Cloudsplitter
11 journalers for this copy...
Book Description: A triumph of the imagination and a masterpiece of modern storytelling, Cloudsplitter is narrated by the enigmatic Owen Brown, last surviving son of America's most famous and still controversial political terrorist and martyr, John Brown. Deeply researched, brilliantly plotted, and peopled with a cast of unforgettable characters both historical and wholly invented, Cloudsplitter is dazzling in its re-creation of the political and social landscape of our history during the years before the Civil War, when slavery was tearing the country apart. But within this broader scope, Russell Banks has given us a riveting, suspenseful, heartbreaking narrative filled with intimate scenes of domestic life, of violence and action in battle, of romance and familial life and death that make the reader feel in astonishing ways what it is like to be alive in that time.
This is also No. 82 on the 1001 books you must read before you die list.
From 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die:
Narrated by Owen Brown, the novel retrospectively relates the story of his father, the complex and charismatic John Brown, who from uncertain beginnings becomes a radical abolitionist, a terrorist fighter, and ultimately a martyr for the cause. The reflective, elegiac voice of the son relates the triumphs and failures of the father, detailing his extraordinary plan to free the slaves and increasing radicalism of his politics. Yet in the background is the knowledge of what was inevitably to follow from such divisions--the terrible slaughter and division of the Civil War itself. Denying a recent tendency to airbrush this crucial period in American history, Owen's fragile voice offers the reader an idiosyncratic and truthful vision of events. Banks' great achievement is the way in which he builds and extraordinarily compelling narrative from the interaction of relatively obscure historical characters with recognizably human frailties. This is coupled with an eye for detail and a sense of the profound divisions of the society in which the Brown family live, all animated by a pervasive sense of injustice, individual right, and the intense aura of religious devotion. For Cloudsplitter is no simply a novel about grand ideas; it moves seamlessly between lyrical evocations of rural life and the landscape, domestic intimacy, violent conflict, and familial strife. It shows us modern America in the process of formation.
Fascinating look at the life of John Brown, the abolitionist who thought slavery was an abomination and who thought he was God's instrument in trying to eliminate it from the country. The novel is narrated by his last surviving son, Owen Brown (photo left), who escaped from Harper's Ferry, and tells of the beginnings of the Brown clan in Ohio, Massachusetts, and North Elba, New York. The novel is long and detailed and really gives the reader the feel of living in the middle 19th century with its many hardships and struggles including the deaths of many of the Brown children. It includes details of Brown's anti-slavery beliefs, the Underground Railroad, and includes insights on historical personages such as Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. It also includes the details of Brown's actions in "Bloody Kansas" and his eventual downfall at Harper's Ferry. The novel works at many levels: it is full of ideas, it is the story of an American family, and it is full of adventure. Although I think the novel could have been shortened somewhat - it is sometimes very wordy - I would still highly recommend this one to anyone interested in American history, the Civil War, and the fight for abolition of slavery.
Received today in mail - many thanks for sending my way & for the honour of starting this bookray.
I have one 'not to long' book to finish & then will start reading this one...
I have one 'not to long' book to finish & then will start reading this one...
Well, I finished it... that is not to imply that didn't enjoy it - just that it is a very long read & as Perryfan already said - it could probably have been shortened !!!. I enjoyed very much learning more about John Brown the abolisionist - it made me realise just how little I had known prior to reading this ("John Brown's body lies amoulding in the grave....")....
I also enjoyed the book when it was in 'storytelling mode'... but, I have to confess to getting really rather bored with large chunks of narrative just expounding on John Brown's religious beliefs with huge chunks of bibilical quotes ....
Overall I came away with a strong dislike for John Brown & in answer to one of the questions raised in the book - I think he must have been somewhat insane...
Larger than life, every character in the book revolves around him - he uses them, controls them and in general shows very little feeling for anyone or anything other than his fiercely held religious beliefs... as you can see, I did not like 'this John Brown'.
