Andersonville (Plume)

Customer Reviews:

Andersonville.......2007-08-25

Purchased as a gift. Couldn't find at regular book stores but Amazon came through for us.

Unforgettable.......2007-03-08

I have read this book several times and each time I am more rewarded by it. Yes, it is long but not boring. The images of the horror of the camp (and the Union also had its own horror camps) will stay with the reader for a long time, if not forever. The execution of Wirz was a travesty of justice since he was not the creator of the horror but was the only one that was easy to target. In essence, he was a scapegoat.

Today, Wirz would be given a Medal of Freedom for incompetence. But he was given no food, no supplies (the Confederacy didn't have those in abundance; however, the north did and that did not stop them from torturing and starving its prisoners) and was dealt more prisoners than Andersonville could hold.

Kantor has done a wonderful job of bringing to life this camp and should remind us of the responsibilities of those in charge of prisoners of war. Especially today with the US resorting to totalitarian practices of torture, murder and suspension of rights.

A brilliant read.

Well Worth The Effort..........2006-12-29

Andersonville is one of those books that takes a tremendous amount of effort to read. But those willing to expend the effort will be rewarded handsomely.

Not only does the Hardcover version clock in at nearly 800 pages but Kantor doesn't use any quotation marks to denote conversation. Couple that with the liberal use of mid to late 1800's provincial English, then you'll get an understanding why each page in this book is a challenge. But once you begin to catch on to Kantor's rhythm you will find yourself devouring each page like the delectable gumbo of a story it is.

Though the storyline is essentially linear - it begins when the land is being scouted as a potential site for a new prison and ends after the last prisoner is gone - there are many many detours along the way. There are a handful of people that remain part of the story from the beginning, but the bulk of the book is about the lives of the prisoners and how the infamous Andersonville impacted their lives. And it's in this myriad of stories where the book really comes alive. Kantor does a wonderful job in helping the reader to understand the history and motivations of the characters and in developing a deeper understanding why some succumbed to the horrors of Andersonville and others survived.

And for those who may choose not to read this because they aren't interested in prison stories or civil war era stories, know that Andersonville is as much a story of the prison as it is a story about the lives of the prisoners and the guards, the impact the prison had in it's neighbors and the horrors and moral quandaries of war.

If you enjoy stories that present a handful of seemingly unrelated puzzle pieces that when assembled together reveal a fascinating, intricate and beautiful piece of art, then you will find Andersonville completely gratifying. And, if on top of that, you enjoy civil war era historical fiction then this book is not be missed - no matter what effort it takes to read.

Huge and Intense, Slow-Moving but Rewarding.......2006-02-23

Don't be misled by the cannon on the cover of the 1993 Plume cover, Andersonville has nothing to do with a Civil War battle. It is the story of a prison camp in Georgia, and the intersecting lives of Rebel and Yankee who found themselves involved in a horrific situation during our country's toughest years. It is a very long book, and is far from a page-turner, so before you make the time commitment consider the following.

There is no hero in this story, only participants in disaster. The author forfeits any continuity in favor of a lurking uncertainty by constantly switching viewpoints and introducing new characters, while removing old ones without hesitation. Some men died at Camp Sumter, some didn't, but either way the author gives us time to get to know many of them, and thus their experiences at Andersonville are given richer meaning. It is not ordinarily good writing to 'kill off' so many sympathetic characters, but of course this book wants to layer the pathos on thick. This can make for slow and sometimes discouraging reading, never allowing the reader to get too close to any individual character. Only Ira Claffey, a fictional landowner near the camp, even resembles a protagonist, and his losses remain the most personal in the novel.

Despite all that, the glimpses into the past cover a huge slice of humanity as it existed in the mid 1800s. Kantor explores every dimension of prison society; Rebel and Yankee, urban thug or rustic clod, prisoner or guard or hopeless surgeon. His research is impecable, and the writing is varied and subtle. The common thread through it all is the camp itself, and how it threatened to destroy everyone who came in contact with it. In contrast, there are moments- most of them near the end of the novel- where I had to choke back tears and laugh aloud almost simultaneously. So it isn't entirely depressing, either, and the glimmers of human charity and decency become even more poignant from the contrast.

This reader's final estimation is that the time taken to read Andersonville was well spent, but not necessarily enjoyed. There is less beauty than tragedy in this novel, and the author's undeniable success in bringing Camp Sumter to life has the dubious value of making reading about it distastful. I certainly don't recommend this as light reading, but strongly encourage interested readers to have some patience and digest this book slowly to fully appreciate the statement about our nation, her people and her history.

