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1mirrani
I will start out by saying that I tried to listen to marching type Civil War music while reading this and I found it somewhat distracting to what I was doing. In the end, I opted for farm soundtracks or creeks and woods soundtracks in the background, because the music wasn't as harsh. That's not to say Civil War music wouldn't be good for this book, I think it would be awesome... I just couldn't handle paying attention to both at the same time. :)
2mirrani
I don't know why I was so surprised that there would be Cherokee warriors in this story, since it's well known that it's about going TO the Cherokee, but I was so surprised to read about the Oklahoma band, to see what life was like for them after the Trail of Tears. Living in North Carolina, I hear about the Eastern band all the time, but never get to know much about what life was like for those that moved. I was amused by the fact that you're supposed to be surprised that the Indians are living in log houses, then I remembered that most readers probably wouldn't know that's how the Cherokee were living even before people came to bother them, really. I was upset that this wasn't pointed out somehow by one of the characters, because it made them sound like rapid sellouts or something. The Indians moved here and they're so modern! :p
Grateful, Jeff blurted, "Thanks, Henry." Slaughter drew himself up haughtily and cursed Jeff roundly for his familiarity. And Jeff learned that two neighbors of yesterday could today be separated by an impassable gulf when two bits worth of tinsel was pinned on the shoulders of one and not the other. p28
Here's your introduction to the army, young readers. Life isn't like what you're used to. Friends aren't friends any more, they're officers above you or below you. Strangers you never knew become your peers and brothers in arms.
I could not for the life of me figure out what was with the Jeff and Clardy rivalry. I understand that one is an officer who doesn't like his underlings misunderstanding or misusing their station. You work out much later in the book why this rivalry is necessary, but at the same time you look back and think it still could have had a reason in the beginning, beyond some grown up picking on some kid. It just doesn't seem real.
"Forward march!" Jeff barely heard the command above the battle's din. But every man obeyed. Bayoneted muskets carried at the ready, they strode blindly forward to whatever fate awaited them. Angrily Jeff thought of how little control a soldier in the ranks hadover his own destiny.
It was a soldier's business to starve to death, take the guff from the officers, march all night, and be shot to pieces in the daytime without ever opening his mouth in protest. Suddenly he felt a violent anger. The officers had him, coming or going. He was like the farmer's dog trotting to town beneath his master's wagon. If he stood and fought, the town dogs all ganged him and whipped the whey out of him. If he turned and ran for home, they chewed his tail from behind. Either way they had him. p130-131
It's amazing how well the soldier story is told. And yes, they do mention men feeding their horses before they fed themselves, but they leave out a lot of the struggles the cavalry went through as far as feeding goes. I was somewhat upset about that, that they made it seem like there was an infinite number of horses who were willing to battle on, well fed and happy.
On page 155 there's a scene where Jeff meets a black man who has come to find a union soldier, claiming that there is someone at the house who is dying and his only wish before death comes is to actually see a real union soldier. Jeff goes and the man praises God before he dies, having gotten his wish. Jeff remembers this is what he's fighting for, the freedom that meant so much to these people that a simple wish like meeting a soldier who believes in equality would mean so much.
I was reading this book when the whole media event of gay marriage debate was going on and all through the story I couldn't help thinking that the feelings are still similar today. No, we're not going to war over such things, but the idea of freedom to do what you need or want versus what everyone tells you you MUST do... that's still alive today.
"Mam, the declaration says that all men, and that includes Negroes as well as whites, are created equal. IT says that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. IT doesn't say, mam, that just the rich man, or the white man, or the Anglo-Saxon white man, or the Kansas white man, is entitled to liberty. It says /all/ me. Mam, no man or woman in slavery has any liberty." p170
And when asked if the declaration specifies that they can't have slavery...
"But did you know, mam, that in the original draft, the slave trade was called an 'execrable commerce,' 'a piratical warfare,' and 'a cruel war against human nature?'" p170
Again, more of the freedom stuff that hit me on a day when people were fighting for rights. How long has this been ignored... and our founding fathers had it right the whole time.
He braced and began to labor up the rise, concentrating on each step and thinking of Pete Millholland and his words, "You can always go farther than you think you can." It was funny how a fellow could lie moldering in his grave and still his words could go right on helping people." p309
That's my last note, ironically. I really put down the book and thought this one over because it is very, very true... Especially in the day and age of facebook and twitter where people are posting little images with quotes on them of what people said. These people are touching our lives long after they are gone, they are helping US move forward, even while they're beyond able to do so.
