Two Brothers - One North, One South [Hardcover]

David H. Jones (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2008

Walt Whitman feared that the real war would never get in the books: the true stories that depicted the courage and humanity of soldiers who fought, bled, and died in the American Civil War. Exceptionally researched and keenly accurate to actual events, along with the personages that forged them, David H. Jones's novel spans four years in the midst of America s costliest and most commemorated war. The journey is navigated by the poet, Walt Whitman, whose documented compassion for the wounded and dying soldiers of the war takes him to Armory Square Hospital in Washington, D.C., and finds him at the bedside of William Prentiss, a Rebel soldier, just after fighting has ended. As fate has it, William's brother, Clifton, a Union officer, is being treated in another ward of the same hospital, and Whitman becomes the sole link not just between the two, but with the rest of their family as well. The reader is taken seamlessly from Medfield Academy in Baltimore, where the Prentiss family makes its home, to the many battlefields where North and South collide, and even through the drawing rooms of wartime Richmond, where Hetty, Jenny, and Constance Cary are the reigning belles.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Jones's solid research and fictional flourishes illuminate the tumult and the tragedy of the war, while actress Kirsten Beyer's passionate inflection befits these 19th-century characters and brings the war to an even more intimate level for listeners."  —LibraryJournal.com Audio Book Reviews

"Unforgettable characters . . . well worth investing the time to read it. Civil War buffs and anyone interested in the history of our great country . . . will relish this book.  —MyShelf.com

"A rarity! Good historical fiction! . . .  Eminently readable with a good flow and timing . . . well worth a leisurely read."  —Charge! Civil War Wargaming & News

"Jones makes good use of this source material, crafting a novel with strong appeal for military history buffs."  —Historical Novel Society

"If you are a Civil War buff, make room on your shelf for this one . . . and if you love an incredibly moving story, indulge yourself."  —Armchair Interviews

"A highly charged emotional rendering. We rated this touching novel five hearts."  —Heartland Reviews

"A highly dramatic and original storyline . . . meticulously researched for maximum believability. . . . A wonderful read that will appeal to history buffs on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line."  —Pinstripe Press Blog

About the Author

The author, David H. Jones, born and raised in West Virginia, has been a lifelong student of the Civil War. His research took him into the swamps of Dinwiddie County, Virginia, to rediscover the lost location where a pivotal event in the book took place. A graduate of Kentucky Military Institute and Babson College, former Navy officer, and entrepreneur, he currently lives and writes in Los Angeles, California.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Staghorn Press; 1st edition (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979689856
• ISBN-13: 978-0979689857
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #848,741 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David H. Jones was born and raised in West Virginia and has been a lifelong student of the American Civil War. He is the author of "Two Brothers: One North, One South," an award winning Civil War novel closely based on real people and actual events. David found the story of the Prentiss brothers of Baltimore while researching James Touchstone, his great great grandfather who served in the 6th Maryland Infantry Regiment. His research took him into the swamps of Dinwiddie County, Virginia, to rediscover the lost location where a pivotal event in the book took place. A graduate of Babson College, former Navy officer, and business executive, he currently lives and writes in Los Angeles, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Civil War Novel Out of the Ordinary, January 6, 2008

By 

Bruce Trinque (Amston, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Two Brothers - One North, One South (Hardcover)

The dramatic device of "brother against brother" has long been a cliché of novels and movies about the American Civil War. Thus, it was with some trepidation that I approached David H. Jones's "Two Brothers: One North, One South." Yes, this novel indeed centers about one Confederate and one Union brother, but it is also a novel firmly based upon fact and not merely melodramatic invention. The two brothers of the title were actual 19th century American brothers: William Prentiss of the 2nd Maryland Infantry (CSA) and Clifton Prentiss of the 6th Maryland Infantry (USA), and Jones's novel is closely drawn from the two men's genuine histories, from the months preceding the outbreak of war to the days following its end. Both men saw hard service in the Eastern Theater of the war, allowing the author to construct a fairly comprehensive survey of military events, the scope of the story being broadened when appropriate by reference to the two brothers' friends and acquaintances.

A factor which is simultaneously a hurdle and a strength of the novel is that the characters speak like characters in a 19th century novel: formal, ornate, sometimes flowery language quite unlike that of our current day. This sustains an atmosphere that clearly places the story in a different era, giving the novel an unusual feeling of authenticity, but also might be an obstacle to those readers unable or unwilling to cope with the emotional distance created by that language.