Images so vivid that they will stay with you forever.......2005-09-03

I think this must have been one of my father's books, but somehow it found its way into my library where it sat on the self for years before I read it. My feelings are mixed about it- I am glad I read it, but I don't think I will read it again. Like previous reviewers, I found the writing style ponderous and the length just a little too long. It would have been a better book if the author edited a couple hundred pages out. Nevertheless, I am glad that I read it.

The images of the prison camp- the sewage filled creek, the squalor and the filth in which these prisoners lived, the gangs of thugs who preyed on the weakened soldiers and the constant fear of inflection in which these poor people lived has stayed with me twenty years after reading it. No, it is not great literature, but the author was successful in that he wrote a book that touches the reader with images so vivid that they will stay with him forever.

Average customer rating:

(RAW Rating: 4.5) - What is happening to black men?
Why Are So Many Black Men In Prison? A Comprehensive Account Of How And Why The Prison Industry Has Become A Predatory Entity In
A Must Read
Why are so many Black Men in Prison?
Why are so many blacks in prison?

Why Are So Many Black Men in Prison?
Demico Boothe
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Penology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

War on Drugs | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1425713971

Customer Reviews:

(RAW Rating: 4.5) - What is happening to black men?.......2007-08-04

Demico Boothe has explored the reasons so many black men are indeed in prison in, WHY ARE SO MANY BLACK MEN IN PRISON? He begins with his own story of a shaky upbringing and his subsequent dabbling in drug dealing. He was caught with a few grams of crack cocaine but because it was the dreaded crack, he was given 10 years in prison. When he left prison after serving his time, he was actually railroaded back into prison by a crooked justice system. He delves deeply into our justice system and the motives behind all the new prisons that are being built. He gives succinct and reasonable views of exactly what is happening now in the United States and how the past has played a role in the present. He uses persuasive statistics regarding the number of black men in prison as compared to the number of white men who are incarcerated.

Demico Boothe has done an excellent job of researching his subject and it is a plus, if unfortunate for him, that he has actually experienced first hand what he's talking about. I knew I was hearing the real story rather than just statistics from an intellectual who had no real idea of what the prison system is really like. I would have liked for Boothe to search a little deeper into the Haiti, Aristide and USA question, maybe even reading Randall Robinson's take on the situation, and then he might see it a bit differently. Otherwise, it is a good book and one every one in America should read. We indeed, have a crisis going on.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Why Are So Many Black Men In Prison? A Comprehensive Account Of How And Why The Prison Industry Has Become A Predatory Entity In.......2007-06-09

The book was very interesting. I learned soooo much about the government and the prison industry. I did some searching independantly to check on the things reported in the book and they are very true. Great Read!! Buy the book.

A Must Read.......2007-05-25

Mr. Demico's book is a must-read for anyone concerned about young African American men. Although I did not agree with every conclusion he reached, Demico's main premises are convincing. As a white woman who teaches mainly students of color, I am always impressed, and often in awe, of those young men who reach college with so much going against them. Demico's books lays bare not only the horrible inequalities of our society, but also the racist attitudes of our political system - - Democrats, Republicans, and most everyone in between.

Why are so many Black Men in Prison?.......2007-05-13

I is a well put together book. He really goes into a lot of detail of how our society is really set up.

Why are so many blacks in prison?.......2007-05-12

I found this book very interesting. As a white devil myself, I had no idea that I was responsible for forcing blacks into committing crimes and then subsequently clogging up the whole "Prison Industrial Complex"(tm). I will try to stop causing this, as I am sure it is creating a LOT of trouble for everyone! Sorry!

It is probably also my fault that young black men dressed in XXXXL clothes overtly threaten me and my family members routinely. Can anyone tell me what I should do to make this not happen?

I imagine it's also my fault that black on white violent crime is WAY higher than white on black violent crime, even though blacks constitute about 12.5% of the population, and whites are about 70%. But since it is impossible for a black to commit a hate crime according to our criminal justice system (since blacks are not under any circumstances racist), statistically, there are more white on black hate crimes. Boothe notes a statistic regarding hate crimes, but he skips the one about interracial violence in general.

In sum, Boothe notes that just about everything blacks do is actually MY fault, because my skin is white. Boothe, I've got a word for you.

Introspection.

