'm a Christian, but the Evangelicals seem to me like a cult from another planet.
Anvilcloud, thanks for stopping by. I did, too. It's in my permanent library for future re-reads.
This book sounds intense. I'm so ashamed of that era of our history. The way we treated each oter, both black and white is despicable. Reminds me of a different time and era when we forced Japanese Americans into camps. I read a book about Japanese Americans who recounted how they felt when they lost their homes and businesses and were forced into these camps. It was also heart retching and sad. One of the mother's told about her son who joined the Army just to get out of the camp.
Your review is really well put together and makes me want to search this out.
Hi, Elizabeth, Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I, too was heartbroken to learn about the Japanese internment camps. One of the best principals I ever had while teaching had spent time in one as a small child and suprisingly was not bitter. Connie Goldsmith co-wrote a book with Kiyo Sato, "Kiyo Sato: From a WWII Japanese Internment Camp to a Life of Service." I had read an earlier book by Kiyo Sato and even had the good fortune to meet her once. A truly shameful period in our history - one of many. What breaks my heart now is that in the past 50 years we had moved forward and were continuing to do so, trying to right past wrongs, trying to equalize our society, and then the past few years so much has been smashed and derailed.
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