The Other Side of the River, by Robert D Halpert, MD.

     Halpert has written a work that discusses Stonewall Jackson and the faith that inspired him.  It's an interesting concept, as I've never read anything that handles this subject matter.

     Unfortunately, the style of the novel made it difficult to read.  It almost has the feel of an Erik Larson book, but where Larson's books have clearly defined point of view and smooth flow, this book does not.  It alternates back and forth between nonfiction and fiction styles - sometimes within the same paragraph.  The juxtaposition of the two does not work well.  The nonfiction portions were often long and didactic, and I would forget in a chapter who the point of view character was.  As a result, transitions were choppy, and the resulting confusion made this a very tough read for me.  My confusion detracted from the subject matter.

     On the plus side, it is meticulously researched and clearly the author spent a great deal of time putting in many interesting details.  I do think this would have worked better as a straight nonfiction book.

     I so wanted to like this book, and I am disappointed that I have to give it such a poor review.  But it was such a tough read for me that I really can't give it more than two stars.

     Disclaimer:  I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher for a fair and honest review.

       

I Shall Be Near To You, by Erin Lindsay McCabe

     The idea behind this book is an intriguing one.  It's inspired by the women (estimated by some to be between 400 and 750) who disguised themselves as men in order to fight in the American Civil War.

     Newlywed Rosetta Wakefield can't handle staying behind while her husband goes off to war.  She decides to enlist partly to be near him, partly to help earn enough money to buy the farm they've been hoping to start.  While encamped with her husband's regiment, she encounters the usual issues one might expect from a situation like this.  How does a woman hide herself, and how difficult would it be?

     While I think this book is worth the read for any female interested in the Civil War, it falls far short of what it could have been.  The narrative is simplistic, and I just didn't feel the spark from the main characters that the author intends.  There are aspects of the plot that are never really resolved, and the ending is almost eye-rollingly predictable.  I would have loved it had the plot been as refreshing as the idea behind it.

     In hindsight, I think this book works better as a YA read.  I just tend to expect more from adult historical fiction.

     Two out of Five Stars

The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage, by Daniel Mark Epstein

    I've been curious about the marriage of Abraham and Mary Lincoln for quite some time.  They are an intriguing subject even without the Presidency and the Civil War.  I suppose they serve almost as a cautionary tale of two souls who start out in love and on equal footing, only to slowly transform into a very strange relationship that makes so many wonder if either party regretted their decision to marry.  In short, Abraham married Mary with great plans for their future... and then life happened, as it does to so many of us.  The fact that their lives became such an influential part of American history doesn't mitigate the fact that I think many of us identify with them.  The struggles they dealt in their marriage with could happen to any of us on different scales.

     The book begins with their courtship, and ends with the moment of his death.  The pages in between are so well researched it is easy to picture every detail clearly.  Some of their struggles were kept fairly well hidden, but Epstein is still able to give us glimpses into their life through his careful research.  Both Lincolns, of course, battled mental illness of varying degrees.  But Mary in particular struggled with issues for which there was no adequate treatment.  And the further she slipped into her illness, the more their marriage changed as a result.

     I closed this book with new sorrow for Mary, but also a new respect for Lincoln.  He seems to have taken the "in sickness and in health" portion of the marriage vows very seriously.  The book shows a definite shift in his attitude and behavior toward Mary the worse she became.  And with the personal turmoil of their family life, it is a wonder that Lincoln the President was able to guide this country through arguably the worst time in its history.

     And just as an aside, Epstein's writing of the assassination is inspired.  He shifts the point of view to that of Mary's and we get a final glimpse into the fragility of her mind during one of the worst moments of her life.

     Well worth the read for any history buff.

     Five out of Five Stars