Prisons (Beulah Quintet/Mary Lee Settle, Bk 1)

Average customer rating:

Prisons (Beulah Quintet/Mary Lee Settle, Bk 1)
Mary Lee Settle
Manufacturer: University of South Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1570031142

Disaster on the Mississippi: The Sultana Explosion, April 27, 1865

Average customer rating:

Bravo Gene, from a former colleague!
Historically accurate and vividly written
Recounting a forgotten disaster
Excellent - MUST reading for all history buffs.

Disaster on the Mississippi: The Sultana Explosion, April 27, 1865
Gene Eric Salecker
Manufacturer: Naval Inst Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Public Health | Administration & Policy | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1557507392

Amazon.com

The worst maritime disaster in American history has received little historical attention, even though more people died from the 1865 Sultana explosion than drowned when the Titanic sank in 1912. Gene Eric Salecker painfully reconstructs the events leading up to the tragedy, when more than 2,000 federal troops crowded onto a side-wheel steamboat built to carry fewer than 300 people. Most of them were former prisoners of war, paroled after the Confederate surrender and finally heading home after years of struggle. We will never know why three of the Sultana's big boilers blew up and claimed 1,700 lives, although Salecker runs through several possible causes. Disaster on the Mississippi is an authoritative account of a forgotten chapter of American history.

Customer Reviews:

Bravo Gene, from a former colleague!.......2003-12-07

What an fascinating nugget of US History. The soldiers got their just day with your vivid and detailed account. Fact truly is stranger than fiction. I felt like I truly got a naval education, didn't know much about ships/boats before this read.
BTW, this is Patrick.

Historically accurate and vividly written.......2001-03-07

I was very impressed with this book. It was obviously well researched and includes numerous quotes from survivors. Historical documents enhance the first hand accounts.

The details of the boat trip including the explosion are vividly written. This is the best book I've read about the Sultana Tragedy.

Recounting a forgotten disaster.......2000-08-12

The sinking of the steamboat Sultana was the deadliest maritime disaster in U.S. History. Strangely, even though it occurred at the end of the Civil War and most of the dead were returning Union POWs, it is an almost forgotten event. Author Salecker recalls the bureaucratic bungling and corruption that helped lead to the diaster as well as a harrowing account from the survivors. This is a good history book that sheds light on the memories of the dead and the survivors.

Excellent - MUST reading for all history buffs........1999-05-30

Very well researched and composed. One feels as if they are right there with the soldiers and civilians as they struggle for survival not only from the flames that are engulfing them, but from the mass of humanity that is in the frigid waters of the swollen Mississippi.

Customer Reviews:

A Fascinating Diary.......2004-03-23

This book is a fascinating voyage through one of the great 19th Century Southern political minds; perhaps second only to John C. Calhoun. Alexander H. Stephens was a strange little man, never weighing more than 100 pounds, and standing only 5' 7" tall; but "Little Aleck" had the heart of a lion. He was possessed of a small head with protruding ears and piercing black eyes. Trained as a lawyer, with a frail almost boyish figure, he never married and was totally devoted to his half-brother, Linton, who served in the Georgia Legislature, on the Georgia Supreme Court and as a Confederate officer, and whose family Alexander Stephens adopted as his own.
This diary covers Stephens experiences as a prisoner after the War Between the States had ended. The War basically ended in April, 1865, but Stephens who had served as the Vice President of the Confederacy, had already gone home to Crawfordville, Georgia, his home town. On May 11, 1865, Tim, one of his servants, came running into the parlor saying: "Master! Yankees have come! a whole heap are in town, galloping all about with guns." Thus Stephens, who unlike other Confederate cabinet officials had never attempted to flee to the sanctuary of another country, came to be a prisoner. He was transported to Fort Warren in Boston Harbor and thus begins this diary.
Throughout the diary, Stephens was indignant that he was even a prisoner, for in his mind (he was probably right) he had done nothing wrong. He had always acted according to the principles of the United States Constitution to which he was totally devoted. He had served 16 years in Congress and had retired in 1859, and when the War started in 1861 he was called upon to serve the Confederacy. As he repeatedly points out the States created the Federal Government, not the other way around. The Federal Government's rights were limited. He had served as a Whig in Congress in the beginning of his career and served with Lincoln who also served as a Whig in the 30th Congress in 1847, when Lincoln served his only term in Congress before becoming president in 1861. Stephens felt he knew Lincoln well and this may be one of the reasons he was elected vice president of the Confederacy, in addition to the fact that he cautioned against secession and for this reason it was felt perhaps he may have had gained some influence with Lincoln.
In any case, the diary covers everything about his life at Fort Warren, where after an initial period of discomfort and apprehension (there was the possibility he may be hanged), he was treated rather kindly by his captors. Stephens read and discusses such books as the Bible, Prescott's Conquest of Mexico, Swedenborg's Doctrine Concerning the Lord, Cicero on Duties, Cicero on Oratory, Aristotle on Economics, Aristotle on Politics, and so forth demonstrating that he was a true intellectual. He discusses the food he ate, his living conditions, and people he met and dealt with such as his guards, other prisoners, and even the little girl who was the daughter of one of his wardens who would bring him flowers and thrust her little hand through the bars to put them in a little flower pot in his cell. Stephens only spent four months and nineteen days in prison. His treatment was much less harsh than that of Jefferson Davis who served two years at Fort Monroe. In the end, like Jefferson Davis and others, he was released and not prosecuted for any offenses. It has been said this was because in truth they had committed no offenses and acted against the Federal Government in much the same way the leaders of the 13 Colonies had acted against the Crown when the 13 Colonies sought their independence from England and thus could not have been convicted of anything.
All in all, a wonderful diary; I have not enjoyed reading a diary as much since I read James Boswell's London Journal 40 years ago.

