Stephen Wright
The Amalgamation Polka (2006)
Author: Stephen Wright
Genre: Historical
Plot Summary:
The story follows the life of Liberty Fish, a boy that grew up before and during the Civil War. Liberty grows up on a house in the North, son of two abolitionists: Thatcher, northern born, and Roxana, a Carolina native who left her family's plantation over hatred of the practice of slavery. The story follows Liberty through his life during the country's struggle with and for the amalgamation, or combination, of two races. SPOILER: Liberty grows up on in the house, part of the Underground Railroad, and joins the northern army when war breaks out. He survives his first battle, but deserts in Georgia in order to make the trek to see his Grandparents in Carolina, those who have had such an impact on his mother. The rest of the story follows his interactions with his grandfather and his eventual trip back to his home.
Geographical Setting: across the United States
Time Period: U.S. Civil War (1861-1865)
Appeal Characteristics:
The greatest appeal to the book is in the historical content. The dialogue and descriptions paint a great picture of what the country was like during the Civil War. It presents in detail how the issue of slavery affected everyone and added a face, although a ficticious one, to the events learned in history classes. The writing was very slow and deliberate to so make the setting as detailed as it was. Also, one may find enjoyment in the journeys taken by the character and his development thorughout the travels. Lastly, those interested only in the setting of the Civil War would find definite interest.
Read-alikes: Readers looking for a similar writing style, though not similar setting should check out some of Wright's other titles like Going Native a road novel set in the 1990s, or Meditations in Green a story following the development of a soldier involved in the Vietnam War. Readers looking for further titles involving topics relating to the Civil War may like The March by E.L. Doctorow which involves more of the war in the same southern areas, Georgia and the Carolinas. Additionally, they may enjoy the classic Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. For a similar type of writing on the topic, one could suggest Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon. Lastly, the journey of Liberty played a large part in the story. Readers that enjoyed this may also enjoy the classic road novel, On the Road by Jack Kerouac.
Red Flags: violence and blood throughout, strong language, some sexual content, racism
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