He was very much larger than life - he was like the mountains he loved 'Cloudsplitter'. Thank you for sending this my way perrfan.. I will have it start another journey next week sometime...
I also enjoyed the book when it was in 'storytelling mode'... but, I have to confess to getting really rather bored with large chunks of narrative just expounding on John Brown's religious beliefs with huge chunks of bibilical quotes ....
Overall I came away with a strong dislike for John Brown & in answer to one of the questions raised in the book - I think he must have been somewhat insane...
Larger than life, every character in the book revolves around him - he uses them, controls them and in general shows very little feeling for anyone or anything other than his fiercely held religious beliefs... as you can see, I did not like 'this John Brown'.
He was very much larger than life - he was like the mountains he loved 'Cloudsplitter'. Thank you for sending this my way perrfan.. I will have it start another journey next week sometime...
Sending this book off media mail on the next stage of it's journey.. Enjoy.
Cloudsplitter has arrived in Salt Lake. And I'm relieved reading your "rules" that I needn't try to rush through it! I'm currently reading a book to release for Peace Days, but I will start this right after. Thanks!
First, my profuse apologies at having had this book so long. I did at least pm perryfran, and he graciously allowed me extra time.
So, while I agree with oppem that this book didn't need to be 758pages, I did really enjoy reading it. I learned a fair amount about the Underground Railroad when I lived in Marietta, Ohio, but i learned more from this tome. And I too had known little about John Brown aside from a few lines of the song (i'm sure there must have been a paragraph or two sometime in American History classes, but that was a VERY long time ago), and I'm sure the Kansas Wars are totally new to me. I also feel like I gained more knowledge of the reallies of daily life of the time. And while much changes, much remains. Unfortunately, too much of the racism found here still exists. And given the state of our(US) Union today, I couldn't resist marking the following:
"[John Brown] insisted that a politician could never be trusted anyhow, for even if he held a decent conviction, he was ever ready to sacrifice it to advantage himself."
Thank you for sharing this perryfran, and thanks for allowing me time to finish. I've pm'd sailorarby, and will send when I get the address.
So, while I agree with oppem that this book didn't need to be 758pages, I did really enjoy reading it. I learned a fair amount about the Underground Railroad when I lived in Marietta, Ohio, but i learned more from this tome. And I too had known little about John Brown aside from a few lines of the song (i'm sure there must have been a paragraph or two sometime in American History classes, but that was a VERY long time ago), and I'm sure the Kansas Wars are totally new to me. I also feel like I gained more knowledge of the reallies of daily life of the time. And while much changes, much remains. Unfortunately, too much of the racism found here still exists. And given the state of our(US) Union today, I couldn't resist marking the following:
"[John Brown] insisted that a politician could never be trusted anyhow, for even if he held a decent conviction, he was ever ready to sacrifice it to advantage himself."
Thank you for sharing this perryfran, and thanks for allowing me time to finish. I've pm'd sailorarby, and will send when I get the address.
I've pm'd sailorarby twice and have had no response, so I have now pm'd NancyNova.
Oh my. I have the book now & will say up front that it will take more than the usual month to get through, especially with the holidays. I will PM the next in line after I'm about 1/2 way through the book and can estimate a finish date.
An addendum to my last post - The book has been added to the next TBRs to be read - 2 666 books, the January book club epic novel, plus this one - it looks like the stack will topple any minute! Having some time off over the holidays before I start grad school will be a blessing!
Just started the book, and am scurrying over to Wikipedia to get a little more factual information about Harper's Ferry (which I confess, I don't remember anything about), which may help with the way the narrator (Owen) wends his way through oodles of description while you're trying to figure out the storyline.
