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In 1862 Water's Ford, Pennsylvania, abolitionism is prevalent, even passionate, so the local men rally to answer Mr. Lincoln's call to arms. Thus the women of Elm Creek Valley's quilting bee are propelled into the unknown.Tags
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In 1862 Water’s Ford, Pennsylvania is a busy place. Most of the men are off to war to fight for the Union. The woman are rallying to support the cause. They are holding fundraisers, sending bandages, food and supplies. They are using their needles to make quilts to send to hospitals. The also create a very special quilt that will reach out well beyond Water’s Ford.
Gerda Bergstrom takes on Southern sympathizers in the pages of the local newspaper. Anneke Bergstrom deals with her husband pacifist beliefs and does her best to hide her shame. Constance Wright supports her husband as he tries to enter the war effort despite the color of his skin.
The quilters anxiously await letters from their husbands, sons, and brothers which they share show more with each other at their circle meetings. The community is drawn together as they hope and pray the war will end soon and their men will return home soon. The woman are gaining a new independence that will “alter the patchwork of life in the Elm Creek Valley”.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
An incredible personal look at the Civil War through the eyes of the soldiers and women who wait at home. These gripping individual stories brought together through this powerful piece of fiction give us a very relate-able picture about how the war effected those in a fight to save the Union.
I truly enjoy when the author steps back into the past to give us the history of the Elm Creek Valley. The battle scenes were captivating to show the real rugged truth of battle. The men took on more of a roll in this story while the women also really emerged even stronger than in previous stories. I especially liked the part of the story about the quilt that went to the battlefield.
Chiaverini is a strong storyteller whether writing historical or contemporary fiction. If her name in on the cover you know you are assured to read a treasure. show less
Gerda Bergstrom takes on Southern sympathizers in the pages of the local newspaper. Anneke Bergstrom deals with her husband pacifist beliefs and does her best to hide her shame. Constance Wright supports her husband as he tries to enter the war effort despite the color of his skin.
The quilters anxiously await letters from their husbands, sons, and brothers which they share show more with each other at their circle meetings. The community is drawn together as they hope and pray the war will end soon and their men will return home soon. The woman are gaining a new independence that will “alter the patchwork of life in the Elm Creek Valley”.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
An incredible personal look at the Civil War through the eyes of the soldiers and women who wait at home. These gripping individual stories brought together through this powerful piece of fiction give us a very relate-able picture about how the war effected those in a fight to save the Union.
I truly enjoy when the author steps back into the past to give us the history of the Elm Creek Valley. The battle scenes were captivating to show the real rugged truth of battle. The men took on more of a roll in this story while the women also really emerged even stronger than in previous stories. I especially liked the part of the story about the quilt that went to the battlefield.
Chiaverini is a strong storyteller whether writing historical or contemporary fiction. If her name in on the cover you know you are assured to read a treasure. show less
I love these Elm Creek novels! Great stories with compelling characters and lots of historical detail! This story shares the triumphs and heartbreaks of the women of Elm Creek as they deal with the realities of a nation torn apart by war. Well worth a read!
What's not to love! In addition to being peopled with the earliest of the Elm Street women, this book tells the stories of how families in a northern city dealt with the Civil War including how free blacks in Elm Street struggled to become a part of the fight to free their southern brothers.
[This review first appeared at Bookin' It.]
This was an engrossing piece of historical fiction set in Pennsylvania from 1861 - 1868. It continues with many of the characters from The Runaway Quilt and shows the impact and effects of the Civil War on the men and women of the (fictional) Watersford community (which I always picture as being a little bit like Slippery Rock).
Chiaverini did quite a bit of research for this book, as evidenced by the bibliography in her acknowledgments at the front of the book. She aptly demonstrates what life was like for the men who went to war (and those who didn't), the women at home (and in the community), and the free Blacks in Pennsylvania. It's particularly appropriate with publication during show more the first year of the Civil War bicentennial.
The plot is compelling and the characters are intriguing. Jonathan and Gerda were particularly interesting, obviously intelligent people, but not so wise in matters of the heart and tact, for continuing to carry a torch for the other despite Jonathan's marriage to another.
The book itself is beautiful, with a gorgeous cover that includes a white quilted background, lovely printed fabrics, an appliqué star, and a period photograph of women of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts sewing an oversized flag for the soldiers during the Civil War. The endpapers have pictures of some of the quilt blocks described in the text.
This was an easy but fascinating read. It stands alone and it's not necessary to read other books in the Elm Creek Quilts series first (although one who's already read The Runaway Quilt will be able to make connections with this book). As someone who has read some of the books in this series, I now want to read The Lost Quilter, which begins in 1859 immediately following the events chronicled in Gerda's memoir in The Runaway Quilt, and parallels The Union Quilters.
