Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

An amazingly crafted work of historical fiction built upon the "scaffolding" (the author's word) of one of Americana's iconic novels--Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women." Her biographical portrayal of the upstanding Concord, Massachusetts Alcott family reduced to simple means, after the formerly educated and well-to-do Mr. March meets the famous/infamous Capt. John Brown; expending much of his wealth impetuously to underwrite the abolitionist moral cause to free the slaves. Unbeknownst to the high-minded preacher who sold off his "inherited" wealth parting with his factories (he thought them morally disdainful), the loans were never intended to be paid back. But rather used to secretly subsidize the Underground Railroad and purchase of weapons, along with seizure of the federal armory and arsenal at Harper's Ferry; Brown's main intent being to arm the slaves while insighting a Black rebellion. Robert E. Lee (then a colonel) took the town and armory back by force, killing the raiders. John Brown was hung only six weeks later and the incendiary stage was set for the Civil War. To which at its outbreak, March (opposed to killing) volunteers serving in the Union Army's rank as captain and chaplain. This book picks up where Louisa May Alcott's book leaves off. Filling in the blank from that Christmas to next of what became for March's (Amos Bronson Alcott's) four daughters their "absent father" period, it's largely based on the real life-story of Louisa May Alcott's father, an itinerant peddler in his youth in the South selling to rich plantation owners before becoming a failed educator for what many dismissed as his radical, alienating teaching methods and transcendentalist beliefs. Brooks takes some minor license with both men's controversial parallels crediting March's strict adherence to non-conformist, faith-based practice, being both a teacher, preacher, then chaplain, and finally his military reassignment to the administration of the education of slaves at an impounded plantation growing much-needed cotton for the Union. What she calls March's "contraband" mission (slaves were included being also considered "property" to be confiscated and used for the war effort). Similary being sought out, captured, and returned under the Fugitive Slave Act unless they were freedmen liberated by their owners (still at risk of being kidnapped) or secreted to Canada. Brooks' Connecticut Yankee prose is formal and authentically true to the manner of letters she researched heavily--being penned for so many years by Branson Alcott. The story is surprisingly epic in scope for only the duration of a year's passing, yet it conveys the convincing transformation of a self-educated, bright-eyed idealist brought to war-afflicted ruin. March's esteem and his grounded moral centeredness being altogether ground under; bearing witness to so much cruelty, racial hatred, wanton violence and his own long-term diminished stature due to fever-born pneumonia. Brooks' poignant portrayal is concise--275 pages and only three days time reading--being easily imagined to rival such narratives for loss of innocence, material wealth, and spirit as "Gone with the Wind" numbering in excess (?) almost four times as many pages. Am embossing the inside cover with a personal library stamp from my collection to give to my daughter for her return to France. A must-read for anyone who craves historical fiction and the romantic-period of Victorian prose contrasting with Negro dialect of the period such as Margaret Mitchell's classic and Frazier's "Cold Mountain."