Gettysburg. The word conjures images of the bloody fighting
of 1863, of death and carnage. With Bob O’Connor’s publication of “A House Divided
Against Itself,” the tragedy takes on human faces.
O’Connor leaves the more commonly
told stories of generals and big strategies; he examines the events from the
perspective of four real individuals: brothers John Wesley (known as Wesley) Culp
and William Esias Culp, Wesley’s friend Johnston “Jack” Skelly, Jr., and Jack’s
sweetheart Mary Virginia “Jennie” Wade, all from Gettysburg.
The Culp brothers found themselves on opposite sides in the
fighting and faced each other in battle on at least two occasions. Wesley
fought for the South, William and Jack fought for the Union. Through their stories,
the reader experiences both the day-to-day routine and the heart-pounding terrors
of battle.
O’Connor uses painstaking research to share the accounts. Drawing
on historical military documents, existing personal records and an empathic
interpretation of them, he puts the events into fictional monologues from each
character’s perspective. These are real people and events, illuminated by the
author’s interpretation.
If you enjoy history, you’ll revel in “House.” Filled with
the kind of detail that brings events to life, the book allows readers to walk
the roads with the soldiers and see things from the enlisted man’s point of
view. Actual photographs and maps are scattered throughout the volume. Although
labeled fiction, the book’s careful scholarship lifts it to a new level.
If the reader is unprepared, he may find one slightly
disquieting aspect to the book. Because each character recounts the events of a
time period from a personal perspective, some things are referenced more than
once. Simply pay attention to each chapter’s title and you’ll have no problems.
The approach adds an ironic touch to the story, such as each character viewing
the passing of a comet as an indication of God’s blessings on his cause.
The monologues are written in common conversational language
and read more like a chat with the speaker than a novel. There is a highly
personal element to the book that draws the reader into the events on a less
overwhelming level than many accounts of the war. Yet that same personal aspect
makes the situation all the more tragic. The numbing effect of reading about thousands
of casualties is negated by the personal accounts in “House.” These are people,
not statistics.
“A House Divided Against Itself” takes the reader on a
well-written journey into a nation’s nightmare through the eyes of real participants.
I place this book on the “must read” list for any Civil War buff as well as
those with an interest in American history in general. It delivers historical
fact, adventure and romance and does it well.
“A House Divided Against Itself” by Bob O’Connor
Published by Infinity Publishing
ISBN-10: 0741469375
ISBN-13: 978-0741469373
Disclaimer: This review is based on a copy of the book
provided by the author. No constraints were placed on the review. The opinions
are my own.