Grateful, Jeff blurted, "Thanks, Henry." Slaughter drew himself up haughtily and cursed Jeff roundly for his familiarity. And Jeff learned that two neighbors of yesterday could today be separated by an impassable gulf when two bits worth of tinsel was pinned on the shoulders of one and not the other. p28
Here's your introduction to the army, young readers. Life isn't like what you're used to. Friends aren't friends any more, they're officers above you or below you. Strangers you never knew become your peers and brothers in arms.
I could not for the life of me figure out what was with the Jeff and Clardy rivalry. I understand that one is an officer who doesn't like his underlings misunderstanding or misusing their station. You work out much later in the book why this rivalry is necessary, but at the same time you look back and think it still could have had a reason in the beginning, beyond some grown up picking on some kid. It just doesn't seem real.
"Forward march!" Jeff barely heard the command above the battle's din. But every man obeyed. Bayoneted muskets carried at the ready, they strode blindly forward to whatever fate awaited them. Angrily Jeff thought of how little control a soldier in the ranks hadover his own destiny.
It was a soldier's business to starve to death, take the guff from the officers, march all night, and be shot to pieces in the daytime without ever opening his mouth in protest. Suddenly he felt a violent anger. The officers had him, coming or going. He was like the farmer's dog trotting to town beneath his master's wagon. If he stood and fought, the town dogs all ganged him and whipped the whey out of him. If he turned and ran for home, they chewed his tail from behind. Either way they had him. p130-131
It's amazing how well the soldier story is told. And yes, they do mention men feeding their horses before they fed themselves, but they leave out a lot of the struggles the cavalry went through as far as feeding goes. I was somewhat upset about that, that they made it seem like there was an infinite number of horses who were willing to battle on, well fed and happy.
On page 155 there's a scene where Jeff meets a black man who has come to find a union soldier, claiming that there is someone at the house who is dying and his only wish before death comes is to actually see a real union soldier. Jeff goes and the man praises God before he dies, having gotten his wish. Jeff remembers this is what he's fighting for, the freedom that meant so much to these people that a simple wish like meeting a soldier who believes in equality would mean so much.
I was reading this book when the whole media event of gay marriage debate was going on and all through the story I couldn't help thinking that the feelings are still similar today. No, we're not going to war over such things, but the idea of freedom to do what you need or want versus what everyone tells you you MUST do... that's still alive today.
"Mam, the declaration says that all men, and that includes Negroes as well as whites, are created equal. IT says that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. IT doesn't say, mam, that just the rich man, or the white man, or the Anglo-Saxon white man, or the Kansas white man, is entitled to liberty. It says /all/ me. Mam, no man or woman in slavery has any liberty." p170
And when asked if the declaration specifies that they can't have slavery...
"But did you know, mam, that in the original draft, the slave trade was called an 'execrable commerce,' 'a piratical warfare,' and 'a cruel war against human nature?'" p170
Again, more of the freedom stuff that hit me on a day when people were fighting for rights. How long has this been ignored... and our founding fathers had it right the whole time.
He braced and began to labor up the rise, concentrating on each step and thinking of Pete Millholland and his words, "You can always go farther than you think you can." It was funny how a fellow could lie moldering in his grave and still his words could go right on helping people." p309
That's my last note, ironically. I really put down the book and thought this one over because it is very, very true... Especially in the day and age of facebook and twitter where people are posting little images with quotes on them of what people said. These people are touching our lives long after they are gone, they are helping US move forward, even while they're beyond able to do so.
4cedargrove
You know, I keep forgetting that we can put what music we are listening to in these posts. Not that I always have music on when I'm reading, but I want to try and remember in the future - even if it's a specific track. LOL
Shame on me... I've been to Cherokee, and didn't know/remember that they lived in log cabins.
Can I just say I loved these notes. I haven't read the book, and of course it being the American Civil War, I'm not all that well versed, beyond the basics and stuff of all that went on... but your notes and the quote you chose, and the comparisons you draw with society today - even the notes are thought provoking.
Shame on me... I've been to Cherokee, and didn't know/remember that they lived in log cabins.
Can I just say I loved these notes. I haven't read the book, and of course it being the American Civil War, I'm not all that well versed, beyond the basics and stuff of all that went on... but your notes and the quote you chose, and the comparisons you draw with society today - even the notes are thought provoking.
5mirrani
I don't always have music on when I'm reading either. But when something I'm reading and something I'm listening to mush together to /really/ throw me deeply into the book, I try to remember that because I not only become PART of the story in a much deeper way, but I also read faster than is my normal when I'm that deeply set in the story. Not that reading faster means anything to anyone else, but that's part of how I notice that I'm caught up in the book more than usual.
