HF The Black Flower by Howard Bahr

Historical-Fiction

MackCW

Private
Joined
Aug 30, 2020
651358.jpg


Forgive me if this book has been posted already but I did a search and could not locate it.

From Goodreads:
The Black Flower is the gripping story of a young Confederate soldier named Bushrod Carter. When Bushrod is wounded, he is taken to a makeshift hospital where he comes under the care of Anna, who has already lost two potential romances to battle. Bushrod and Anna's attempt to forge a bond in the midst of pathos and horror is a powerful reminder that the war that divided America will not vanish quietly into pages of history


This was a powerful novel about the Battle of Franklin and it is similar to Widow of the South although I believe this to be the superior book. Everything is believable from the dialect to the operations of the men in the ranks. It begins with levity and general good humor in the beginning of the book provided by Bushrod's pard, Virgil C. but it quickly devolves into sadness and the grim aspect that nobody escaped this war without being affected.

I don't want to spoil too much but the prose is masterful and the symbol of the small insect trying to go to the light in the midpoint really affected me. In my mind, this is one of the greatest Civil War novels of all time. It doesn't glorify the war but instead provides a solid basis of what being on a Civil War battlefield really meant.

If you have read it, what were your impressions of it?
 
Last edited:
The only thing wrong with The Black Flower is it had the poor fortune to come out at the same time as Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain, which overshadowed it. It is a finely wrought novel and well worth your time as a literature fan.
 
I have know Howard since the 1980's when he was the curator of William Faulkner's home "Rowan Oak". He is a wonderful man with a rich past and loads of talent.
He taught me that you can recite Emily Dickinson's poetry to the "Yellow Rose of Texas"! Try it
Regards
David
 
I have know Howard since the 1980's when he was the curator of William Faulkner's home "Rowan Oak". He is a wonderful man with a rich past and loads of talent.
He taught me that you can recite Emily Dickinson's poetry to the "Yellow Rose of Texas"! Try it
Regards
David

Makes sense he had that connection as I thought the novel struck me of Faulker. Absalom! Absalom! is a book I go back to often. Bahr, Faulkner, Percy and Foote. Mississippi certainly has a rich literary tradition.
 
Back
Top