POW Camps "Tragedy and Triumph"

[Brakeman]

I am NOT a Civil War scholar. I knew little of the POW camps. A new book came out by Kathrin Rudland that told a fictional story -- but all of the POW infromation from the Union's Elmira camp was the result of four years of research. A story to tell the terrible conditions the boys from the South endured. Here is my Amazon review:

I lack literary training and knowledge to "review" BUT I learned so much and was drawn to read Tragedy and Triumph through easily. The research is reflected by the detail and descriptive narrative.

My knowledge of the Civil War has never been where it should be. My travels to battlefields have stretched my ability to conceive such slaughter. I cannot imagine the numbers, deaths and injuries--just cannot.

I am also woefully weak in the Underground Railroad experience. Rudland's story of Elizabeth and the passing of information was a delight.

I learned so much from the way the author related the efforts, dedication and fears of those who cared so much to risk their safety--truly remarkable people.

I had just finished Grisham's "Calico Joe" which was a fiction/non-fiction account. This book was an easy transition and the character development was excellent.

I even peaked at Wikipedia's account of "Hellmira" along the way as I was clueless on what went on at such POW camps.

I must admit that the graphic battle descriptions and the smallpox detail caused me to move a little quicker to get those pages behind me. Way TMI for my gentle mind.

I surmise that some of the letters home were drafted upon actual letters as well as some of the events--these sidebars were a great way to get more into the personalization of history.

The book weaved the Truman and Elizabeth story and Simon and Frederick story very well and the reader expected to see these tie ups and was not disappointed.

Time well invested.