Tag Archives: Civil War

Spouses and Past Lives

What do you think about past lives? Do you believe in them? Do you ever wonder if you lived one and who you were or what you did? Once upon another blog, I half-joked that I thought I’d been a mommy to a gaggle of kids in my past lives and that’s why I don’t want kids now. Wayne used to laugh when I suggested such a thing, but not anymore. Civil War Unease This past weekend we decided to do something we’ve been doing more and more lately: take a little road trip. We set our sites on Stones … Continue reading →

Sniff, Sniff…the Best Tearjerker Movie List – Part 1

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We’ve all seen them – the movies that make our eyes well up with tears whether we want them to or not. It may be for a good reason or for a sad reason, but here are my top 10 tearjerkers: 10. Leaving Las Vegas No, this is not a conventional tearjerker and as far as I know, I am the only one in the world to openly sob when I saw this at the theater (with a date no less!). But, Nicolas Cage’s Ben is such a sad, lonely, and destructive character. When Sera comes to find him dying … Continue reading →

Shenandoah (1965)

The 1965 film “Shenandoah” is evidence that Jimmy Stewart is one of the finest actors we’ve ever seen come out of Hollywood. He truly was at his best in this film about a Virginia farmer named Charlie Anderson. Now a widower with a grown family, Charlie owns land in the Shenandoah Valley and is concentrating on his home, his family, and his own life. The Civil War is raging all around him, but he has decided it doesn’t concern him, and he chooses to stay out of it. His six sons have differing opinions, and their dinner conversations are often … Continue reading →

Girl in Blue – Ann Rinaldi

Young adult historical fiction novelist Ann Rinaldi brings us “Girl in Blue,” the story of Sarah Louisa Wheelock. She is about to be married off to a mean-spirited man who lives on a nearby farm, a new widower and the father of two small girls. Sarah Louisa knows that if she were to marry this man, her life would be full of hard work, no love, and an occasional beating, if the man’s first wife’s appearance was any indication. She makes up her mind that she will not go through with it, even though her father has commanded her to … Continue reading →

America and Racism

The other day, I woke up at 5 am to get my husband ready for work. There isn’t much on that early in the morning – mostly paid television programming. But I did manage to find the movie Glory on one channel. If you haven’t seen it, you really should. It is a magnificent movie that invokes many emotions, but don’t expect to walk away from it with the warm fuzzies. It is about the first black Union regiment that fought in the Civil War. Sometimes it is hard to see how this regiment was treated, but to see their … Continue reading →

The Runaway Quilt – Jennifer Chiaverini

I’ve read all the books in the Elm Creek Quilts series, but I have to say, this one is my favorite. Sylvia Compson, accomplished quilter and owner of Elm Creek Manor, is finishing up a lecture on the history of quilting when a woman from the audience named Margaret approaches her with an unusual quilt. Obviously over a hundred years old and well-used, the quilt nonetheless is fascinating to Sylvia. From the front, it looks like a series of quilt patterns sewn together into one, but from the back, it’s a map to Elm Creek Manor. As she drives home, … Continue reading →

The Amethyst Heart — Penelope J. Stokes

As my third and final selection to commemorate September 11th, I have chosen “The Amythest Heart” by Penelope J. Stokes. Set in the deep south, it focuses on the lives of men and women who lived through the Civil War and the things they did to improve the world around them, and how that legacy passed on down through the generations. Today is Miss Amethyst Noble’s ninety-third birthday, and she has baked a coconut layer cake to celebrate. Donning a lavender dress and her amethyst broach, she goes downstairs to meet her family: sullen and unstable Conrad, his flighty wife … Continue reading →

A Light to My Path — Lynn Austin

Today I am reviewing books that in some way tie in to the commemoration of September 11th. I have chosen this novel because it tells the history of our country, some of the roots that hold up the tall and towering tree that America has become. Another volume in the Refiner’s Fire series by Lynn Austin, “A Light to My Path” is the first novel I read by her, and I was completely swept away by her use of the written word, her depth of research, and her ability to tell a story in such a way that you feel … Continue reading →