This book got bumped by the book club book, as I couldn't keep the story lines straight reading them concurrently. This will be the main read, starting this weekend. PM'd the next in line for address.
ray: Written from the viewpoint of Owen Brown, John Brown's surviving son who was not at Harper's Ferry, the book starts many years before Harper's Ferry and attempts to reconcile who and what John Brown was. The book also delves into many abolishionist activities that both Owen and John Sr. participated in. I find John Sr's wife extraordinary, because John Sr would just fix in his head that he needed to go to Ohio, Kansas or whatever to help the slaves - and off he'd go, leaving the management of everything in NY to his wife's hands. John Sr. also had a plan to free the slaves, fully expecting them to join him in the battle for other slave's freedom - but that was so far away from other abolishionist plans, that it never happened. Throughout the book, you wondered if "the old man" was insane, deluded or a little of both.
I have the address for the next reader, so this is being packed for shipping out tomorrow.
I have the address for the next reader, so this is being packed for shipping out tomorrow.
On it's way across the pond to the next reader. Enjoy!
The book arrived yesterday and since i've just finished reading a book I'll start on it today. It's a quite a big one with over 700 pages, so it will probably take me a while to finish it.
Finished the book last week. Next to a nice book to read it also was a history lesson. Can't remember ever before hearing of Harpers ferry. I agree with the people above that the book was quite lengthy and could have been shortened. But it still managed to keep me interested.
Journal Entry 19 by EmgeeNL at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Monday, March 5, 2012
Released 12 yrs ago (3/3/2012 UTC) at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
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The book is on it's way to Danielle in the UK
Journal Entry 20 by Danielle23 at Sunderland, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Saturday, March 10, 2012
Just picked this book up from the post office. Perfect timing really as I finished my current read on the way to collect this one. Starting it today and here's hoping it won't take too long.
Journal Entry 21 by Danielle23 at Sunderland, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Wow! I was not sure what to expect from this book having never heard of Harper's Ferry or of John Brown before. The book was a great read; very interesting and informative and, like Emgee said, almost like a hostory lesson.
I had a great deal of sympathy for John Brown for the most part that is until the Pottawatomie Massacre. His denial of any involvement and his basic "Well I didn't kill anyone attitude" really annoyed me and the more I thought about it the more it seemed like he got his sons and sons-in-law to do the killing (at least in the early stages).
I don't feel like he deserved the title of 'the first domestic american terrorist' but felt that he was more of a freedom fighter and abolitionist.
After reading the book I researched a little and read more about Brown and Harper's Ferry, and although some may deem it a bad decision by Brown, it did eventually lead to the abolotion of slavery.
A great read and will be travelling to the next in line sometime this week. Thanks for sharing perryfran and for giving me the chance to read this book I would otherwise not have chosen.
I had a great deal of sympathy for John Brown for the most part that is until the Pottawatomie Massacre. His denial of any involvement and his basic "Well I didn't kill anyone attitude" really annoyed me and the more I thought about it the more it seemed like he got his sons and sons-in-law to do the killing (at least in the early stages).
I don't feel like he deserved the title of 'the first domestic american terrorist' but felt that he was more of a freedom fighter and abolitionist.
After reading the book I researched a little and read more about Brown and Harper's Ferry, and although some may deem it a bad decision by Brown, it did eventually lead to the abolotion of slavery.
A great read and will be travelling to the next in line sometime this week. Thanks for sharing perryfran and for giving me the chance to read this book I would otherwise not have chosen.
Journal Entry 22 by Danielle23 at Sunderland, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Released 12 yrs ago (4/11/2012 UTC) at Sunderland, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom
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Travelling to kingfan30, the next in line x
Journal Entry 23 by kingfan30 at Corby Glen, Lincolnshire United Kingdom on Saturday, April 14, 2012
Gosh what a big book! I hope your postcard is right Danielle23 :) I have 3 books ahead of this so will get to it as soon as I can
19 May 12 - I started off enjoying this book, the underground rail road helping slaves north to freedom was not something I had read or heard about before and I found it interesting. But about half way through the book describes the family's financial problems and a trip to England with their wool to try and make their fortune. It could have been covered over a few pages not the amount of space it was given, it did not really ad anything to the story and was not that interesting. Also the religious aspects were getting more and more often with passages quoted from the bible, not my sort of thing I'm afraid.
