Civil war quilt story ( )

I enjoyed it. Sandra Dallas does a great job of capturing the feeling of family relationships. It's written in the form of letters from one sister to another, during the Civil War. The insights into the lives of those left behind when soldiers went to war was fascinating. But, what I loved most was the details about quilting and the history of some quilt patterns. A good, easy read. ( )

Alice’s Tulips does a decent enough job of portraying what it was like on the home front during the American Civil War. Alice, like so many Civil War wives, was very young and left to care for herself without many skills or maturity. She is on a farm with her Mother-in-Law who at times seems harsh and unbending. Alice not only misses her husband but is very lonely for female company. The book consists of her letters to her sister. Through Alice’s letters we find out about not only Alice’s life but that of her sister and Alice’s soldier-husband. Sometimes, this frustrated me because it was a little confusing knowing exactly what was occurring. The letters do contain some comments by Alice about her sexual frustrations which are unnecessary to the plot and does not develop her character further. As the story unfolds, the reader discovers examples of the compassion and strength of those on the home front and the soldiers on the battlefront.

I like to quilt so I enjoyed reading about the quilts that Alice is sewing after she finishes (or collapses with exhaustion from) her farm chores. Alice realizes the utility of her quilts she sends to the soldiers or gives to enfold babies, etc. She also acknowledges the value of her quilts as her artistic expression and her social outlet as she gathers with other women at quilting bees.

The Author's note at the end of the book contains a list of books about quilts and the women who created them and some other general reference books about quilting. I always appreciate when an author includes this type of information. ( )

Alice Bullock is 18 years old and married to Charlie and living on a farm in Iowa with Charlie's mother while Charlie is off fighting with the Union Army in the Civil War. Alice likes pretty clothes, gossip, and flirting and doesn't much care for hard work. This is really a coming-of-age story. As times get tough, Alice learns how tough she really is and deals maturely with some devastating events. The whole book is written as letters from Alice to her sister Lizzie. Normally, I don't care for that writing style; but in this instance, it was a perfect way of telling this dramatic and heartwarming story. ( )

This is one of my favorite type of story--strong woman overcomes adversity. The letter writing shows a lost art. ( )