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Steve Wiegenstein

Auteur van Slant of Light

4+ Werken 34 Leden 6 Besprekingen

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Bevat de naam: Steve Wigenstein

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Werken van Steve Wiegenstein

Gerelateerde werken

A City of Refuge: Quincy, Illinois (2000) — Medewerker — 4 exemplaren
Mormon Historical Studies - Vol. 2, No. 1 (Spring 2001) (2001) — Medewerker — 1 exemplaar

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I did not have the opportunity to read the first two books in the Daybreak Series but I can honestly say I don’t feel any particular loss. The Language of Trees stood along just fine. The author filled in any back story quite seamlessly and if you want to know the truth I was rather blind to the fact that there were other books – I somehow how just didn’t figure it out somehow. And obviously it didn’t have an impact on my reading enjoyment but I do now want to find time to read them – as if. I wish I could find a box of time – anybody?

The novel is about a Utopian town in Missouri that has been in existence for around 30 years. I can’t say that I got from descriptions that it was thriving but it was certainly surviving. The inhabitants were committed to the ideals of combining their funds and making improvements by committee. There are the usual troubles when you have people living in a small town but nothing that they can’t (so far) handle.

Then some men ins suits from back East come ’round looking to buy their trees. They are buying up all of the land they can to strip it and send the lumber back to build houses and stores and cities. And then they find a vein of silver and more greed sets in. The citizens of Daybreak have to decide if they want to do business with these man or to try and stay as they are. The thoughts of all of that money are also causing some people to rethink the communal ideals. Will the community survive? Will their commitment to sharing all hold firm?

There is a lot going on in the book. The discussions of the Utopian community, family issues, greed, love, lust and more. Mr. Wiegenstein has done his research and it shows with lots of period detail. The characters are all unique and despite their being of the 19th century they seem – most of them anyway – like people I would want to have dinner with. Most of them. There are of course a villain or two for their wouldn’t be a good story without one.

It’s an interesting book to read in today’s world as well. Greed, raping the forest, differences between the rich and the poor. You see what I mean. It’s a well written morality play full of wonderful prose and memorable characters.
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Gemarkeerd
BooksCooksLooks | Oct 16, 2017 |
This Old World is the second book in the Slant of Light series and starts after the Civil War has ended. With almost all their men having been at war, Daybreak is hanging on by a thread. Raided time after time by bushwhackers and soldiers on both sides, the people of Daybreak are weary and hungry. Yet they have no choice but to persevere. Then the men come back. But they are hardly Daybreak’s saviors. The war has changed them too. Even James Turner, founder of Daybreak, has been scarred and lost his motivation to lead. Luckily, his wife Charlotte hasn’t lost her dogged determination in the face of challenge.

Most all of the characters who survived Slant of Light return in This Old World and some new ones are added. Lysander Smith’s mother shows up to provide a bit of respite from the serious tone of the book. Dathan is a man of few words with a quiet strength about him. He may have been my favorite character this time around.

Wiegenstein is excellent at giving each character a unique voice. And some of his characters in this book are definitely flawed. I wanted jump in the book and give a few of them a good talking to! Charlotte has come into her own as the leader of Daybreak, making tough decisions while keeping what’s left of the community going. Her strength is a marvel.

The time immediately following the Civil War was a dark, confusing time in American history and that is fantastically clear in This Old World. It’s darker and more tragic than Slant of Light but still just as captivating.

This Old World is a wonderful example that real gems of literature are published by small independent publishers. Don’t let the fact that a book is published by an indie dissuade you from reading it. Especially this one!
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Gemarkeerd
mcelhra | Nov 10, 2014 |
Giveaway! Enter to win a copy here by June 18th!
 
Gemarkeerd
zeteticat | 3 andere besprekingen | Apr 2, 2013 |
James Turner finds himself traveling around the country giving lectures after his book "Travels To Daybreak" a story about a Utopian community becomes a huge success. While traveling he meets his wife Charlotte, a strong willed woman that he knows is his perfect match. When on of his followers, George Webb, offers him a tract of land in Madison County, Missouri to form the community of Daybreak looking at it as a social experiment, where everyone who joins the community of Daybreak will own an equal share, and have an equal say, with all their earnings going into a common treasury, he decides to take Mr. Webb up on his offer.When his wife arrives she brings along Adam Cabot, a young abolitionist that her father had saved from hanging back in Kansas. Soon there are several community members and most are bookworms with the same ideals as James, but with little knowledge of farming. James quickly realizes that it isn't going to be easy to financially sustain the community. Inside the community, trust is lost, and leadership is tested, meanwhile on the outside there is unrest as a county goes to war. While the citizens of Daybreak deal with the turmoil going on inside their community they are determined to remain neutral where war is concerned. Will the community of Daybreak survive?

I love stories that revolve around the civil war and this book effortlessly pulls readers right into this time period. I found myself drawn to the characters. James was a character who had me volleying between like and dislike. While I thought his idea was interesting, I ultimately found myself very disappointed in him, and felt like his wife Charlotte was much stronger than he was, which was evident in the decision she made regarding Adam. There were several secondary characters that kept this story moving along. From George Webb's son Harp, who made moonshine and wasn't happy with the fact that his father had given the land so that Daybreak could be created, to Sam Hildebrand, an outlaw of sorts who kept cropping up in the story. The author's writing not only brought the characters to life but also allowed the reader to visualize the day to day life of Daybreak, and the decisions that had to be made. Another interesting aspect for me was the fact that the author weaves a bit of fact into his fiction. The author provides an ending that leaves the reader anxious for the next book. Overall whether your a fan of historical fiction or just looking for a book that will capture your imagination and not let go then you need to pick up this book! On a scale of one to five I would easily give this book a six because it's just that good!
… (meer)
 
Gemarkeerd
kittycrochettwo | 3 andere besprekingen | May 16, 2012 |

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Statistieken

Werken
4
Ook door
2
Leden
34
Populariteit
#413,653
Waardering
4.2
Besprekingen
6
ISBNs
7