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The Glassblower combines the enchanting story-telling of a historical aficionado and wordsmith, with layered characters and a suspenseful plot full of lovely imagery and romantic interludes which take the reader to another time and place. The second half of the book leaps from a brisk trot to a gallop in pace, and I stayed up all night to finish it once the momentum took hold of me.
Meg Jordan is the only daughter of Isaac Jordan, a widower and owner of a large farm and glassworks in early 19th century New Jersey. Her sweet, assertive nature wins her father’s favor in everything from adopting stray kittens to preparing a school for the children of Salem County—everything, that is, except the husband of her choosing. Her father has informed her that she must marry Joseph Pyle, the wealthy, young land-owner whose smile doesn’t reach his eyes when he looks at Meg.
A new man—Colin Grassick—arrives in town, a master glassblower from Scotland whom her father has brought over to turn the finances of the glassworks around. His emerald eyes and warm, courtly ways captivate Meg as he helps her rescue a kitten in peril. But a girl of her station must not associate with a working man. Colin could lose his job, or worse, if caught consorting to the master’s daughter, especially when a series of events points to sabotage of Meg’s school and an accident at the glassworks.
Particular highlights for me were the wedding scene of Meg’s friend Sarah, with its rich descriptions of period apparel and the contrast between Joseph’s and Colin’s characters. The Christmas party made a nice touch to bring the romance to a satisfying conclusion. The theme of trusting God to work in seemingly impossible circumstances imparted inspiration without feeling extraneous or false. The hero and heroine exemplified the character and choices that made the happily-ever-after not only believable, but well-deserved.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Elmira Prison Camp, part II
Last time we discussed the infamous role that Elmira, New York played in the Civil War as the host of a prison camp with the highest death rate. A full 24% of all Confederates incarcerated as political prisoners in Camp Chemung lost their lives to a plethora of causes from smallpox, to dysentery, typhoid, pneumonia, gaillardia, cholera, malnutrition and exposure. As gruesome a picture as this paints, the locals seemed to have little idea of the deprivation and inhumanity that lay within their city limits.
In a particularly maudlin account, it appears that two different entrepreneurs capitalized on the morbid curiosity of Elmira citizens concerning the camp. In late July, the same month in which the camp opened, an observation tower was constructed outside the eight-foot-high stockade and catwalk surrounding the camp. For a nickel apiece, customers could climb the crows’ nest and peer down on the prison population. Shortly after, a second tower rose for the same purpose. By all accounts, these early reality shows made brisk business until the military commandeered both towers in August, slating one for demolition and sanctioning the other for official purposes.
Around the same time, sutlers who had been given access to the camp to sell their wares to prisoners were cut off. For many who received money from home, the sutlers’ fruits and vegetables had been the thin line between them and scurvy or starvation, and their blankets and clothing, the last bastion of protection from the elements. In October, a snowstorm hit, early for Elmira. The cold is described that year of 1864-65 as being particularly bitter and unrelenting. The Chemung River flooded its banks more than once, as well, as if nature conspired ill-will against the hapless rebels.
Some respite was provided in the form of early release to the sickest among the population. Starting in October, trains bound for Baltimore carried away those whose severe illness made their reenlistment unlikely, but who were nonetheless able to travel.
The rails brought prisoners to Elmira from the front, and transported troops from the military rendezvous and training in Elmira back down to the front. In July while the camp was still brand new, a rail accident occurred in a town called Shohola, Pennsylvania. A head-on collision occurred on a single track due to a drunken telegraph operator who failed to report an oncoming coal train. According to Joseph C. Boyd, a noted historian speaking on the incident 100 years later, "...the wooden coaches telescoped into one another, some splitting open and strewing their human contents onto the berm...where flying glass, splintered wood, and jagged metal killed or injured them as they rolled. Other occupants were hurled through windows or pitched to the track as the car floors buckled and opened.” 51 Confederate and 17 Union casualties were reported. All are buried at the Woodlawn National Cemetery in Elmira.
For further reading, see:
http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/shohola.Html
http://trainwreck.shohola.org/ for a first-person account
.
