Imagine clearing out your family attic and discovering hundreds of letters written during the Civil War. Faced with that situation; and not knowing why his family had the letters; the author uses the resources of Ancestry.com and other sources to discover how two Vermont soldiers fit into his family heritage. Using excerpts from their letters; which are filled with in-depth accounts of battles and army life; he weaves together their dramatic war-time narrative into the context of the war and adds in additional information about the friends and relatives who fought by their side. Voices From the Attic is the story of two brothers who witnessed and helped to make history by fighting in the Peninsula Campaign; then at South Mountain; Antietam; Fredericksburg; Chancellorsville; Gettysburg; the Wilderness; and Cedar Creek. They preserved that history through their surprisingly detailed and insightful letters. Now rediscovered after one and a half centuries; their letters offer a valuable source of information as seen through the eyes of two soldiers as they fought in America’s great Civil War.
#903951 in Books 2014-11-30Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x 1.04 x 5.50l; #File Name: 0990442314414 pages
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. An outstanding first novel...a keeperBy LexingtonMAnLiving in Middlesex County Massachusetts; near where the action in The Immigrant predominately occurs; and an avid history buff about the birthing of this great nation; I learned of this recently published historical fiction and decided to give it to myself for Christmas. Alas; when it arrived a few days ago; I flipped a few pages and could not wait to get into it. This is a story of a Scottish immigrant who was taken as a prisoner of war to the shores of the New World in the mid-17th century; shortly after the Plymouth Rock landing. I was immediately hooked by its audacious realism; historical insights; and sheer readability.Woollacott has the rare ability to capture the nuance of the historical narrative while imbuing his characters with a crackling rich dialogue that springs from the pages. As one reads through the story; one becomes transported to an immensely important time in our history; seeing exactly how they lived; and died; and struggled; and the enormous forces that weighed against their new way of life and culture; both from Great Britain and from the Indian tribes with whom they have to co-exist.I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all who enjoy a good historical fiction. I started the book; intending to stretch it out over a week; and found that I was unable to put it down.Well done; Laddie.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Genealogy brought to life.By Linda UWe often restrict our genealogical research to dates and places of birth; marriage and death. We may be lucky enough to include an occupation or a residence or a date of arrival into our country. But we rarely take the time to merge our ancestors with the history of the people and places that may have had an impact on their lives. I have often wondered myself; why did my husband's 5times_great_grandfather come to Detroit in the 1780s and how did his family survive in the poorest area of Kent county during that time? Or what was happening in Scotland in the early 19th century to cause my Laing ancestors to leave Scotland and settle in Ontario Canada? This book makes me more determined to bring my ancestors alive by researching more deeply into the histories of the places and people when they were here. I recognize the strange feelings that the author felt when standing in the spot where his ancestors lived their lives; so different from what we experience today. I have felt the pull of my own ancestors to find out more about their lives. Thanks to the author for renewing my zeal to tell my own family story.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Excellent Mix of History and FictionBy Evan W.I have always had an interest in novels which pertain to history; but had never read one from the colonial era. Aside from being a wonderfully written piece of fiction; the novel also provides the reader with a history lesson covering two shorelines. Time and time again while reading the novel I would find that I was putting myself in the main characters shoes.In reading this book you will gain an adequate understanding of what it would have been like to live in early colonial America. Additionally; the author does a wonderful job providing the reader with a feel for the difficulties in being a Scottish Indentured Servant through the eyes of his main character; John Law. Throughout the novel the author weaves in the stories of the local town-folk and neighboring Indians; all the while adding in historical context to back his wonderful storytelling.By the end of the novel; you will find that it is not just John Law going through his daily routine; but you too are there with him; toiling in the fields to shape his "New Scotland".
