Daddy's Christmas Angel

Monday, September 24, 2012

Authors' Book Fair Features Civil War Theme

At West Point Authors' Book Fair 2012
This year's West Point Authors' Book Fair featured a Civil War theme, probably because several of the featured writers have books set during that tragic point in time. I don't. However, I do have two books that relate to the Civil War era. During the authors' presentation talks, I spoke briefly about those books.

A Rainbow for Christmas is set in 1869 on a wagon train heading west. Cade Russell, the wagon master lost both his wife and young daughter to illness caused by conditions in the South following the war. To overcome the pain and guilt about his loss, he now travels back and forth across the plains, leading the western pioneers to their destinations.

Hilltop House: A Snapshot in Time features a once-popular hotel in historic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Site of a battle in September 1862, the town is not far from Antietam, where the "bloodiest day in American history took place." Not long after the war, Harpers Ferry was a component of the counties removed from Virginia and made part of the state of West Virginia.

"Civil War, A Nation Divided" by MMSikes
I note in the Hilltop House book that the Civil War had a big impact on my childhood. Not only did I attend an elementary school with floors bloodstained from use as a hospital during the war, but I lived about a block from Sunken Road and Marye's Heights where a furious and deadly battle took place in 1862.

"Even today, I still recall the terrible depressing sensation I felt while walking along old Sunken Road," I read from my book to those attending the talk.

My mixed media painting, "Civil War, A Nation Divided," is among the illustrations in the book. This painting is part of my "Will There Be Peace Anywhere?" series of work.

We always seem to be a world at war. Why that is I do not know. I suppose the Civil War is a very suitable, yet sad theme for an authors' book fair.

--Mary Montague Sikes


8 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Well, it happened, and we can't change that fact.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

My concern, Alex, is that there is always war somewhere. Why is that? Is it that humans cannot exist without war?

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi, Monty,

It all plays down to human nature. There has been war since the beginning of time. Even in the heaven with the Angels....

The best WE can do is try to learn from them and try not to fall into the same pitfalls.

Looks like you had a great time at the fair. It's so cool how you get around to so many throughout the year.

Gail said...

yes, you can change the past but hopefully we learn things for our future.

What scares me is all the able-bodies prime people are going to war while leaving the rest here to propagate. Is war causing an inferior race to be developed. Could be a story in there somewhere.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Thanks for the visit, Michael. I wonder if we do learn anything about how to prevent war. However, we do develop technologically from them.

This was in my hometown, so I didn't go far!

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Gail, that is quite an observation. Probably many stories will come along on the subject. Thanks for commenting.

Virginia J. said...

I prefer to look at the humanity that remains within war, as war itself seems to be unavoidable.

There was a rather touching incident in the Civil War, after the Battle of Fredericksburg, where a Confederate soldier of Irish descent came across the Rappahannock River to return one of the Irish Brigade's flags. Also in that battle was the Angel of Marye's Heights who braved fire to give water to the wounded and dying enemy on the battlefield. Of course, M*A*S*H* used those themes of humanity in war wonderfully.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Thanks, Virginia J., for your thoughtful comments about compassionate souls even in the time of war!