By Nick K. Adams
From September of 1861 through September of 1863 the authors
great great grandfather Griffen wrote at least 100 letters from the fields of
battle back to the family he left behind on the southeastern Minnesota prairie.
He had left his wife and three small children on their little farm while he
fought to save the Union. It is a true
story of survival of that family on the Minnesota frontier. And most
amazingly less that fifteen minutes from where Mrs. T. and I live. Of course,
I’m also familiar with the story of another pioneer woman who lived briefly in
our town of Spring Valley. That was Laura Ingalls who married Almonzo of the
local Wilder family. More bragging on all that later…J
While the novel tells story of the “family left behind” it
is all based on one hundred letters the soldier/father wrote them during his two years of service. Those
real letters describe everything he is
experiencing and thinking about, as well as responding to their communications
of both hardships and endurance. It is a Civil War novel as real as life can
get.
The slow, terrifying
waiting for news, waiting for spring, waiting for his return, touch the
heart. This is a well crafted story
indeed. Minerva, her three young
children, alone in a shanty on the prairie, and a few nearby fellow
settlers struggle to survive. Can they run a near wilderness farm like this
one on the own. The three child are all
7 and under.
Minnesota’s seasons dictate their activities. Away at War introduces the reader to the
terrible impact, the pain and anxiety, and the untold suffering war causes
family members left behind. A moving chronicle of the experience of war and a
compelling story with relevant historical references. Of course, the place where
this story really took place I’m very familiar with so that enhances a good story even
more. If you liked Little House On The Prairie I suspect you would like this one
as well….. It's a bit grittier and kept me enthralled. I don’t know if this book qualifies as a “young adult novel” but I’m
sure my grandchildren would enjoy reading it and I'll love to talk to them about
it this Christmas....:)
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@Barrie Summy
@Barrie Summy
12 comments:
My own great grandfather and two of his brothers were in the Civil War, but my only direct knowledge was my father's oral history heard from his grandfather.They were Pennsylvania and Maryland folk. Two of the brothers were killed, my great grandfather survived, but badly wounded in three separate battles. Not a good time for anyone. The farmers in Minnesota would not have had sustainable farms or homes as they at least did in Pennsylvania. Well, coal mines. I'm reading Prairie Fires currently, and the ignorance of pioneers about the land is frightening. I'll have to give Away at War a go when I'm through my current book.
This book sounds really interesting. And that's a lot of letters! Thank you for reviewing!
I agree with Barrie - it sounds like an interesting book. Thanks for reviewing!
Away At War sounds like a fascinating book. The Civil War created a national trauma. Everyone was affected. I can't imagine being left to manage a farm on my own with three little ones under the age of 7. I expect the kids grew up very quickly.
Two of my ancestors (on opposite sides of the family) fought in the Civil War, but neither was married at the time. Fortunately, they survived, though both were wounded--one at Gettysburg and the other at the Battle of the Wilderness.
Great review.
This sounds like my kind of book. I love actual letters and pictures around a momentous event. Rather Ken Burns like.
We read so much about the war but so little about those left behind to struggle. I will try to find this book--thanks.
When I was in college I was a history major. We had to pick three locations and time periods to emphasize. One of mine was the U.S. Civil War period. I remember trying to do research and always got caught up if following trails through the books of compiled letters and other documents. - Margy
Sounds interesting, a area not approached by many
I'll be looking for this one. I can't imagine a mother and young children surviving alone in Minnesota in the 1860s. Thanks for the review.
I'll have to check this book out. Thanks for the heads-up.
Looks good, TB, and I passed on your review to my family in Minnesota. My grandson is 14 and perhaps would enjoy it although it is my 9 year old grand daughter who loves Laura Ingalls books. Thanks for sharing a good read...again.
Wow, Minerva sounds like a real frontier hero to manage a farm on her own with 3 young kids! That's so cool that Laura Ingalls Wilder lived in your town too!
Sounds interesting. One of the things I remember about the Little House series is that the girls were very responsible for their ages and sometimes their parents left them alone for a couple of days at a time. If you did that today you would get a visit from social services!
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