Fort Warren's last prisoner.......2002-11-19

This is a reprint of the original diary kept by Stephens while at the fort. It is the only book still in print that was written at Fort Warren. If you had a Confederate relative imprisoned at Fort Warren, this gives a terrific insight to the daily routine at the famous bastille.

Average customer rating:

The Tale Of A Soldier
A Powerful Story of the Civil War
Outstanding Civil War Novel
A REMINDER OF THE NOBLE BENT OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT
The Perfect Marriage of Fiction and History

A Soldier's Book
Joanna Higgins
Manufacturer: Permanent Press (NY)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1579620094

Amazon.com

Ira Cahill Stevens, a Union soldier captured in battle, takes you on a shocking, unnerving tour of life in Andersonville, the infamous Confederate prison. We follow Ira and his comrades from their ride in a packed train car to the hopes, dreams, delirium, and degradation of life in a stinking, disease-ridden enclosure where hundreds of men die daily and are stacked by the gate. The greatest possible hope is to be traded back to the Union in exchange for Confederate prisoners, but the likelihood is slim. A more probable fate for the men is death from starvation, disease, or even from their own countrymen: raiders who sweep through the camps at night stealing what little the others still own. In a place like Andersonville, even acts of mercy are nightmarish:

One surgeon tells the prisoner to lie on the floor. Another puts chloroform against his nose. The third surgeon, an old fellow, kneels alongside the man and in one quick move, severs flesh and arteries, then commences sawing the bone above the elbow.... They pour whiskey into him and then it's my turn.

Throughout the terror, Ira and his comrades try to maintain a sense of family, sharing their limited provisions, reading to one another from two now-priceless books that they managed to retain, and nursing one another through compounded illnesses for which the only medicine is persimmons-berry tea or bartered quinine. Joanna Higgins's excellent research makes this tale both a stunning fiction and a realistic historical account of the country's darkest war and the hell that was Andersonville.

Book Description

In the spring of 1864 all prisoner-of-war exchanges between the North and the South had been halted. For captured soldiers, being condemned to the increasingly overcrowded prison camps was tantamount to a death sentence. A Soldier's Book opens as Ira Cahill Stevens, a young Union soldier, is on his way to the notorious Andersonville prison camp. Day by day, Ira shares the horrific details of a world that is growing ever more barbaric and absurd, with its "dead lines," starvation, cruelty, filth, and false rumors of exchange. Yet even in the face of terror and despair, Ira retains hope, and with the help of an impromptu family of fellow soldiers, he struggles to survive, only to witness each friend picked off by death or insanity. A powerful and historically accurate novel, A Soldier's Book leaves the reader not only with a richer sense of the Civil War but of the resiliency of the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

The Tale Of A Soldier.......2004-01-13

The Novel A Soldier's Book by Joanna Higgins is a great book for kids, history buffs, war buff, and any other reader. it is an intriging tale of a young union soldier who gets captured during the battle of the wilderness. he is forced to make tuff decisions that must keep him and his friend gus alive. the daily battles he faces just to maintain are a constant reminder of his pain that he has to over come.

