Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore is a 1953 novel of alternate history. The point of divergence occurs when the Confederate States of America wins the Battle of Gettysburg and subsequently declares victory in the "War of Southron Independence" on July 4, 1864 after the surrender of the United States of America. The novel takes place in the impoverished United States in the mid-20th century as war looms between the Confederacy and its rival, the German Union. History takes an unexpected turn when the protagonist Hodge Backmaker, a historian, decides to travel back in time and witness the moment when the South won the war.
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"[WARD MOORE IS] ONE OF THE BEST AMERICAN WRITERS."
--Ray Bradbury
--Ray Bradbury
The United States never recovered from The War for Southern Independence. While the neighboring Confederacy enjoyed the prosperity of the victor, the U.S. struggled through poverty, violence, and a nationwide depression.
The Industrial Revolution never occurred here, and so, well into the 1950s, the nation remained one of horse-drawn wagons, gaslight, highwaymen, and secret armies. This was home for Hodgins McCormick Backmaker, whose sole desire was the pursuit of knowledge. This, he felt, would spirit him away from the squalor and violence.
Disastrously, Hodgins became embroiled in the clandestine schemes of the outlaw Grand Army, from which he fled in search of a haven. But he was to discover that no place could fully protect him from the world and its dangerous realities. . . .
"The Civil War has been often rethought, most effectively in Ward Moore's Bring the Jubilee."
--Donald E. Westlake
The New York Times
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
SALES POINTS * #42 in the Millennium SF Masterworks series, a library of the finest science fiction ever written. * 'Seminal ... concise and elegiac' Encylopedia of Science Fiction * 'A classic alternative world story' Brian Aldiss * 'One of the best American writers' Ray Bradbury
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Searching For A Better Alternative,
This review is from: Bring the Jubilee (Alternate History Masterpiece) (Paperback)
Ever since the American Civil War ended in victory for the South, the Northern states have been a poor, backward region, largely populated by impecunious yokels. Hodge Backmaker is a country boy with less practical skills than his fellows; someone more at home with books than the outdoor, workaday environment.In "Bring the Jubilee" Backmaker recounts his life, describing his move from Wappinger Falls to a squalid New York, where he works in a book shop for a few years. After some uncomfortable dealings with an underground army he then becomes involved with the intellectual thinktank at Haggershaven, where his fascination for history eventually leads to academic prestige. Ward Moore has written an interesting scenario here. Along with the rewrite of American history, passing references are made to men like Carl Jung and Picasso, their destinies skewed by the differences that make alternate worlds possible. While taking part in the first experiments in time travel, Hodge Backmaker will unwittingly change their lives when he makes a field trip to Gettysburg in 1863... There's no doubt that alternate histories are a fascinating subject for writers to tackle. So many of them have fun changing history, usually making our world look like the better one. Maybe it helps us forget the reality of our own problems; taking solace in the fact that there's always someone worse off than ourselves. A number of people have compared "Bring the Jubilee" with "Pavane", the praise for both books being fairly equal. It's hard to say which is better, since they deal with two different periods of history. Like most novels, they both have their share of romance, which almost seems a requirement for the protagonist. Nevertheless, they both come highly recommended.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Classic Tale of A Confederate Victory,
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This review is from: Bring the Jubilee (Alternate History Masterpiece) (Paperback)
Written decades before Harry Turtledove's Civil War alternate history novels, Ward Moore's 'Bring the Jubilee' is the story of an America divided. In 1863, the Union loss at Gettysburg paved the way for southern independence and left the United States a backward, third world country. The novel's protaganist, Hodge, leaves his rural home for what he hopes will be a better life in New York City and eventually finds himself in a community of scholars where his final destiny awaits him. The characters, situations and philosiphies of 'Jubilee' remind the reader of another great Science Fiction author, Robert Heinlein. Moore has the same wonderful ability to convey the complex ideas of life and society that make Heinlein's novels so compelling. Also wonderful is Moore's explanations of temporal theory and his understanding and presentation of the Battle of Gettysburg. If you enjoy alternate history then 'Bring the Jubilee' will not disappoint.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Starts off slow and depressing - ends well,
By TANSTAAFL2 (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Bring the Jubilee (Alternate History Masterpiece) (Paperback)
The summary says it all. The first 2/3 of the book are terribly depressing and relatively lacking in action. The last third is pretty good, though not good enough for me to keep the book - I got rid of it because I know I'll never force myself to read THAT again. The author simply spends too much time setting the background. He could easily have pared it down to short story or novella length and had it appear in a collection of alternate history stories
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