The indispensable Si Dunn, who works hard to bring a little exposure to regional writers, has written a nice review of Silent We Stood in The Dallas Morning News. My thanks to Mr. Dunn and the good folks Read More
HOME RANGE: Notes on Literature, Nature, Working Dogs, History, Martial Arts, Other Obsessions and Sundry Annoyances by Henry Chappell
David Madden Likes Silent We Stood
February 9, 2014
David Madden, novelist, historian, and all-around man of letters, just wrote a very kind review of Silent We Stood at Civil War Book Review. Here’s an excerpt:
“More than many Civil War novelists, Chappell is fully in command of the art of fiction. To contrast Joseph's response to violence against slaves, Chappell uses the device of juxtaposition. Feeling the eyes of maimed slaves upon him causes ‘the skin on his back’ to tighten ‘like scabrous wounds.’ Chappell juxtaposes that line to ‘Images flashed: thick, hard scars, the nubs on Bekah's hand,’ where two fingers had been hacked off. For Bekah the miasma from the river bottom is a metaphor for the ambience of slavery. “You breathe in that miasma and it gets all over your insides.’ To express a parallel of her feelings to Joseph's, Chappell juxtaposes that line to “Joseph, feverish and chilled, dreamed of being buried alive.’
“Especially memorable are the chapters describing the town on fire and the responses of the people; the torture of Bekah and Samuel, who is innocent of setting the fire but who confesses to save her; Joseph, Samuel, and Bekah hiding a runaway mother and child, both of whom die; and a chapter delineating the vacillating mentality of Reverend Boedeker.
“Ending on a personal note, I am eager to say that, as a Civil War novelist and historian, I regard Silent We Stood as being among the finest Civil War novels I have ever read.”
Thank you David Madden!
Read More
“More than many Civil War novelists, Chappell is fully in command of the art of fiction. To contrast Joseph's response to violence against slaves, Chappell uses the device of juxtaposition. Feeling the eyes of maimed slaves upon him causes ‘the skin on his back’ to tighten ‘like scabrous wounds.’ Chappell juxtaposes that line to ‘Images flashed: thick, hard scars, the nubs on Bekah's hand,’ where two fingers had been hacked off. For Bekah the miasma from the river bottom is a metaphor for the ambience of slavery. “You breathe in that miasma and it gets all over your insides.’ To express a parallel of her feelings to Joseph's, Chappell juxtaposes that line to “Joseph, feverish and chilled, dreamed of being buried alive.’
“Especially memorable are the chapters describing the town on fire and the responses of the people; the torture of Bekah and Samuel, who is innocent of setting the fire but who confesses to save her; Joseph, Samuel, and Bekah hiding a runaway mother and child, both of whom die; and a chapter delineating the vacillating mentality of Reverend Boedeker.
“Ending on a personal note, I am eager to say that, as a Civil War novelist and historian, I regard Silent We Stood as being among the finest Civil War novels I have ever read.”
Thank you David Madden!
Read More
Crimes Against Books
January 30, 2014
Is this really necessary? I recently ordered this nice old copy of John Hay's Nature's Year. Some seller stuck a bar code on the fragile dust jacket. Naturally, the damn thing won't come off without damaging the jacket. Great read, though.
Signed Copies for Christmas
December 11, 2013
I just added a website feature that allows easy ordering of signed, personalized copies of my novels and essay collection, using PayPal. Order all three novels and I'll throw in At Home on the Range - as long as my little stash holds out.
SWS is Out!
November 13, 2013
Silent We Stood is officially out. I note that it's temporarily out of stock at Amazon.com, but the Kindle version is always available. Thanks for your support!