In a particularly maudlin account, it appears that two different entrepreneurs capitalized on the morbid curiosity of Elmira citizens concerning the camp. In late July, the same month in which the camp opened, an observation tower was constructed outside the eight-foot-high stockade and catwalk surrounding the camp. For a nickel apiece, customers could climb the crows’ nest and peer down on the prison population. Shortly after, a second tower rose for the same purpose. By all accounts, these early reality shows made brisk business until the military commandeered both towers in August, slating one for demolition and sanctioning the other for official purposes.
Around the same time, sutlers who had been given access to the camp to sell their wares to prisoners were cut off. For many who received money from home, the sutlers’ fruits and vegetables had been the thin line between them and scurvy or starvation, and their blankets and clothing, the last bastion of protection from the elements. In October, a snowstorm hit, early for Elmira. The cold is described that year of 1864-65 as being particularly bitter and unrelenting. The Chemung River flooded its banks more than once, as well, as if nature conspired ill-will against the hapless rebels.
Some respite was provided in the form of early release to the sickest among the population. Starting in October, trains bound for Baltimore carried away those whose severe illness made their reenlistment unlikely, but who were nonetheless able to travel.
The rails brought prisoners to Elmira from the front, and transported troops from the military rendezvous and training in Elmira back down to the front. In July while the camp was still brand new, a rail accident occurred in a town called Shohola, Pennsylvania. A head-on collision occurred on a single track due to a drunken telegraph operator who failed to report an oncoming coal train. According to Joseph C. Boyd, a noted historian speaking on the incident 100 years later, "...the wooden coaches telescoped into one another, some splitting open and strewing their human contents onto the berm...where flying glass, splintered wood, and jagged metal killed or injured them as they rolled. Other occupants were hurled through windows or pitched to the track as the car floors buckled and opened.” 51 Confederate and 17 Union casualties were reported. All are buried at the Woodlawn National Cemetery in Elmira.
For further reading, see:
http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/shohola.Html
http://trainwreck.shohola.org/ for a first-person account
.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Review of Autumn Rains by Myra Johnson
I love Heartsong Presents. For a few bucks, you get a small book, but a big story. Likewise, Autumn Rains was no lightweight fluff piece. Despite the slim size, Myra Johnson had a great deal to say, and said it in a way that flowed with a genuinely good story and three dimensional, flawed but endearing characters. And the result is deeply satisfying.
I am usually a historical fiction reader, but Johnson hooked me and kept reeling me in with the hero, Healy, a man who served time for manslaughter and found a deeper walk with the Lord during his sentence. His character was so humble and endearing that I was rooting for him from his first scene.
The heroine, Valerie, with her emotional trauma surrounding the night her husband was killed, brought me to several moments where I blinked back tears, feeling her fear and struggle to trust again. I felt connected to each of the main characters in their believable journey toward wholeness and romance. The epilogue was a highlight for me, as the story came full circle and showed the difference a person can make, no matter his or her past. A beautiful and inspiring story.
I am usually a historical fiction reader, but Johnson hooked me and kept reeling me in with the hero, Healy, a man who served time for manslaughter and found a deeper walk with the Lord during his sentence. His character was so humble and endearing that I was rooting for him from his first scene.
The heroine, Valerie, with her emotional trauma surrounding the night her husband was killed, brought me to several moments where I blinked back tears, feeling her fear and struggle to trust again. I felt connected to each of the main characters in their believable journey toward wholeness and romance. The epilogue was a highlight for me, as the story came full circle and showed the difference a person can make, no matter his or her past. A beautiful and inspiring story.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Chrstmas Letter from a local Civil War soldier
My son had a wonderful opportunity to transcribe hand-written letters for the Chemung Valley Historical Society. This one in particular is from a young Civil War infantryman from Elmira named Charles Personius. In this letter, he writes to his mother at Christmastime. His anticipation for his visit is so evident.
Also, his grammar and spelling choices are as accurately depicted as possible. I wish you could see his beautiful script, as well.
