Stonewall's Gold: A Novel of the Civil War

by Robert J. Mrazek

Book Overview

The discovery of a long-guarded secret sends young Jamie Lockhart on the adventure of his life. Ultimately, the limits of his courage and endurance are tested during the final desperate months of the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312200242
• ISBN13: 9780312200244
• Release Date: December 1998
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Length: 223 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Action packed story

This exceptionally well written story had me on the edge of my seat from one chapter to the next! The main character has some great adventures in the midst of a wonderful depiction of the Civil War. I passed this book along to my 14 year old. It is very easy reading and is appropriate for any age. If your homeschooler is studying the Civil War, I would recommend "Stonewall's Gold" as worthwhile supplemental reading. The author is very good at keeping the plot moving and exciting. Definitely add this book to your list of good reads for you and your family.

A compelling story for all ages

This is a fast-paced adventure story that should appeal to a wide range of readers (teenagers and adults, males and females, Civil War buffs and not). Mrazek does a terrific job of weaving fact and fiction to the point the story reads as much like fascinating history as a novel. Apart from the adventure story, Mrazek provides a vivid description of life for the families away from the front in the final months of the war. While it is true that it lacks the literary skill of Cold Mountain (as do almost all novels), it offers a similarily compelling story set during the same time. Yet, for a first-time author, and one who became an author in the middle of his career, the writing is quite good. For those of us familiar with Mrazek's distinguished congressional career (from fighting to preserve Civil War battlefields to protecting endangered lands in Alaska), it is clear that Congress' loss is the gain of readers everywhere. I eagerly await his next book.

1999 MICHAEL SHAARA AWARD FOR CIVIL WAR FICTION WINNER

I recently learned that this book won the 1999 Michael Shaara Award for Civil War Fiction awarded by Louisiana State University. I don't know what books it competed against, but this one is clearly a winner.I read this book some time ago and will re-read it soon. What I liked best was the way the two main characters related to each other to achieve their goal. A young 15 year old still fighting for the south and a tough young 18 year old girl, ala Scarlet O'Hara AFTER the war ("I'll never go hungry again!") but more likable. If you're looking for a detailed book about the civil war, this is not it. If your looking for some new insight into Stonewall Jackson or some secret about why the south lost, this is not it. In fact, the novel succeeds because it is more a "period piece", an action story of ordinary people which just happened to take place in the 1860s.It is a book for all ages and I would especially encourage women, young and old, to read it as Kathleen is a strong willed heroine that I was happy to read about.Thank you for evaluating my review.

This book will last for a long time.

I've seen reviews of this book comparing it to Cold Mountain. It is nothing like Cold Mountain, which has very little to do with the Civil War. Cold Mountain could just as easily be about the Russian front in WWII. It's also very lyrical, a true poet's book. Stonewall's Gold truly brings alive the Civil War as I believe it must have been at that time and place. Its writing style is very spare with a wonderful sense of mood, weather, and evocative cinematic imagery. Personally, I can't think of a better Civil War novel since The Killer Angels. The writer also doesn't take sides. This could be a classic American movie if it is done well.

Belongs alongside Killer Angels.......

The comparisons to Michael Shaara will be as inevitable as they are deserved. A gripping page-turner of Civil War intrigue that reflects Mrazek's meticulous attention to the historical details of both sides' manueverings in the Shenandoah Valley, animated with telling detail, punchy dialogue, and one hell of a good story line. (A word to the wise, you want 18 year old heroine Katherine Dandridge on your side of the war...trust me.) A final confession: I finished this book on the train, sitting in the station, after my ride to work. A half hour after we arrived, as I turned the last page, the conductor finally kicked me off. If this is Mrazek's fiction debut, I can't wait for his sophomore effort.