One hundred fifty years later, Americans are still fascinated by the War Between the States and the personalities that dominated the country at that crucial turning point in our nation’s history. Although the Civil War only lasted for three years (1861-1864), it left 600,000 dead, so many more wounded, plus a defunct infrastructure in the southern states, and a population of people set adrift with little or no social or financial support to advance their right to freedom from brutality at the hands of those who had enslaved them. With limited resources stretched thin, Reconstruction was nearly as daunting an experience as the Civil War itself.
This period in American history continues to capture the attention of scholars and the imagination of writers. In honor of the sesquicentennial anniversary of the conclusion of the Civil War, Mechanics’ Institute staff will be selecting literature from the era, and literature set in the era, which will be displayed on the 2nd floor Staff Picks shelves.
Diane recommends The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks
This novel grips the reader with its graphic details and agonizing tale of how a Civil War battle was fought on the plantation of Carrie McGavrick and changed her life forever. Not only did the plantation house become a hospital where countless limbs were amputated, but her lands became the final resting place for 1,500 soldiers. Based on a true story.
Taryn recommends The Civil War Short Stories of Ambrose Bierce
Ambrose Bierce, a former Mechanics' Institute member, is truly one of the great writers of the era and his Civil War stories are some of the best of the genre. His war experiences naturally colored the rest of his life, for better and for worse.
Heather recommends Beloved by Toni Morrison
Beloved is a must-read Civil War era novel, set just after the War. Its plot is inspired by the true -- and truly haunting -- story of a woman who escapes from slavery but is relentlessly pursued by a posse of thugs with the force of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 behind them. The book explores the lengths to which we will go to protect those we love from an unbearable fate. It’s a heartbreaking story, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (1988).
