Amazon.com: Two Brothers - One North, One South (9780979689857): David H. Jones: Books

More About the Author

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

› Visit Amazon's David H. Jones Page

Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Maryland Battalion, Captain Murray, Major Prentiss, Sixth Corps, General Lee, Colonel Johnson, President Lincoln, United States, Fort Gilmer, General Pegram, Confederate Army, Major Goldsborough, Lieutenant Eichelberger, Harpers Ferry, General Jackson, Colonel Douglas, General Beauregard, Union Army, General Butler, Army of the Potomac, New York, Maryland Infantry, Jefferson Davis, North Carolina, Army of Northern Virginia

Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

(What's this?)

Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.

american civil war(6)

walt whitman(5)

historical fiction(4)

civil war fiction(3)

baltimore(2)

novel(2)

petersburg(2)

civil war(1)

civil war novel(1)

historical novel(1)

historical�fict ion(1)

See all 30 tags...

Customer Reviews

16 Reviews

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.1 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 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) (REAL NAME)

The dramatic device of "brother against brother" has long been a clich� 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).

Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for history buffs, June 9, 2008

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Bethany L. Canfield for Reader Views (6/08)

The question of war is always the same: is what is gained through it worth the loss that it causes? "Two Brothers: One North, One South" by David H Jones is not the typical history book that conveys only the gruesome dates and facts of the Civil War, but the war is brought to a more intimate level. Two brothers, who love each other, brought up in the same family, both in the same house, who grew up as friends yet a wedge is developed as the war cries out to each of them and their loyalties lie firmly on opposing sides. Deep from within each brother there is a call to be loyal, true and never wavering, but this loyalty will threaten their family, bring division and cause hurt. That is a high price to pay, but it does not seem to get a second thought by either of them, who are both bent on serving their country, and protecting their rights, while challenging and bringing change.

"Two Brothers" informs the reader of the nature behind the war and the people who sustained it. Jones perfects the task of displaying the confusion, the chaos, the misunderstanding of what the war was going to be, and especially how long it would take and what it would cost (in lives especially). Citizens became soldiers overnight, and left their families. The emphasis is put that no one really knew what was going on' almost all of the men in uniform were not soldiers, but regular men -- farmers, plantation owners, scholars. Many of them were young men, some were only fifteen-years of age, and did not know the price, but knew they were being beckoned. Their adrenaline was rushing; they believed in the cause and therefore off the boys, men and soldiers headed to a war which was too hungry for human flesh. When over, it was more a feeling of chaos and loss, because so much of what was accomplished was hidden beneath the dirty, tired surface.

I enjoyed the humanness attached the Civil War, that Jones was able to put faces and feelings while not neglecting the dates and facts. I was captured by the families involved and the outcome and affect of the war on their lives as individuals, as families. However, to me the way it was written was too predictable. I know that we all know the outcome but, I am talking about a dullness in the writing, or more a lack of details and development. The art was left out of the prose and conversations. I am not sure if this was intentional, but I would have enjoyed a more artistic portrayal. As I said, it could have been intentionally full of very practical speech, and descriptions because of the time which the author is intending to portray. But I could tell the author was more of a historian than a writer, since his dates and battles were described with such care, yet he seemed to struggle through some of deepness and development of characters, causing me to not feel as deeply connected as I could have to each of them. I would recommend "Two Brothers: One North, One South," especially if you are a history buff, or if you enjoy historical novels from the civil war era. It was good, just not as touching as I think it could have been.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A UNIQUE LOOK AT THE CIVIL WAR., February 15, 2009

By	Steven Hancock (Winston Salem, NC United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

David H. Jone's "Two Brothers: One North, One South" is a fascinating look at the American Civil War from the perspective of two Maryland brothers who fought on opposing sides of the war. What makes this Civil War novel unique is that, while it is a work of fiction, several of the characters and events, in particular the brothers themselves, are based on actual people and events from the war itself. While the narrative is slow at times, the rich characters, and the description of pivotal battles, such as Gettysburg and the final assault on Petersburg, are riveting, and will leave the reader in or nearing tears. As a student of the Civil War, and of good literature, I recommend this book to other students of the war, and to those who enjoy enjoy a good read from time to time.
Grade: B+

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 16 customer reviews...

Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Two Brothers: One North, One South, One Story
Two Brothers, One North, One South, David Jones, Staghorn Press, 320pp., 2007, $24.95.

With a diligent handling of the primary sources and a creative approach, David... Read more

Published 10 months ago by Rea Andrew Redd

4.0 out of 5 stars Two Brothers and the Story of the Civil War
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. Read more

Published 10 months ago by Shogun Len

4.0 out of 5 stars If you're a fan of civil war fiction, give it a try!
"Moonlight glimmered on the distant capitol dome and cast long shadows from the gothic towers and battlements of the Smithsonian Institute. Read more

Published 11 months ago by K. Gilligan

3.0 out of 5 stars A House Divided
With the coming of the American Civil War many families found themselves torn apart by conflicting ideologies and loyalties. Read more

Published 16 months ago by James D. Miller

3.0 out of 5 stars Flat, one-sided story with NO character development...
I hesitate with the three stars thinking it may be a bit generous, but let me begin with what I did like about this book:
I liked the premise of Whitman getting close to... Read more

Published 16 months ago by C. J. Daniels

3.0 out of 5 stars Two Brothers
The Civil War tore families apart like no other war in American history has ever done. It was not uncommon for brothers, or fathers and sons, to fight the war from opposing... Read more

Published 17 months ago by Sam Sattler

2.0 out of 5 stars Stilted and boring
I simply do not understand the audience for this book. It seemed that the author was using big words just for the sake of using them, yet the dialog was almost insulting in its... Read more

Published 18 months ago by JC

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and enjoyable read
This book was very informative and gave me a great idea of what it was like to live in Baltimore and surrounding areas during that time. Read more

Published 18 months ago by D. Gabb

5.0 out of 5 stars An American family's struggle woven onto the tapestry of one of the most bitter times in US history!
Many authors who attempt to write historical fiction have difficulty weaving their story onto the backdrop of the historical time-period they use as a setting. Read more

Published 19 months ago by R. Ballister

5.0 out of 5 stars A very moving story, well-told
As a young Rebel soldier lay dying of wounds in a Union hospital, he gets a visitor. He and the visitor do not know each other for the visitor is a volunteer who has been moved by... Read more

Published 20 months ago by armchairinterviews.com

› See all 16 customer reviews...

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Be the first person to add an article about this item at Amapedia.com.

› See featured Amapedia.com articles

Look for Similar Items by Category

Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Historical
Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > War
Books > Romance > Historical

Two Brothers - One North, One South (Hardcover)

Formats

Frequently Bought Together

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Editorial Reviews

Review

Product Description

Product Details

More About the Author

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

Customer Reviews

Customer Discussions

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight

Start a new discussion

Listmania!

So You'd Like to...

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Feedback

Your Recent History

	92% buy the item featured on this page: Two Brothers - One North, One South 4.1 out of 5 stars (16) $18.96
	3% buy Shades of Gray: A Novel of the Civil War in Virginia 4.4 out of 5 stars (40) $19.79