This is such good stuff I want to keep it before you for another day and encourage you to take a look at it. The book is a very personal story about the tragic and bloody divisions that the Civil (!) War brought to the mountain people of the Southern Appalachians. There were very few slave owners in the mountains and most of the mountain people figured that this conflict was none of their business. But they were not able to maintain their neutrality. The Southern "recruiters" came after them and drafted them into the Rebel cause whether they wanted to go or not. And some went on their own accord. It was especially fierce in Western North Carolina, and Madison County earned the nickname of "bloody Madison". Many of the men and boys "went across the moutain" and joined the boys in blue over in East Tennessee and literally ended up fighting their brothers and fathers and cousins. Neighbors fought neighbors and long after the War was over the blood feuds continued to rage. This was true on up into Kentucky and West Virginia where similar divisions had taken place.

    Sheila's story is the story of the folks from Sodom Laurel and how all of this affected them and the scars that it left. The music on Jim and Sheila's CD is music authentic to the era and the place. Jim has a number of other very fine CDs of Civil War music. Check their website for this. Some are strictly instrumental, featuring Jim's hammered (and handmade)dulcimer and Sheila's banjo. On some of them, Jim's fine voice is featured. Once again, his music is authentic in terms of being carefully researched. Contrary to what it sounded like in my earlier posting, I am not against "historical research"! I've done a lot of it myself. In any case, I hope you will enjoy both the story - Sheila has been a great storyteller long before she became a novelist - and the music. T.O.M.