Marching Through Georgia [Hardcover]

Jerry Ellis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1995

The author chronicles his walk from Atlanta to Savannah, examining the scars left by the Civil War, reflecting on what being Southern meant to his late father, and encountering many eccentric characters with roots in the war.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ellis, author of previous books on long walks (Walking the Trail, about the Cherokee Trail of Tears; Bareback!, about the route of the Pony Express) here follows the route of William T. Sherman's Civil War march through Georgia. Ellis's purpose is to reestablish his Southern roots and reconnect with his late father. He offers a series of anecdotes and vignettes that focus on the people he encounters along the way, seasoned with occasional references to the Union presence over a century ago. The result is a book about seemingly ordinary people who do seemingly ordinary things, from drinking whisky to tending goats, that under Ellis's deft stylistic touch and wry sense of humor become extraordinary. Some of the vignettes reinforce Southern gothic stereotypes; nevertheless, this is a work to be savored.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Ellis (Bareback, LJ 9/15/93) shares his new adventure?following Sherman's 1864 March to the Sea from Atlanta to Savannah?undertaken to honor his dead father and to get close to the heart of the South. Whether he is chatting with storekeepers as he rests along his journey or with his hosts at a home filled with Civil War furniture and relics, the author collects tales of the Old South. As each person shares his or her story and hospitality, we are given a peek into that individual's life, as much in the present as in the past. Ellis intersperses among the stories historical facts about the Civil War. Besides experiencing the war, we discover what it meant and still means to be a Southerner. This book sheds new light on an important part of our history. Recommended for general collections.?Lucille Corbo, MLS, Scranton, Pa.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 306 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Press; 1ST edition (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385311826
• ISBN-13: 978-0385311823
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #814,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #42 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Virginia

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing and rambling., April 10, 2000

By 

Joseph T. Reeves - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marching Through Georgia (Paperback)

On his 1994 attempt to re-trace William Tecumseh Sherman's trek from Atlanta to Savannah, Jerry Ellis searches for vestiges of that traumatic time reflected in the people he meets along the way.

This book is an unsuccessful hybrid of social history and an "on-the-road" travelogue. Ellis uncovers no previously undiscovered traces of the effect of Sherman's journey in the New South and after a while it appears he loses sight of his goal. This book has one saving grace: Ellis's natural story-telling ability which captures the spirits of the people he encounters. However, this bright spot isn't enough to compensate for Ellis's failure to achieve his original objective; it just turns this into a passable diary of someone's hike.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautifully moving, March 22, 2007

By 

Wilson "naturenut" (New South!) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marching Through Georgia: My Walk With Sherman (Nova Audio Books) (Audio Cassette)

I find it difficult to read other authors after reading Ellis, and I've read all, loved lots. His style is unique. Educated and articulate enough to hold his own with the greats but so raw and open that you really feel like you were there with him and all those he met. Very few have aroused the desire to re-read, but I can't put this guy down, I've laughed and cried 7 times through this book. Ellis is different than all the others. He does not disappoint. As a transplanted Southerner, I get it now! Read this book (and his others) ASAP!!!

5.0 out of 5 stars One man's personal journey into his Southern heritage, December 1, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marching Through Georgia (Hardcover)

Don't look here for a historical dissertation concerning Sherman's role in bringing the South back into the Union. This is not a history book. Rather, it is the journal of a man who, through association with his region's tumultuous history, goes to greath lengths to come to terms with his heritage, his identity, and his future. The volume would have been just as impacting with less sexual imagery - but, afterall, this is a personal journal, and most of the other insightful thoughts contained herein are just as personal. If you wonder what being a Southern man means, if you struggle with putting your heritage into perspective, then give this book a read. Yankees beware! You will not understand this book!