A Powerful Story of the Civil War.......2003-05-27

A Soldier's Book was a powerful and exciting story about the Civil War. It really depicted what it was like, following Ira Cahill Stevens, a fictionial character, through real like senarios. I love how it really told the story through the eyes of the Soldier's, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to read a novel about war.

Outstanding Civil War Novel.......2002-10-10

I've read quite a few Civil War novels, and this is one of the best. It gives us a good look at what it was like to be stuck in what was probably the worst of the Civil War prison camps (and they were all horrible), and to start losing touch with reality.

I found myself wanting to help the main character out of his terrible predicament. This is one of those books you just can't put down, and one that you don't want to end. She's got a great story to tell, and her writing style is outstanding.

This is one of the best novels I've read in years.

A REMINDER OF THE NOBLE BENT OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.......2001-03-06

Drawing from the daily journal of a Union prisoner of war, Joanna Higgins has crafted a spare, intense, incredibly moving debut novel, a Civil War drama in which historically accurate details bring fictional characters to resonant life.

It is not amiss to equate her offering with the quintessential record of those experiences, Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor for Ms. Higgins exhibits an estimable command of research, as well as a munificent gift for lyrical elegiac prose.

Scenes of prison camp life are heart-bruising as seen through the eyes of men struggling to survive in a morass of death and disease. "...there are eleven thousand of us in this pen of about twenty acres. And four of those swamp." Plagued by vermin, lack of sanitation, self-administered medical care, raiders (comrades who steal their scant possessions for barter) and the cruelty of guards, many captives soon die, even beg to be shot.

Yet, in spite of intolerable conditions there is a thread of hope - not Emily Dickinson's hope, "the thing with feathers," but the hope of those pushed beyond their physical and emotional limits: "The burn and pulsing of it. That is hope doing its work."

A young Union soldier and former apothecary's apprentice, Ira Cahill Stevens, is taken prisoner in 1864, during the time when passionate arguments have brought prisoner exchanges to a standstill. Thus, prison camps have become intolerably overcrowded and tantamount to a death sentence, abysmal sties where soldiers switch allegiance for food and clothing.

Incarcerated with only his "Soldier's Book for Leisure Moments," a small handbook "intended for the young Christian soldier going forth `in deference of his country,'" his father's pen, a silver spoon, and needle and thread, Ira is aghast and sickened, tenuously clinging to the prospect of a prisoner exchange.

Ira's sustenance is found in his ever present book, "...the only thing that helps me fall asleep," and his comrades. For guidance the young soldier looks to an older man, Gus, a preacher, who kneels to say his daily prayers then pats the ground and falls asleep. When Ira grows ill, Gus reads to him from the Bible. Ira hears "...words that don't mean a thing but the sound of `em nice."

Gus's counterpoint is Marinus, an incorrigible cynic, who relishes the sound of his own words. There is also Louie with his "ferrety laugh" who tries to tunnel to freedom, and Willy, "...skinny but with a little boy's plumped up face yet. Hair so red it makes his skin pink. Jug ears."

Eventually Ira is moved to a military prison in Florence, South Carolina, where he becomes a paroled prisoner volunteer in the hospital overseen by a compassionate Dr. Strother. Ira comes to hold the medic in such esteem that he vows not to try to escape, "...my word of honor that I will not violate my parole by going beyond one-half mile from the hospital limits."

But when he is sent into surrounding woods to forage for berries, he walks on "pine needles and mossy stone. I kneel down and claim it all for the Union." He is tempted to flee in the dense fog but returns to confinement, realizing, "Loyalty, it seems, is a prison strong as any."

Ultimately, that is the message of A Soldier's Book - choices. No matter how desperate the situation there are choices. As Ira increasingly opts for the humane when surrounded by inhumanity, he evolves into moral manhood. And this affecting volume becomes not only a harrowing reminder of the brutality we visit upon one another, but a memorable paean to the noble bent of the human spirit.

The Perfect Marriage of Fiction and History.......2000-08-02

This is a beautifully written book. The rare case of a historical novel where the importance of the characters does not get overshadowed by massive information dumps. History and story are elegantly intertwined. The writing puts you in the grim reality of Andersonville and shows how faith will fight to survive amid the horrors of war. One of the best novels of the year. Can't wait for Higgin's next one.

Average customer rating:

Red Cap by G. Clifton Wisler
Young Boy Becomes a Prisoner of War
Not Bad
a great book!!!
Great History Novel!

