The
Widow of the South,
by Robert Hicks; read by Becky Ann Barker, Tom Wopat,
David Chandler, and Jonathan Davis
AUDIO
BOOK
ABRIDGED, 5 CDs
Based on a true story,
this extraordinary book about one of the last great
battles of the Civil War is a must. Carrie McGavock's
teenage decision to wear only black was a foreshadowing
of the life she would lead. The privileged daughter
of a plantation owner, she sank into depression after
the deaths of three of her five children. It wasn't
until a confederate general commandeered her home as
a hospital and she tended the wounded soldiers of the
Battle of Franklin that she discovered her true purpose
in life. Over 9,200 men died in that battle, and 1,500
of the confederate casualties were buried in the fields
behind Carrie's home. When she learned that a neighbor
was planning to cultivate the meadow and plow their
bodies into the earth, she and her husband arranged
to have the 1,500 fallen soldiers buried on their property,
Carnton Plantation. She spent the rest of her life tending
those graves, keeping records of the boys' deaths and
contacting their families to inform them of their sons'
final hours, becoming known as the Widow of the South.
Although this novel is based on fact,
the author has created additional characters and has
crafted a tale of romance. One of the soldiers who had
been as determined to die in battle as Carrie had been
determined to die in spirit brought her love in the
midst of the death and suffering. First time novelist
Robert Hicks has written a book about the Civil War
that is more about the impact of a famous battle on
the lives of the people involved than it is on the details
of the battle. Hicks illustrates the emotional conflict
that war causes by blending the horrors of war with
the sensitive and loving responses of the people who
experienced those horrors.
This audio book is narrated by four
talented actors who give life to a multitude of
characters of every description and voice. Union and
Confederate soldiers, young boys, Negro slaves, plantation
owners, shopkeepers, and poor farmers all describe what
they saw and felt during the days of the battle, giving
the listener a feeling of being an eyewitness to history.
The final disc of the book contains an author's note,
where Robert Hicks describes what motivated this Tennessee
music promoter to pursue his passion and write about
the history of his home. It also has photos, artwork,
and narrator profiles that can be viewed on a computer.
The author's use of the language suggests
a time and place that might have been the South of the
Civil War. How can a book that entices the listener
to plan a trip to explore the beauty, mystery, romance
and spirituality of a place not be a great road trip
book?
,
by Robert Hicks; read by Becky Ann Barker, Tom Wopat,
David Chandler, and Jonathan Davis