The story is told in an episodic manner spread out over four years of tumultuous events; each segment, however, is clearly identified with regard to time and place, helping the reader maintain orientation. In the first half of the book, the story is clearly weighted towards the Confederate side of history, but the balance swings more towards a Union perspective as the war goes on. What could have been a magnolia blossom and mint juleps Southern-romanticized picture of the American Civil War instead ends up a more evenhanded portrait, examining how the perception of issues altered over time and how Secessionist dreams turned dry and barren by the end of the war.

One unexpected element of the novel is the use of Walt Whitman as a major character and narrator when his duties at an Army hospital bring him into close contact with both brothers (it is historical fact that both were severely wounded in one of the last engagements of the war).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Two Brothers and the Story of the Civil War, January 4, 2009

By 

Shogun Len "tokieyasu" (Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Two Brothers - One North, One South (Hardcover)

Two Brothers is a historical novel based on the little known story of two real brothers from Baltimore who fought on opposite sides of the American Civil War.

The novel is narrated by Walt Whitman and tells a fascinating story that in a nutshell is the story of the American Civil War. From the two brothers and those around them, the reader gets a full and thorough explanation of the causes and results of the civil war on American society.

The book is strongest in putting the reader into the time period of the Civil War. From pre-war Baltimore to the seige of Petersburg, David Jones has done a terrific job of recreating the time period. The reader is transported back to this time period.

Unfortunately, the weakness of the book is the dialogue. The dialogue for the first 1/3 of the book is stiff and does not flow naturally. The writting of dialogue gets better as the book goes on and reaches the climax.

I really enjoyed how the book recreated the time period, but had a hard time with some of the dialogue.

I highly recommend this book to high school teachers and high school students who may cover the civil war in an American History of AP US History class. I feel for a teenage reader, where the dialogue problems will not be some much of an issue, that this book would be a great supplement or compliment to how the civil war is taught in school. A teenager reading this book would gain a complete picture of the civil war: causes, affects, tactics, combat, role of women, role of African-Americans from this book.

I would like to read more from David Jones. My one problem with this book, the dialogue, got better by the end of the book so I think his next book will be even better. Mr. Jones clearly has passion for the American Civil War and he has a gift of describing this time in history. I hope he continues to write on the subject. Again, the story the book tells is pretty amazing and is symbolic of the whole war. And again, if you know a teenager who would like to learn about the Civil War, get them this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you're a fan of civil war fiction, give it a try!, December 2, 2008

By 

K. Gilligan "grad student & literature lover" (Haddon Heights, NJ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Two Brothers - One North, One South (Hardcover)

"Moonlight glimmered on the distant capitol dome and cast long shadows from the gothic towers and battlements of the Smithsonian Institute. To the west, the partially completed shaft of the Washington Monument appeared like a giant white chimney protruding from the dark landscape. Between these edifices were fields filled with temporary streets and wooden buildings. Bathed in the dim light was a city transforming itself from a military bastion consumed by the business of war to a city intent on governing the once-again United States."

("Two Brothers: One North, One South" pg 7)



I have to say that I love the opening paragraph above. Sometimes when I go back to reread a book and I'm looking for a few good lines to use in my review, I have to look for quite awhile. In this case, it's the first thing you read- and they're perfect. As I mentioned in one of my recent reviews about another author, this is what Creative Writing teachers strive to pull from you. The imagery is fantastic. You can picture the capitol! Or perhaps it's even those first two words- "Moonlight glimmered"- a perfect descriptive hook.

The story itself is pretty good. The title is self explanatory, it's the story of two brothers during the American Civil War. I've not read much historical fiction set during this time. The only thing that comes to mind is Ann Rinaldi's The Last Silk Dress, but that is a completely different type of book (still good though!). "Two Brothers...." is based upon actual historical events which is what I think really makes it work. The author did a tremendous amount of research- and I think it shows in the story. (Not that I would know differently, as my knowledge in this area is lacking... but I'll take his word for it that most of the details and dates and such are historically accurate!)

What I liked most about this book is that it didn't read like a boring history book. I've come across so many historical fiction novels that put too much emphasis on history and not enough on fiction. There isn't enough 'story.' They attempt to write nonfiction disguised as fiction. In this case, "Two Brothers..." is the perfect balance. There's action and dialogue. The history is there, but you can tell that you're reading fiction. Hopefully you understand what I mean.

I would indeed recommend this to anyone looking for historical fiction set during or around the American Civil War. For that matter, I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good story!

(Originally written for "Kathleen's Book Reviews")