Red Cap
G. Clifton Wisler
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Historical Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0140369368

Customer Reviews:

Red Cap by G. Clifton Wisler.......2006-07-07

I liked this book because I like Civil War stories. I felt like a was watching a movie when I was reading it. I think other kids will like this book too.

Young Boy Becomes a Prisoner of War.......2006-04-24

Red Cap is one of Ransom J. Powell nicknames the other one is RJ. He lives in Frostburg, Maryland. He signs up for the Union army as a drummer boy. While he was in the army he sees a big battle. The battle makes him have more respect for the men fighting. He is taken as a Prisoner of War during a raid, and taken to prison. He is taken to two prisons and the last one was the worst, and that is the one he stays at the longest. At the camp many people died. Will Red Cap die or live; you will read this book and find out what happens.

I would recommend this book to war story lovers or and people that like action and adventure in their book.

I liked every thing about this book besides the ending it was ok. The end was kind of hard to follow, but you might not think so.

Not Bad.......2005-07-08

This book was on my Summer Reading List. I read it 1st because it looked small. It's about a boy who joins the Union Army as a drummer boy and eventually gets captured and brought to Andersonville. It was based on a true story so that's a plus. He makes and loses a lot of friends including Confederate soldiers. In the end, all of his friends die but he lives out of the kindness of a Confederate regiment stationed just outside of the camp. He was only 13 when he as captured. There is a lot of Southern slang even used by the prisoners. I recommend any person to read this book who is interested in the Civil War.

a great book!!!.......2005-04-05

Ransom J. Powell joins the Union army at age 13 as a drummer boy. While escorting a supply column, his regiment was captured by the Confederate army and taken to a prison in Andersonville, Georgia called Camp Sumter. While at the prison, he got the nickname Red Cap. Red Cap made the terrible times at Camp Sumter more bearable for every one there.
I liked all the details in this book. The author described everything very well. I could visualize everything.
I also liked reading this book because spent less time on boring things and more time on interesting things.
The only bad part of this book was that there was a lot of sadness.
Overall I would give this book 4 stars.

Great History Novel!.......2005-03-02

I personally loved "Red Cap." If you're reading this for school, you (or your teacher) picked a good choice! I even wrote a basic summary of the book (if you're writing a book report or something and you just can't think of what to write!). You can thank me later. ;)

This is a story about a young Yankee drummer, Ransom J. Powell that left his home because all of his friends were signing up for the army. Ransom wasn't allowed by his parents to become a drummer in the army because of his lack of height, and because he was too young. He left home without telling his family to become one of the Union Army's drummers. He said that he was 15 when he was really only 13, and he was very short, so some people had suspicions. He didn't think or know that war would be the terrible, horror occurrence that it is.

Ransom's home is in Frostburg, Maryland. Mostly, the book takes place in Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland. Ransom traveled to Piedmont, on the Maryland-Virginia border to sign up for the Union Army. This story took place in 1862; during the civil war period. Later in the story, Ransom is captured in a side battle (known now as the Battle of Moorefield Junction in January of 1864) and is shipped by train into Libby Prison camp, Andersonville from Richmond. The most important historical people mentioned in the book are Ransom Powell (Red Cap), Lewis Jones, and Captain Wirz.

One of the 2 most important conflicts in the novel is the fighting against the rebs. The rebs constantly attacked the Union Army when the Union Army traveled through (Winchester) Virginia, and on the steep, rocky soil of Droop Mountain. They even killed Ransom's friend Danny, who was also a drummer, and at age 14, lied about his age. Ransom was very upset about this and had a hard time overcoming his friends' death.

Another important conflict was at Andersonville. Ransom was against the nature, his shelter, and the fatigue that his body suffered. To him, it was like a nightmare; he was starving, not clothed well, and the guards abused him. There were also mosquitoes and deadly blood-thirsty centipedes, which only added to the problem-Ransom felt terrible all the time.

The most important decision in this novel is when Ransom decides to leave his home, like his friends, to join the Union Army, at only age 13 and barely over 4 and a half feet tall. Even though his friends were killed in the war, he wanted to go too, to prove himself. He left at night when his parents were sleeping to head for Piedmont.

The novel ended when the Union Army wanted to trade naval prisoners. Ransom lied and said he was one and was sent back home. Ransom also was given money-close to a hundred and twenty dollars-for his fighting in war and every day he was in Libby Prison. There weren't any unresolved issues-Ransom was happy because soon he was going to be sent home. Ransom was shipped back by a fourth-class carriage that traveled to Cumberland, Maryland so he could go see his family. He departed from Hank, his friend, at the end of the story and wished him the best of luck.

