Archel Camp

Written by a grand-nephew about his Uncle Charley, from reminiscences of Archel Camp's dad, Charley's brother. As is the way of many a family "history" I'm sure this is an amalgamation of memories, facts, fictions and story telling. It covers the period just before and during the Civil War in America with a bit of a mop up after. Clearly Uncle Charley has become a folk hero to his nephew and family. Who am I to disagree?

However, the book is unsettling and difficult to read with our modern sensibilities. Written in 1960, the author clearly feels that slavery was wrong, but does not hesitate to paint the slave as a willing servant in his own family history, and his ancestors as benevolent and charming owners. I have strong issues with the way the title character received and treated his daughter. So, the book was difficult for me to read because I was not fond of its hero. It had some interest as a family story of that time in America, and although there was much to much repetition for my taste at the end, it was readable as a time capsule of both the 1860s and the early 1960s attitudes.… (meer)