Christmas Morning
Dear Mother
I will try
finish up the sheet which
Ella commenced to write on
though I have nothing of
importance to write about
except to inform you that
we are well and enjoying
christmas finely and expect
to have a nice dinner of
your own cooking which
I am sure will relish first
rate for I allways liked
home victuals better than
any other When Pa and Ella
came down here their trunks
got delayed at Baltimore
and they did not forward them
on so Walker telegraphed
there and they will be in
on the express train about
noon so if we wait untill
one or two oclock I think
we will have a fine time
Pa and Ella came quite
unexpected but I was
awful to see them I am
afraid we wont be able to
keep Pa here a great while
for he is getting uneasy
and thinks that he must
go back home He cant
stand it to stay from home
like the Captain and myself
for we don’t think of such
things I must close for it
is time for the mail to leave
so good bye for this time
This from Charlie
Also, his grammar and spelling choices are as accurately depicted as possible. I wish you could see his beautiful script, as well.
Christmas Morning
Dear Mother
I will try
finish up the sheet which
Ella commenced to write on
though I have nothing of
importance to write about
except to inform you that
we are well and enjoying
christmas finely and expect
to have a nice dinner of
your own cooking which
I am sure will relish first
rate for I allways liked
home victuals better than
any other When Pa and Ella
came down here their trunks
got delayed at Baltimore
and they did not forward them
on so Walker telegraphed
there and they will be in
on the express train about
noon so if we wait untill
one or two oclock I think
we will have a fine time
Pa and Ella came quite
unexpected but I was
awful to see them I am
afraid we wont be able to
keep Pa here a great while
for he is getting uneasy
and thinks that he must
go back home He cant
stand it to stay from home
like the Captain and myself
for we don’t think of such
things I must close for it
is time for the mail to leave
so good bye for this time
This from Charlie
Friday, November 13, 2009
Review for A Slow Burn by Mary DeMuth
I have not had the benefit of reading Daisy Chain, the first book in the Defiance, Texas trilogy, but even so, the unique story of Emory Chance and her lost daughter captivated me. DeMuth’s prose sang with a casual ease that was so easy to plunge into, evoking the conflicted world of a drug addicted woman full of regrets. Emory’s worst mistakes and secrets unfold in a sympathetic glimpse into generational dysfunction, somehow escaping the tendency of some self-indulgent tales from the sordid. What emerges is a survivor—a resourceful and cagey woman—who trusts naught but hard work and harder play to get through life’s relentless pain and loneliness.
Emory is set on a collision course with redemption. God directs Hixon Jones, a handyman and modern-day Hosea, to repeatedly intervene between her and disaster. Reminiscent of Francine Rivers’ Redeeming Love, this story of a man’s commitment to a troubled soul inspires the very best of both human nature and divine. Hixon’s devotion likens to Christ’s sacrifice for a world polluted by sin and its consequences, triumphing in a poignant and surprising conclusion.
Human fallibility, back-lit by a gentle, pursuing light, guides this utterly honest tale. Stark and beautiful at once, the imagery and the emotion of A Slow Burn will leave a lasting impression.
Emory is set on a collision course with redemption. God directs Hixon Jones, a handyman and modern-day Hosea, to repeatedly intervene between her and disaster. Reminiscent of Francine Rivers’ Redeeming Love, this story of a man’s commitment to a troubled soul inspires the very best of both human nature and divine. Hixon’s devotion likens to Christ’s sacrifice for a world polluted by sin and its consequences, triumphing in a poignant and surprising conclusion.
Human fallibility, back-lit by a gentle, pursuing light, guides this utterly honest tale. Stark and beautiful at once, the imagery and the emotion of A Slow Burn will leave a lasting impression.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Elmira, Civil War Death Camp
Late in the Civil War, prisoner-of-war camp populations had burgeoned to overcrowding on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line. Rather than engage in prisoner exchange, US Secretary of War Edwin Stanton approved a new camp for construction. Elmira, New York was chosen as the site both for its rail connections and abundance of food and lumber. Some argue that its loyal republican constituency made it a prime location to conduct a retaliation for Andersonville.
Barracks No. 3 of the US military training rendezvous already located in Elmira was cleared and reinforced in the summer of 1864. Thirty acres along the Chemung River were enclosed with eight-foot stockade, several forty-foot-long wooden barracks were added, plus a mess hall and bakery. By July, the camp opened its double doors on Water Street near Hoffman and Foster Streets to accommodate 5,000 captured Confederates, most of whom were Point Lookout transfers.
