The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War [Paperback]

Howard Bahr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1998

In the tradition of Cold Mountain and The Killer Angels. Published in hardcover by a small press in Baltimore after being dug out of the slush pile by a discerning editor, The Black Flower is one of the most moving Civil War novels since Michael Shaara's The Killer Angels.

As John Bell Hood's Army of Tennessee literally disappears in a hail of cannon and rifle fire from the Union Army's entrenchments, young rifleman Bushrod Carter vividly imparts the Confederate charge and its deadly consequences. After he is brought to a makeshift hospital, Carter comes under the care of a young southern woman named Anna, who, even in the midst of battle and defeat, manages to find ways to express her love. Written with reverent attention to historical accuracy, The Black Flower is a powerful reminder that the war that divided America will not vanish quietly into the pages of history.

Nominated for the Stephen Crane Award for First Fiction

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Howard Bahr compresses this moving Civil War novel into 48 hours--two short days filled with grim deaths and the prelude, at least, to a love story. First issued by a small Baltimore press in 1997,The Black Flower was nominated for four major awards, including one from the Academy of Arts and Letters, but failed to garner the attention paid to Cold Mountain. Civil War buffs will rejoice in Bahr's vivid retelling of the November 1864 Battle of Franklin, Tennessee. More to the point, The Black Flower transcends its historical fiction niche and deserves a wider audience. Confederate rifleman Bushrod Carter, the novel's protagonist, is wounded during the battle and taken to a nearby house. In this makeshift hospital, he and two childhood friends huddle together, "shivering with cold and exhaustion, ignoring the ghostly shapes still shuffling through the coiling smoke around them, calling the names of men who would never answer." Bahr has poured 20 years of research into his novel, but this haunting portrayal of suffering and death is the product not merely of historical diligence but also an impressive literary imagination. --Eugenia Trinkle

From Booklist

The senseless agony of armed conflict is expertly evoked in this elegiac Civil War novel. As Bushrod Carter, a seasoned Confederate rifleman, grimly anticipates his next battle, he experiences both the mind-numbing terror and the detached resignation characteristic of most common foot soldiers. Shortly after the infamous Battle of Franklin commences, Gen. John Bell Hood's Army of Tennessee is quickly overwhelmed by the firepower of the superior Union forces. Before succumbing to his own wounds, Carter bears witness to the grim aftermath of combat as he roams through the carnage haunted by the visages of his departed comrades and horrified by the gruesome reality of the slaughter. The mournful tone of the narrative serves to underscore the powerful drama of this harrowing tale. Margaret Flanagan --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 266 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt & Co (P); Reprint edition (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805054456
• ISBN-13: 978-0805054453
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (123 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,494,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

107 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than "Cold Mountain", April 25, 2000

By 

K. Sterling "freelance writer" (Richmond, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War (Paperback)

I don't know how this one slipped through the cracks. I am a student of the War and fairly widely read, yet I have never encountered a work of Civil War fiction that moved me the way "The Black Flower" has. Truly a masterpiece. The language is exquisite, the characters well drawn and believable. Unlike in "Cold Mountain," I have been unable to find any historical inaccuracies. Bushrod, Jack, Virgil C., and Anna became as real to me as my best friend. They made me laugh, cry, and love them all, and I was immensely sorry when this well-crafted book ended. Surely someone should turn this story into a feature film. After reading this, I will read anything by Mr. Bahr, no questions asked.

87 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Worth the Effort!, November 22, 2001

By 

Erik J. Fortmeyer "beerisjoy" (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War (Paperback)

Many people who read this book when it was first released by a small publishing company were certified Civil War buffs. It seems that word then began leaking out by word of mouth through their spouses and "regular" (i.e. NOT CW fanatics) friends that this was quite a good book for even "the masses". Four major literary award nominations in quick succession didn't hurt either!

You can count me in as one of those "regular" folks. I've read and adored "The Red Badge of Courage" and "The Killer Angels" but, have not found myself obsessed with the Civil War era genre of historical fiction. I appreciate well written material that will hold my attention and am not a slave to literary trends or best-seller lists. A good friend's constant raving about how great this book was is what caused me to put it on my reading list. Needless to say by my five-star rating, "The Black Flower" did not disappoint!

First and foremost, this 267 page book is just plain FUN to read. It is not over-detailed or dumbed down but, manages to walk the fine line keeping you steadily turning the pages. There are no maps or need to draw a flowchart to remember all the characters, nor do you need a Masters in American History to understand what is going on. The writing style is such that you feel you are WATCHING the events rather than reading a book and you almost become emotionally involved with the events and characters. I drove through the battlesite in Tennessee once on vacation before reading this book and would now very much like to return.

Definitely click on the "Back cover" link Amazon provided above for an excellent plot summary. The average reader will likely find this book to be "5 star". Real literate types will hand out four while the most brutal critics will still give three stars. Basically, you can't go wrong with this book especially now that it is available in paperback! GO FOR IT!!!

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Poetry!, May 21, 1998

By 

Taffy S. Todd (Greensboro, Vermont United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War (Paperback)

This book is sheer poetry masquerading as a Civil War novel. No matter how gruesome the subject matter of the moment, Howard Bahr manages to take it beyond your mind and into your heart -- you understand what he's writing with your soul. His description of the army as a living breathing entity unto itself as it goes into battle, is masterful and helps those of us who have never experienced battle to have an inkling of what makes normal men able to fight and kill. The interactions involving Bushrod and the other characters who have such a strong effect on his life are beautiful and touching. The Black Flower truly brings the horrors of war and death to life, you can virtually feel the characters' pain and smell the smells that surround them. But the beauty of the writer's language pulls the reader on and on no matter what the horrors may be. You care so much about these characters that you must go on. This book will be right up there on the top of my all time list of recommended favorites. If I could give it higher rating than a ten I would.