Canawlers: A Novel of the C&O Canal [Paperback]

James R. Rada (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 14, 2001

Hugh Fitzgerald proudly calls himself a "canawler." He works on the C&O Canal transporting coal nearly 185 miles between Cumberland, Maryland and Georgetown. For nine months a year, he and his family live on their canal boat, working hard to get them through the lean winter months.

The year 1862 was a hard year to live on the canal, though. The Civil War was in full swing and the canal, which runs long the Potomac River, marked the border between the Union and Confederacy. To this point, the Confederacy has stayed south of the canal, but now the Confederate Army intends to go on the offensive and take the war into the north.

Not only are the Fitzgeralds' lives endangered by the increased activity of warring army and raiders on the canal, but the Fitzgeralds' secret activity as a stop along the Underground Railroad only endanger their lives all the more.

Then fate takes Hugh away from his family, leaving his wife, Alice, to hold the family together. With the help of her children Thomas, George and Elizabeth; Tony, an orphan from Cumberland; and David Windover, a disillusioned Confederate soldier, they will face the dangers presented by the war, nature and the railroad together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An interesting slice of the boatman's life against the backdrop of the turbulence and uncertainty of the Civil War. -- Rita L. Knox, Park Ranger, C&O Canal NHP

Canawlers tells not only the story of the canal, but also the stories of people who worked on it. -- Cumberland Times-News, December 17, 2001

About the Author

James is the author of three other novels: Logan's Fire, Beast and My Little Angel. He is also a reporter for the Cumberland Times-News in Cumberland, Maryland. It was from reporting on local history that he developed an interest in the C&O Canal.

He lives with his wife and son in Cumberland and is currently working on his next novel.

If you would like to be kept up to date on future books by James or have questions you would like to ask him, he can be reached by e-mail at [e-mail].

Product Details

• Paperback: 295 pages
• Publisher: Legacy - A I M Publishing (December 14, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971459908
• ISBN-13: 978-0971459908
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #970,114 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am the author of:
* October Mourning (2005)- A novel of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic.
* Between Rail and River (2003) - The sequel to "Canawlers" that continues the story of the Fitzgerald family.
* The Rain Man (2002)- A thriller set during the 1936 St. Patrick's Day Flood.
* Canawlers (2001)- The story of the Fitzgerald family as they struggle to make their living on the C&O Canal during the Civil War.
* My Little Angel (1998)
* Beast (1997)
* Logan's Fire (1996)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Civil war and Trade, April 21, 2002

By 

B. K. Lunde (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Canawlers: A Novel of the C&O Canal (Paperback)

The Canawlers is an excellent introduction to life on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the effects of the Civil War on it. It is suitable for junior high through adult readers. Those who live near or are familiar with the canal from Washington, DC, to Cumberland, MD, will be especially interested.

The book is set from March to November, 1863, and is the tale of a family owned boat plying the canal. It includes family life, courting, war, rape, spying, mule care, murder, bar fights, arson, mischief, hunting, prostitution, the Battle of Antietam, wound nursing, business operation, beatings, operation of the underground railroad and gun and knife fights.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Ranger's Opinion, February 1, 2002

By 

James Rada (Gettysburg, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Canawlers: A Novel of the C&O Canal (Paperback)

Mr. Rada presents an interesting slice of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal boatman's life set against the backdrop of the turbulence and uncertainty of the American Civil War. The use of the canal as a route on the Underground Railroad is also woven into the plot which reveals how hard work, a strong family and difficult times could come together on the canal.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Set during the chaotic and deadly American Civil War, May 16, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canawlers: A Novel of the C&O Canal (Paperback)

Set in 1862, during the chaotic and deadly American Civil War, Canawlers is a novel about a family who worked proudly on the C & O Canal, transporting coal 185 miles between Cumberland, Maryland and Georgetown. Their secret involvement with the Underground Railroad that helped slaves to freedom further jeopardizes their livelihood as the tides of war close ever inward. A powerful, thoughtful, and fascinating historical novel, Canawlers documents author James Rada Jr. as a writer of considerable and deftly expressed storytelling talent.