April-June 2014 - 19th Century Northern America (excluding the Old West)

The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863 in the US Civil War

From 19th century Europe in the last quarter, we now cross the ocean to North Armerica, where the new nation of the United States and the colony Canada have plenty to offer in terms of historical events fit for the fiction books. The War of 1812, Canadian rebellions against British rule, abolitionism, the American Civil War and the Gilded Age are examples. Immigration stories that focus on building a new life in North America also belong in this quarter.

Please note that next quarter we will be focusing on the Old West. Books about Native Americans (including the Indian Removal Acts), westward expansion, gunslingers, pioneers, explorers and the Californian Gold Rush – while also fitting in this quarter – might be saved for the July-August theme.

Once again, there are many books I could suggest and I’ve made a small list of examples to get you all started.

North and South by John Jakes (US Civil War)

Jeremy Kane by Sidney Allinson (1837 Mackenzie Rebellion, Canada)

The Wedding Gift by Marlen Bodden (slavery, USA)

The Movement of Stars by Amy Brill (Quakers, USA)

A Long Way from Home by Connie Briscoe (slavery, USA)

Sapphira and the Slave Girl by Willa Cather (slavery and abolitionism, USA)

The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier (Quakers, Underground Railroad, USA)

Scandalmonger by William Safire (presidential campaign between Jefferson and Hamilton, USA)

The Spice Box by Lou Jane Temple (Irish immigrant, mystery, USA)

Miss Lizzie's War by Rosemary Agonito (US Civil War)

Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker (US Civil War)

Devil's Dream by Madison Smartt Bell (US Civil War)

Gettysburg by Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen (alternative history, US Civil War, 1st in a series)

Escape from Andersonville by Gene Hackman and Daniel Lenihan (US Civil War)

Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin (immigration, USA)

The Belly Dancer by DeAnna Cameron (1893 Chicago World’s Fair, USA)

Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini (former slaves, presidential life, USA)

The One Who Waits for Me by Lori Copeland (former slaves, aftermath Civil War, US)

An Inconvenient Wife Megan Chance (Gilded Age, US)

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney (1867, Canada)

Visit the Quarterly Theme Reads Wiki Page for more information and add your own books for this quarter’s theme!

I have recently read The Wedding Gift and The Last Runaway. They were both good reads. In fact The Last Runaway was my favourite book for January.

I have been thinking about reading The Movement of Stars and Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker so I may choose those two. I will have to go and checkout my wish list.

Jennifer Chiaverini has written several books which fit this time/location. Union Quilters, Sugar Camp Quilt and Runaway Quilt. I've enjoyed most of her series, and these in particular for their historical content.

I've been rereading Little Women for the March education theme, planning to go on to a first-read of Little Men and then Jo's Boys, but if I run out of time this month I'll carry them over into the second quarter North American period.

ETA: I've also got some regionalists to get to — among others, Constance Fenimore Woolson (of which I've already read some) and William Gilmore Simms (of whom I've got a couple books in TBR piles)

I am planning on reading The Deserter by Paul Almond. Set in the 1800's, this is the story of a British sailor who jumps ship while in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and eventually setttles into a new life in Canada and founds a dynasty.

Also if I can fit it in, I would like to finally read The Book of Negroes which has been on my TBR shelf for years.

For this Quarterly Theme Read, I will be reading Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant (Civil War).

deleted

I have started reading The House Girl by Tara Conklin. Is set set in dual time periods, part 1846, part in 2004. The main focus of the book is slavery. I will let you all know what I think when I am finished. I started it yesterday and am up to p80 something. It has certainly got me interested.

I'll be reading North and South by John Jakes. It's the first in a trilogy and I know I won't get to read the other two any time soon. This one's pretty big, so I'll just be glad when I get to finish this one during this quarter.

I have just completed The House Girl. What a wonderful book it is, five stars from me. Click here to read my review.

I'm reading the Spy Mistress by Chiaverini and finding it very slow going, especially given that I feel more like an observer than I like. I don't normally have to push myself to finish one of her books.

Tomorrow I am starting Seven for a Secret. It is the second book in a series featuring Tim Wilde, a member of the newly created NYPD in the late 1840's. The first book was excellent so I am really looking forward to starting this one.

>11 cfk: How is The Spy Mistress going? I hope it got better as you went along.
I have finished Seven for a Secret and it was as good as I hoped it would be. I am going to look up the author's website now and see when the next one is coming out.

I finally gave up--too many really good books out there to struggle with one that just isn't connecting. I've read several others approaching the same subject from different angles--including at least two written by the same author.

>14 cfk:. I totally agree with you on that statement.

I'm nearing the end of Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant (Civil War) and, next, plan on reading Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. I'm very impressed with the Grant Memoirs and will share my thoughts when I've finished the book. I've just begun Cold Mountain and ,so far, am very impressed with that one also. If I have time, I also might read Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. I'm hoping to.

>4 CurrerBell: Little Women, Little Men, and Jo's Boys are three of my favorites. I hope you are enjoying them. You're making me want to do a reread.

>16 cbfiske:. It's good to hear that you've had some good picks so far.

I am hoping to get Frog Music by Emma Donoghue for Mother's Day. If I am so lucky, I think it will fit in here perfectly.

>18 Roro8: Oooh, good idea. I've got Frog Music sitting in a TBR pile right now.

I'm currently reading The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. And, lucky me, I did get Frog Music for Mother's Day, so I will read that one before the end of June too.

I have completed The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. This was a 4.5 star read for me. It is the story of Sarah Grimke, who became quite famous (or infamous at the time) in America for her abolitionist views and feminist ideas. It is also the story of Handful (totally fictional character), who was gifted to Sarah on her 11th birthday. I was totally drawn into this book, and would not hesitate to recommend it to my RTT friends.

I was pleasantly surprised by Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant (Civil War). Yes, I had heard it was an important work on the American Civil War by a major participant, but I wasn't sure it would be my cup of tea. The book turned out to be a clear, straightforward account of Grant's public life up to the end of the Civil War. It was very well written with interesting observations on such things as the War with Mexico and the battles and participants of the Civil War. We get Grant's ideas on why as well as the who, what , where and when of events. Very glad I picked this one up.

I have just finished The Deserter by Paul Almond. This is the first volume in a family saga that is loosely based on his own family. This first book tells the story of the midshipman who jumps ship and struggles to find a new life for himself on the rugged Gaspé Peninsula.

I love family sagas. I'll need to look for this one.

I have just finished The Swan Gondola, set in 1898-1899 Omaha World Fair. It was an interesting love story with a bit of a ghostly theme.

Just finished Tales of the South by William Gilmore Simms and posted a 4**** review. Simms was an antebellum South regionalist and a number of his stories are set in the later 18th century, but some of the moreimportant (most notably, "How Sharp Snaffles Got His Capital and Wife" and "Bald-Head Bill Bauldy") have more contemporary settings in the early 19th century, including the Indian Wars.

I'll put up the thread for the next quarter up tomorrow, as well as update the wiki. If you've got any books to add, please do so.

The new thread is up: http://www.librarything.com/topic/176973

I once again didn't get to read anything for this quarter. Then again, the last book I actually finished was in April. Haven't read much this quarter at all - or this year really - but I'm not letting it bother me.

Either way, new quarter, new try. I'll see you all in the Old West!

My reads for the Quarter (April-June 2014 - 19th Century Northern America):

April:
The Sea Captain’s Wife by Beth Powning – New Brunswick, CA(4.1 stars)
May:
Bountiful Creek by Steven B. Weissman – Ohio (2.7 stars)
June:
Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MachLachlan – Kansas (4 stars)