A Reader's Opinion: Friends of the Wigwam: A Civil War Story by John William Huelskamp

The Book

Friends of the Wigwam  is a historical novel and love story about six young friends whose innocence is stripped from them seemingly overnight in the brutal setting of the American Civil War.

AMAZON

Meticulously researched and based on real-life people and true events, Friends of the Wigwam spans 1857-1865 and introduces you to the courageous men and women from Illinois who staged one of the first contested national conventions, were responsible for getting Abraham Lincoln elected and made the ultimate sacrifice during the American Civil War.

From the true story of a young woman who successfully masqueraded as a man during the Civil War and was buried with full military honors to the often heart-wrenching letters home to wives and families and actual military correspondence between military leaders, author John William Huelskamp brings to life a volatile nation at war.

Celebrate each friend's successes and struggles on the battlefields, learn the story of those who led the battles, and meet a magnificent war-horse that is a steadfast survivor in the face of many tragedies.

Without at doubt, Friends of the Wigwam is one of the most moving Civil War novels you will ever read.

*** A WGN Emmy Award nominee news video on this fascinating Civil War novel can be viewed at friendsofthewigwam.com***

A Reader's Opinion

A fascinating depiction of Civil War history molded into a novel, Friends of the Wigwam spans the years before, during, and immediately following the Civil War. Real letters, diary entries, and historical figures are meticulously woven into the story until fact and fiction become one.

The author's description of events are vivid and realistic. With the help of six friends, the author brings both the history and the struggles of the characters to life without sacrificing the chronicle of true events.

It's apparent the author knows his history and has done his research, and though this book is described as a love story, I wouldn't consider it such. While the writing style of the dialogue was not to my taste, it is a book worth reading for those who enjoy stories of the Civil War and historical works in general. 

Format Read: Paperback

Source: Provided by the author or publisher

Reviewed by: Kathy McClintock for Books & Benches

Rating: 4 Stars: Pretty Darn Great! In the reader's opinion, this was a great book and they think you should read it, too.

A Reader's Opinion: EYEWITNESS TO THE CIVIL WAR by Stephen G. Hyslop

The Book

At once an informed overview for general-interest readers and a superb resource for serious buffs, this extraordinary, gloriously illustrated volume is sure to become one of the fundamental books in any Civil War library. Its features include a dramatic narrative packed with eyewitness accounts and hundreds of rare photographs, artifacts, and period illustrations. Evocative sidebars, detailed maps, and timelines add to the reference-ready quality of the text.

From John Brown's raid to Reconstruction, Eyewitness to the Civil War presents a clear, comprehensive discussion that addresses every military, political, and social aspect of this crucial period. In-depth descriptions of campaigns and battles in all theaters of war are accompanied by a thorough evaluation of the nonmilitary elements of the struggle between North and South. In their own words, commanders and common soldiers in both armies tell of life on the battlefield and behind the lines, while letters from wives, mothers, and sisters provide a portrait of the home front. More than 375 historical photographs, portraits, and artifacts—many never before published—evoke the era's flavor; and detailed maps of terrain and troop movements make it easy to follow the strategies and tactics of Union and Confederate generals as they fought through four harsh years of war. Photoessays on topics ranging from the everyday lives of soldiers to the dramatic escapades of the cavalry lend a breathtaking you-are-there feeling, and an inclusive appendix adds even more detail to what is already a magnificently meticulous history.

My Thoughts

Beautifully done and carefully written. It's not written like a standard textbook or historical tomb and therefore easier to absorb the information. Though not a scholar on the Civil War by any means, I do enjoy reading about it and this book does a wonderful job of telling the stories and the history. The photographs are beautiful, heart wrenching and captivating. I would recommend it for anyone's library and definitely for reading.

Edition: Hardcover

Source: Readers' personal library