#34 Antebellum Fiction: From Battlefield to Home Front

"Historical fiction has long been a popular genre; it attempts to capture the manners and spirit of period with exacting detail. In particular, antebellum ('before the war' - usually references the American Civil War) fiction focuses the readers attention on not only the battle itself, but imagines the psychological and philosophical struggles of its protagonists. This series is a collection of novels that go beyond the battlefield to capture the struggles on the home front. While three of the novels are contemporary imaginings of the War Between the States, "Clotel" and "Little Women" capture the sentimentality and reality of the era. In a novel like "Clotel," though, we see an early example of sensationalism and myth-making with the fictional tale recounting the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. In reading "March" and "Little Women" back to back, we can discuss the private struggles of the March sisters, and the public battles and pain of the March patriarch. Each book leads us to further question the costs and merits of war." ~ Kami Hancock

August - SKIP

September 17th - Marty
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

October 15th - Alanna
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Also available free for Kindle (follow the link above, Amazon won't allow a link)

November 19th - Mary
March: A Novel by Geraldine Brooks

Also available on Kindle (follow the link above, Amazon won't allow a link)

December 17th Wednesday, December 16th - Kathy
The Shack by William P Young

Also available on Kindle (follow the link above, Amazon won't allow a link)

January 21, 2010 - Ann G
The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War by Howard Bahr

February 18th - Sharon
Clotel: Or, The President's Daughter: A Narrative of Slave Life in the United States (Bedford Cultural Editions) by William Wells Brown

There are several other editions, including several different Kindle editions.

March ?? - location TBD
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Several editions, including audio and Kindle versions.

Red Wine Book Club - Book Recommendations

If you've loved a book, share the recommendation! To recommend a book, leave a comment to this post. I've set up the comments so that I review them first (to catch any spam). Once approved, comments will be e-mailed to each of us. Please do sign your name or initials somehow so we all know whose recommendation it is.

RECOMMENDATIONS - NOVEMBER 2013 BOOK CLUB
The Silent Wife -- Ann G

The Husband's Secret - Ann G

Bad Monkey (beach book) -- Sharon

Tender to the Bone - Mary

The Cuckoo's Calling - Mary and Kathy

Maya's Notebook - Kathy

Boys in the Boat - Sharon

Signature of All Things - Alanna