Voices from the Century Before

by Mary Clay Berry and Tb

Book Overview

The story of the Clay and Field families of nineteenth-century Kentucky is drawn from a treasury of letters written between 1845 and 1870 and considers everyday life in the era and the challenges of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1559703423
• ISBN13: 9781559703420
• Release Date: November 1996
• Publisher: Arcade Publishing
• Length: 522 Pages
• Weight: 2.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.8" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Kentucky for Kentuckians

A well written book interspersing genuine letters from her family with observations and historical details provided by the author. It is interesting from a "slice of life" perspective but also for the historical record of the Civil War as recorded by those actually experiencing it. It should especially captivate those living in Kentucky and familiar with the towns and families discussed.

a real-life "family saga" of the Civil War

This absorbing book, which consists mostly of the actual letters of the Clay family, draws the reader in as well as any fictional account ever could. Few of the letter writers actually see combat, so the book is largely an account of ordinary life against the backdrop of the war. Though some letters offer insight into the political realities and trade-offs of the period, it is the intimate details of everyday life and human relations that fascinate. Mary Clay is never intrusive in her comments that bridge and sometimes explain the letters.