Diary of a soldier and prisoner of war in the Rebel prisons.

Average customer rating:

Diary of a soldier and prisoner of war in the Rebel prisons.
Eugene Forbes
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Product Description

Diary of a soldier and prisoner of war in the Rebel prisons. Gale Archival Editions: On Demand are digital copies of rare and out-of-print historical content. Delivered where and when you need them, Gale Archival Editions arrive complete with original fonts, marks, notations, punctuation and spelling, giving you the feeling of owning the original work. These images of original worksfrom the world's leading librariesinclude everything from books to pamphlets, many with original illustrations, indexes, maps and other annotations. Sourced from Joseph Sabin's Bibliotheca Americana: A Dictionary of Books Relating to America from its Discovery to the Present Time (1868-1936), the Sabin American Civil War Collection includes thousands of titles on all topics related to the Civil War experience.

Average customer rating:

Belle Boyd--A oustanding book

Belle Boyd in Camp and Prison
Belle Boyd
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Intelligence & Espionage | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0807122149

Customer Reviews:

Belle Boyd--A oustanding book.......2000-05-16

I thought that this book was wonderful, it's content was direct and to the point while still telling a wonderful story of this woman's struggles of keeping secrect among the Union soldiers. I love this story and I would recomend it to anyone that has an inerest in the Civil War.

Torture and Truth: America, Abu Ghraib, and the War on Terror

Average customer rating:

Chilling! A great book!!
The Forgotten Victims of the War on Terror
Torture and Truth: America, Abu Ghraib and the War on Terror
By far the best journalistic account
Not A Few Rotten Apples, Systematic Torture at Abu Ghraib

Torture and Truth: America, Abu Ghraib, and the War on Terror
Mark Danner
Manufacturer: New York Review Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Iraq | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

21st Century | World | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

Civil Rights & Liberties | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1590171527
Release Date: 2004-10-31

Amazon.com

When the Abu Ghraib torture scandal broke in April 2004, Americans and the rest of the world were stunned. President George W. Bush condemned the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers and blamed it on a few bad apples who, he said, had "dishonored our country and disregarded our values." Mark Danner, a journalist with The New Yorker, argues that a key fact was lost amid the media coverage: the torture was part of a deliberate policy of "enhanced interrogation" planned at the highest levels of the administration. But no punishment awaits the senior U.S. officials who orchestrated the abuses in Iraq and other U.S. detention facilities around the world, Danner writes. With the help of a Republican-controlled Congress, the White House and Defense Department have so far succeeded in limiting the fallout from the scandal and blaming it on a handful of overzealous, low-ranking soldiers.

Danner's 580-page book is divided into three parts. The first consists of three essays he wrote on the Abu Ghraib scandal in 2004. In them, he cites U.S. military personnel who estimate that 70 to 95 percent of the Iraqis they arrested were detained by mistake. Most were nabbed in night-time "cordon and capture" sweeps and had no intelligence value. Yet, military intelligence soldiers, under enormous pressure to combat a mounting Iraqi insurgency, worked with military police to squeeze "actionable intelligence" out of the detainees. The soldiers urinated on prisoners, threatened to rape them, sodomized them with sticks and chemical lights, deprived them of sleep, beat, kicked, and slapped them, and restricted their breathing with hoods. The rest of Danner's book consists of other essays he wrote about the war in Iraq, photos of the abuses and the texts of official reports and memos that, in grim detail, catalog both the torture and the U.S. policies that made it possible. Abu Ghraib, Danner writes, is just the tip of the iceberg. --Alex Roslin

Book Description

Includes the torture photographs in color and the full texts of the secret administration memos on torture and the investigative reports on the abuses at Abu Ghraib.

In the spring of 2004, graphic photographs of Iraqi prisoners being tortured by American soldiers in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison flashed around the world, provoking outraged debate. Did they depict the rogue behavior of "a few bad apples"? Or did they in fact reveal that the US government had decided to use brutal tactics in the "war on terror"?

The images are shocking, but they do not tell the whole story. The abuses at Abu Ghraib were not isolated incidents but the result of a chain of deliberate decisions and failures of command. To understand how "Hooded Man" and "Leashed Man" could have happened, Mark Danner turns to the documents that are collected for the first time in this book.