The characters are not particularly likeable, John is quite frankly barking mad, which becomes more and more evident as the book goes on. Owen the son and narrater is quite winy, would this book have been better from johns perspective?
The scenes of domesticated life were at times shocking, so many people on so little room. So many babies lost to child birth or illness. And how the wife felt at being left so often while her husband and eldest sons went off to rescue slaves / fight for the cause, I have no idea.
The book is building up the whole time to a big battle at harpers ferry, so I was surprised that so few pages were dedicated to this in the end. And although it was all in a good cause there seemed to be a lot of unnecessary blood letting.
Worth a read but quite a bit if skimming was done over the religious passages.
19 May 12 - I started off enjoying this book, the underground rail road helping slaves north to freedom was not something I had read or heard about before and I found it interesting. But about half way through the book describes the family's financial problems and a trip to England with their wool to try and make their fortune. It could have been covered over a few pages not the amount of space it was given, it did not really ad anything to the story and was not that interesting. Also the religious aspects were getting more and more often with passages quoted from the bible, not my sort of thing I'm afraid.
The characters are not particularly likeable, John is quite frankly barking mad, which becomes more and more evident as the book goes on. Owen the son and narrater is quite winy, would this book have been better from johns perspective?
The scenes of domesticated life were at times shocking, so many people on so little room. So many babies lost to child birth or illness. And how the wife felt at being left so often while her husband and eldest sons went off to rescue slaves / fight for the cause, I have no idea.
The book is building up the whole time to a big battle at harpers ferry, so I was surprised that so few pages were dedicated to this in the end. And although it was all in a good cause there seemed to be a lot of unnecessary blood letting.
Worth a read but quite a bit if skimming was done over the religious passages.
On its way to the next reader.
The book has arrived safely. Thank you.
Quite an epic read. It took me longer to read than I expected. It was very interesting and told me a lot about the man and his life than I was aware of.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
It's just arrived and it could be a while before I can start it.
But it's here and safe :-D
But it's here and safe :-D
Wow what a book! I enjoyied the parts describing daily life on the farm, and helping escaped slaves get to Canada. The rest, well you just knew it wouldn't turn out well.
A bit of a history lesson for me too :-)
A bit of a history lesson for me too :-)
Released 11 yrs ago (10/1/2012 UTC) at Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand
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Off to the UK, with a bunch of bookmarks :-)
Journal Entry 30 by 
shnedwards
at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
shnedwards at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
It's here! Thank you Sfogs for sending this on to me, and for the bookmarks!
This *is* a large, well-travelled book! I have a few other books I need to read first, but I will get this one read and on its way again as soon as I can.
Thanks perryfran for sharing!
This *is* a large, well-travelled book! I have a few other books I need to read first, but I will get this one read and on its way again as soon as I can.
Thanks perryfran for sharing!
I finished it! Finally! I'm sorry it took me so long. It seemed there were always other books I needed to read for various purposes. So it got left, then I started it, then I put it on one side to read another 20 books for *another* convention, then it got left a little longer. But I resumed it a week or two ago and have been totally immersed since, right up to the end. An excellent book that I wouldn't have looked at twice if it weren't for the 1001 list.
AVL for now.
AVL for now.
Journal Entry 32 by shnedwards at Yorks Bakery Cafe - Newhall street in Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, June 28, 2014
shnedwards at Yorks Bakery Cafe - Newhall street in Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, June 28, 2014
Released 9 yrs ago (6/28/2014 UTC) at Yorks Bakery Cafe - Newhall street in Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom
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Please make as few or as many comments about the book as you wish. The book is now yours to do with as you choose.
Keep it, pass it on, but please leave the label, so it can keep in touch with us.
If you would like to know what happens to the book after you have passed it on, then do join - it's free, private and it's fun.
Picked this up at meetup - very interested to read it after reading through your comments.
