"The American Civil War took more American lives than any other war in history. It so divided the people of the United States that in some families brother fought against brother and father against son. The terrible bloodshed left a heritage of grief and bitterness that declined only slowly and, even today, has not fully disappeared. About 620,000 soldiers died during the Civil War, almost as many as the combined American dead of all other wars from the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) through the Vietnam War (1957-1975). More than half the deaths were caused by disease. From 1861 to 1865 in the United States, the calm reason that is basic to democracy gave way to human passions, yet the outcome of the war paved the way for the rise of the United States as a major global power (World Book 2003 pgs. 614-634)."
"The Civil War gave historical novelists a subject of inexhaustible interest, tapping powerful and persistent regional loyalties as well as questions about national purpose, destiny, and identity. Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage (1895) is a canonical work of American literature; it is also an historical novel, and distinguished works about the Civil War continue to be written, for example, Charles Frazier's acclaimed Cold Mountian (1998) (Genreflecting 2006, pgs 48-49)."
Join us as the Genre Reading Group meets tomorrow January 27th at 6:30pm in the library's Conference Room to discuss Civil War fiction. I love to see new members so please plan to join the discussion! Talk about your favorite Civil War fiction title and get suggestions from other readers. Refreshments provided. For more information, contact Holley Wesley by phone: 205/445-1117 or email: hwesley@bham.lib.al.us!
February's genre will be presidential biographies! Read a biography, autobiography, or memoir of any President of the United States and plan to join us on February 24th at 6:30pm in the library's Conference Room!
Happy Reading!
htw
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