Within mere weeks, the camp swelled to nearly 10,000 men. The overcrowding was dealt with by adding another couple of barracks, and a tent village along the eastern end of camp near the river. Food supplies were cut, the most blatantly deliberate act being perfectly good beef being deemed ‘inferior’, and then sold at a profit to Elmira citizens, rather than nourishing the enemy. Rations consisted of watery broth with a bean or two, and a crust of bread, twice a day for each prisoner.
As the poor sanitation caught up to the sheer numbers, the drinking water became polluted. Water wells were ridiculously close to the latrines, and the engineers’ shoddy efforts to fix the situation came months after outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, pneumonia, small pox and typhoid launched the death rates to 24%, the highest of any camp in the Civil War.
The men relegated in tents were exposed to one of the harshest winters in decades. With meager supplies such as a lack of blankets and new clothes, no new undergarments, and thin canvas walls to house four to six soldiers, it seems miraculous that more didn’t freeze to the ground. Even those in the barracks had little reprieve. Limited coal and wood for the stoves meant frigid air temperatures even under a roof. Green wood used in the construction of the barracks led to gaps and warps where the drafts would blow in unabated.
For these miseries and many untold, the prisoners took to calling the camp Hellmira. Over three thousand soldiers succumbed to the deplorable conditions, most buried at Woodlawn National Cemetery by a former slave named John W. Jones.
For further reading, see:
http://www.cityofelmira.net/history/prison_camp.html
http://www.joycetice.com/military/prison.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Elmira-Death-North-Michael-Horigan/dp/0811732762
Barracks No. 3 of the US military training rendezvous already located in Elmira was cleared and reinforced in the summer of 1864. Thirty acres along the Chemung River were enclosed with eight-foot stockade, several forty-foot-long wooden barracks were added, plus a mess hall and bakery. By July, the camp opened its double doors on Water Street near Hoffman and Foster Streets to accommodate 5,000 captured Confederates, most of whom were Point Lookout transfers.
Within mere weeks, the camp swelled to nearly 10,000 men. The overcrowding was dealt with by adding another couple of barracks, and a tent village along the eastern end of camp near the river. Food supplies were cut, the most blatantly deliberate act being perfectly good beef being deemed ‘inferior’, and then sold at a profit to Elmira citizens, rather than nourishing the enemy. Rations consisted of watery broth with a bean or two, and a crust of bread, twice a day for each prisoner.
As the poor sanitation caught up to the sheer numbers, the drinking water became polluted. Water wells were ridiculously close to the latrines, and the engineers’ shoddy efforts to fix the situation came months after outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, pneumonia, small pox and typhoid launched the death rates to 24%, the highest of any camp in the Civil War.
The men relegated in tents were exposed to one of the harshest winters in decades. With meager supplies such as a lack of blankets and new clothes, no new undergarments, and thin canvas walls to house four to six soldiers, it seems miraculous that more didn’t freeze to the ground. Even those in the barracks had little reprieve. Limited coal and wood for the stoves meant frigid air temperatures even under a roof. Green wood used in the construction of the barracks led to gaps and warps where the drafts would blow in unabated.
For these miseries and many untold, the prisoners took to calling the camp Hellmira. Over three thousand soldiers succumbed to the deplorable conditions, most buried at Woodlawn National Cemetery by a former slave named John W. Jones.
For further reading, see:
http://www.cityofelmira.net/history/prison_camp.html
http://www.joycetice.com/military/prison.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Elmira-Death-North-Michael-Horigan/dp/0811732762
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Review for A Blue and Gray Christmas
Four novellas, one seriously cool book. Okay, I admit I am a Civil War buff, BIG TIME, but that can actually play against a CW book if the research is sketchy or the characters not authentic or the plots, implausible. I was thrilled to see none of these pitfalls stuck me in this collection. In fact, I learned a few things, and enjoyed every moment of class.
In Lauralee Bliss’s Till Death Do Us Part, Seth Madison and Leah Woods must survive the invasion and ensuing battle of Fredericksburg before they can pursue their plans to wed on the New Year. Bliss does a superb job of showing a first-hand look at the disruption and chaos of civilian life under enemy assault. Her descriptions were rich and three-dimensional. Her characters’ emotions put me there, hiding from the Yankees, or complying with them under duress. She kept me reading to find out how this couple overcomes. Great kick-off to the collection.