These documents include secret government memos, some never before published, that portray a fierce argument within the Bush administration over whether al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners were protected by the Geneva Conventions and how far the US could go in interrogating them. There are also official reports on abuses at Abu Ghraib by the International Committee of the Red Cross, by US Army investigators, and by an independent panel chaired by former defense secretary James R. Schlesinger. In sifting this evidence, Danner traces the path by which harsh methods of interrogation approved for suspected terrorists in Afghanistan and Guant‡namo "migrated" to Iraq as resistance to the US occupation grew and US casualties mounted.

Yet as Mark Danner writes, the real scandal here is political: it "is not about revelation or disclosure but about the failure, once wrongdoing is disclosed, of politicians, officials, the press, and, ultimately, citizens to act." For once we know the story the photos and documents tell, we are left with the questions they pose for our democratic society: Does fighting a "new kind of war" on terror justify torture? Who will we hold responsible for deciding to pursue such a policy, and what will be the moral and political costs to the country?

Customer Reviews:

Chilling! A great book!!.......2006-12-05

This book offers a chilling rendition of the events that occured at Abu Gharib. It fairly reviews the events through official reports, which are quite chilling! A must read!!

The Forgotten Victims of the War on Terror.......2006-08-26

I bought Mark Danner's TORTURE AND TRUTH several months ago from Amazon, and find it ever more relevant to current events. For the numbers of people detained and tortured in the War on Terror-- many of them believed by reputable individuals and organizations to be innocent-- continues to rise, and extends far beyond Abu Ghraib. The very fact that the majority of these people have never been formally charged with involvement in terrorist activity nor tried seems to prove their innocence, for it would be very easy to keep someone in jail these days if one could present solid evidence of their involvment in terrorism. Those who object that the tortures inflicted on these detaninees is not as bad as that which some totalitarian governments inflict upon their victims ignore the fact that the "soft torture" techniques in development since the end of World War II have been found to be more effective in "breaking" victims than simple brutality (see Alfred McCoy, A QUESTION OF TORTURE: CIA INTERROGATION FROM THE COLD WAR TO THE WAR ON TERROR). The suffering of these wretched detainees keeps me awake at night, yet to this day most people seem unconcerned about their plight. Danner's comment from the Introduction to his book still holds true: "Like other scandals that have erupted during the Iraq War and the war on terror, it is not about revelation or disclosure but about the failure, once wrongdoing is disclosed, of politicians, officials, the press, and, ultimately, citizens to act."

Torture and Truth: America, Abu Ghraib and the War on Terror.......2005-10-31

Like its companion, The Torture Papers: The Road to Abu Ghraib, Torture and Truth is an essential resource for scholars or researchers on this subject. However, because of its length (500+ pages)and scope it is an excellent choice for the more general reader. It is a compilation of reports and letters, mostly from the Bush Administration, on the Iraq War and torture issues. Because of its primary source components, it is invaluable for anyone doing research on the subject. It is well-organized, and will find a place in many dissertations in the years to come.

By far the best journalistic account.......2005-03-07

This is by far the best journalistic account of the torture of suspects at Abu Ghraib. This is also the best book to read after reading the books of documents, which give you the vital context for understanding Danner's book. Read them first and then this one - you will then be able to understand what really happened and why. British and US troops really did commit terribe acts against their prisoners, with tragic consequences for the reputation of both nations in the Middle East. Read Danner and the documents books to discove why. Christopher Catherwood (author of CHURCHILL'S FOLLY: HOW WINSTON CHURCHILL CREATED MODERN IRAQ: Carroll and Graf, hardcover 2004, paperback 2005)

Not A Few Rotten Apples, Systematic Torture at Abu Ghraib.......2005-01-16

The author strongly makes the case that the Abu Ghraib torture scandal was not caused by a few rotten apples on the night shift, but was systematic torture as policy. The Red Cross report and other valid reports are in the book so that the reader can see for himself that the torture at Abu Ghraib was certainly far more than a few rotten apples that were military police serving in the reserves that were sent to Abu Ghraib.

There was sadism at Abu Ghraib. There was a breakdown in law and order at Abu Ghraib. There was a breakdown in discipline at Abu Ghraib. This, of course, puts our entire Country and our entire military at risk.

Not only is the torture wrong, but, beyond that, torture is ineffective and many of the prisoners at Abu Ghraib had no intelligence value in the first place. Torture is very harmful to our Country politically speaking. It is certainly the case that any information that was obtained by torture would be overshadowed by the political damage caused by the activities.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books