© Amanda Pape - 2012
[This book was borrowed from and returned to my local public library.] show less
This was an engrossing piece of historical fiction set in Pennsylvania from 1861 - 1868. It continues with many of the characters from The Runaway Quilt and shows the impact and effects of the Civil War on the men and women of the (fictional) Watersford community (which I always picture as being a little bit like Slippery Rock).
Chiaverini did quite a bit of research for this book, as evidenced by the bibliography in her acknowledgments at the front of the book. She aptly demonstrates what life was like for the men who went to war (and those who didn't), the women at home (and in the community), and the free Blacks in Pennsylvania. It's particularly appropriate with publication during show more the first year of the Civil War bicentennial.
The plot is compelling and the characters are intriguing. Jonathan and Gerda were particularly interesting, obviously intelligent people, but not so wise in matters of the heart and tact, for continuing to carry a torch for the other despite Jonathan's marriage to another.
The book itself is beautiful, with a gorgeous cover that includes a white quilted background, lovely printed fabrics, an appliqué star, and a period photograph of women of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts sewing an oversized flag for the soldiers during the Civil War. The endpapers have pictures of some of the quilt blocks described in the text.
This was an easy but fascinating read. It stands alone and it's not necessary to read other books in the Elm Creek Quilts series first (although one who's already read The Runaway Quilt will be able to make connections with this book). As someone who has read some of the books in this series, I now want to read The Lost Quilter, which begins in 1859 immediately following the events chronicled in Gerda's memoir in The Runaway Quilt, and parallels The Union Quilters.
© Amanda Pape - 2012
[This book was borrowed from and returned to my local public library.] show less
Interesting take on the Civil War from the perspective of a group of women and their families in the North. Took a few chapters to get into it, but I soon found myself wanting to know about the characters and their lives. Love the historical perspective. A good read.
I can't say enough about the Elm Creek Quilts series. They combine history and contemporary fiction with a liberal dash of quilt lore in a way that is just awesome. This book is one of the series completely historic stories, and extends the story of the founders of Elm Creek farm beyond what has been presented in the previous books. It was both tragic and uplifting as the lives of the characters are forever changed by the Civil War. I recommend all of the books in the series, although this one could probably be read alone as there is no back story given to tie it with the other books in the series.
Love Jennifer Chiaverini's novels! The Union Quilters was no exception. The audiobook utilizes the same reader as the previous books, and contains crossover characters mentioned in other books in the series. It was quite enjoyable learning more of the background of some of the prominent characters in previous books. As a book about the Civil War, it was certainly written in the same tone; it wasn't all sunshine and roses! Some of the descriptions of war sites and conditions certainly invite the reader to investigate the actual history even further. Some of the characters are lost to the war, others return home forever changed, others participate in support activities. Well researched, very well written.
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67+ Works 19,288 Members
Jennifer Chiaverini is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago. She used to be a writing instructor at Penn State University and Edgewood College. She is the author of the Elm Creek Quilts series and four volumes of quilt patterns inspired by her novels. She is also the designer of the Elm Creek Quilts fabric lines show more from Red Rooster Fabrics. Among her most recent works, is the New York Times bestselling novel, Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker. (Publisher Provided) Jennifer Chiaverini is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago. She is an American quilter and author. Her books include the Elm Creek Quilts series as well as five collections of quilt patterns inspired by her novels. She designs the Elm Creek Quilts fabric lines from Red Rooster Fabrics. She was also a writing instructor at Penn State and Edgewood College. Jennifer is also the author of bestselling novels Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, The Spymistress and Mrs. Lincoln's Rival. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Union Quilters
- Original publication date
- 2011-02-22
- People/Characters
- Dorothea Granger; Anneke Bergstrom; Constance Wright; Gerda Bergstrom
- Important places
- Water's Ford, Pennsylvania, USA
- Important events
- American Civil War
- Epigraph
- "In this extraordinary war, extraordinary developments have manifested themselves, such as have not been seen in former wars; and amongst these manifestations nothing has been more remarkable than these fairs for relief of su... (show all)ffering soldiers and their families. And the chief agents in these fairs are the women of America.
"I am not accustomed to the use of language of eulogy; I have never studied the art of paying compliments to women; but I must say, that if all that has been said by orators and poets since the creation of the world in the praise of women were applied to the women of America, it would not do them justice for their conduct during this war. I will close by saying God Bless the women of America."
* * *
President Abraham Lincoln
Remarks at the closing of the U.S. Sanitary Commission Fair
Washington, D.C., March 18, 1864 - Dedication
- To Jody Ewing, in gratitude
- First words
- 1861
Dorothea tied up the sack of salt pork and hard bread--enough for a week if Thomas didn't find some poor soul in greater need to share with--and pressed the back of her hand to her forehead, taking a deep breath, ... (show all)fighting to still the whirl of thoughts. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)He would live on in her heart and in their daughter until they met again in a better world, a world where peace reigned and no war could ever part them.
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- Reviews
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- ISBNs
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- ASINs
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