Courage of the Heart, by Tamela Hancock Murray, switched sides of the war, with a Union-sympathizing West Virginia couple, Arabella Lambert and Barry Birch. Their betrothal is curtailed by her father, since Barry refuses to fight the Confederates for the cause. Arabella’s loyalty in faith in him resonated with me. Barry’s pacifist principles set him apart as a truly unique character. Sweet romance prevails.
Nestled like a gem in the middle of the collection was my personal favorite, Shelter in the Storm by Carrie Turansky. I am a sucker for wounded-soldier-meets-nurse plots. I wrote one myself. But this had several qualities that set it apart from the average Florence Nightingale tale. James Galloway hails from Bristol, England, a sketch artist for Harper’s Weekly. The refined heroine, Rachel Thornton, has this wonderfully real relationship with her vivacious and impulsive younger sister who thinks nothing of blurting questions of the wounded stranger. Turansky’s prose is lovely, her characters are of real flesh and blood, and her setting captivated me--Nashville 1864. A great little love story.
Finally, Vickie McDonough brings the collection to a wonderful finale with Beloved Enemy. It is hard to decide favorites, since this was as powerful in story and prose as the previous selection. In many ways, this hero was my favorite for his complexity and conflicted emotions. This novella offers a big story in a little package—Chris Haley’s recovery from the physical and spiritual wounds of war kept me turning pages. A tender man at heart, shown with interactions with the heroine’s baby boy, he must learn forgiveness before his budding romance can bloom with sweet and faithful southern-born Hannah McIntosh. Delicious internal conflict and chemistry, from start to finish.
A Blue and Gray Christmas has more vibrant color than its title suggests. This collection is sure to add a swag of red romance and golden ambiance to your holiday reading.
In Lauralee Bliss’s Till Death Do Us Part, Seth Madison and Leah Woods must survive the invasion and ensuing battle of Fredericksburg before they can pursue their plans to wed on the New Year. Bliss does a superb job of showing a first-hand look at the disruption and chaos of civilian life under enemy assault. Her descriptions were rich and three-dimensional. Her characters’ emotions put me there, hiding from the Yankees, or complying with them under duress. She kept me reading to find out how this couple overcomes. Great kick-off to the collection.
Courage of the Heart, by Tamela Hancock Murray, switched sides of the war, with a Union-sympathizing West Virginia couple, Arabella Lambert and Barry Birch. Their betrothal is curtailed by her father, since Barry refuses to fight the Confederates for the cause. Arabella’s loyalty in faith in him resonated with me. Barry’s pacifist principles set him apart as a truly unique character. Sweet romance prevails.
Nestled like a gem in the middle of the collection was my personal favorite, Shelter in the Storm by Carrie Turansky. I am a sucker for wounded-soldier-meets-nurse plots. I wrote one myself. But this had several qualities that set it apart from the average Florence Nightingale tale. James Galloway hails from Bristol, England, a sketch artist for Harper’s Weekly. The refined heroine, Rachel Thornton, has this wonderfully real relationship with her vivacious and impulsive younger sister who thinks nothing of blurting questions of the wounded stranger. Turansky’s prose is lovely, her characters are of real flesh and blood, and her setting captivated me--Nashville 1864. A great little love story.
Finally, Vickie McDonough brings the collection to a wonderful finale with Beloved Enemy. It is hard to decide favorites, since this was as powerful in story and prose as the previous selection. In many ways, this hero was my favorite for his complexity and conflicted emotions. This novella offers a big story in a little package—Chris Haley’s recovery from the physical and spiritual wounds of war kept me turning pages. A tender man at heart, shown with interactions with the heroine’s baby boy, he must learn forgiveness before his budding romance can bloom with sweet and faithful southern-born Hannah McIntosh. Delicious internal conflict and chemistry, from start to finish.
A Blue and Gray Christmas has more vibrant color than its title suggests. This collection is sure to add a swag of red romance and golden ambiance to your holiday reading.
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