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Title: Jacob's Ladder: A Story of Virginia During the War by Donald McCaig, Robert E. Lee ISBN: 0-606-29642-5 Publisher: Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media Pub. Date: November, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $21.40

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Average Customer Rating: 4 (37 reviews)

Rating: 4
Summary: A Civil War novel that's actually about the Civil War
Comment: I read Donald McCaig's wonderful new book two months ago and waited for the rest of the world to discover it too. What gives? Here is a complex, seamless and beautifully written book that neither glosses over the social inequities of the time nor attempts to judge 19th century thoughts and actions with a 20th-century hoity-toity political correctness. Not only that, it's a heck of a story. Anyone who likes a good read should like this book. Anyone who's interested in the Civil War and wants a heart-in-your-throat, immediate sense of the horrific Virginia battles should like this book. Don't get me wrong, I loved "Cold Mountain." But it mainly a love story, with nature as a subplot and the Civil War only as a backdrop. "Jacob's Ladder" is mainly about the war, as seen through the eyes of some endearing and deftly drawn characters. Why is this book missing the public bandwagon? I'm glad I sneaked into the select group who heard about it early and read it right away.

Rating: 5
Summary: A gripping, authentic novel of VA and the Civil War
Comment: Not since Shaara's "The Killer Angels" has anyone written a novel so expressive of the passion and agony wrapped up in this terrible war. McCaig's memorable characters weave a tight and authentic story of love and honor and compassion that does more to express humankind's for familial relationship than any book I've ever read. Here is a genuine story of race relations. Plus, the novel is absolutely true to its setting: McCaig knows Virginia and Virginians like a native.

Monty S. Leitch Pilot, VA

Rating: 4
Summary: An outstanding historical novel
Comment: I read this novel last year. This was well in advance of the recent revelations about Strom Thurmond's unacknowledged child by his family's black maid back when Strom was in his 20s and the young lady was 16. The hypocrisy of that episode brought to mind the story of Duncan and Midge. And of course there is a current film with Anthony Hopkins where he portrays a young black man who "passed" for white to advance in the USA back in the days when this nation was overly obsessed with skin pigment.
This book can be appreciated on many levels. There really was an effort made to record the oral narratives of former slaves although by the 30s, very few were still alive or lucid enough to provide accurate histories. The author's skillful use of this actual event in the 30s to construct the storyline was impressive.
The hardships and deprivations of the landed Virginia planter aristocracy during and after the war are vividly brought to life. The lives of the slaves and the world they inhabited are also recreated in this book as in no other I've ever read though sadly we dont have much lit dealing with the day to day reality of being a slave in the old South.
We read this book and we find ourselves cheering Midge as she ultimately triumphs and earns a spot in "respectable society". But at what cost? Early on in the book we learn that Midge/Maggie/Marguerite ---perhaps unique among her fellow slaves--had the gift of mimicry and could "talk white". That talent--coupled with her lighter skin--- so early displayed in the novel will carry Midge along thru the rest of her life.
I dont know if anyone has ever bought the rights to this novel and I'm sure a politically correct Hollywood would badly mangle the storyline, but the role of Maggie/Marguerite would be great for a young Halle Berry.
One of my favorite lines is spoken by Duncan to a Confederate soldier and fellow alum of VMI: "Boy we sure did teach them Yankees a lesson back there" [referring to a battle] and the reply: "Yeah, and they keep on not learning it!"