Jacob's Cellar

by Richard G. Sharp

Jacob’s Cellar is a saga of assimilation and
survival, following of a clan of immigrants
that makes its way from pre-Revolution North
Carolina to Missouri in the years leading
up to the Civil War. The cellar itself is a dark
foreboding place used for family gatherings, as
a hiding place for objects and refugees, a retreat for lovers, a den of betrayal and ultimately the source of legends that ensures the salvation of protagonists from the crucible of the Civil War

The novel concerns the experience of ordinary rural Americans caught on the wrong side of history in most respects, participants in a journey leading to the disintegration of old cultural identities and assimilation into the larger society. Their individual triumphs and tragedies are tales of survival through these overwhelming events.

Genres: Historical Fiction

282 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2012

About the author

Richard Sharp earned a BA from Harvard as well as a Masters Degree from Princeton, launching a career as an international development consultant before recently retiring.His vast experience across the United States and over four dozen countries provides settings for his historically authentic novel settings.

He is the author of "Crystal Ships" (2013) his sweeping epic of America's decades of discontent, the Sixties and Seventies; "The Duke Don’t Dance" (2012),a saga oh the "silent generation," and his 19th century historical novels "Jacob’s Cellar" and "Time is the Oven," tales of the domestic impact of the Civil War and its aftermath. His publications have garnered him multiple accolades, including a place on the Kirkus Best Self-Published Book list (2013), the Independent Publishers gold medal for Best Adult Fiction E-Book award (2013), and a finalist finish in the ForeWord Clarion Firsts (2012) and Reader’s Favorite (2012) categories.

Sharp is married with two adult children.
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Reviews

[Richard Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A work of literary historical fiction that should attract a general readership as well as those with special interest in the assimilation of immigrants into rural American culture and/or in the years living up to the Civil War and the profound impact of the war on communities in the path of that devastating event. The novel touches on important episodes in American history (the War of Regulation in North Carolina, the Mexican War) that have been greatly overshadowed by the Civil War, as well as addressing aspects of that great war itself that are not often discussed. The politically inclined may find insights into rural American attitudes that persist to the present day as a result of the assimilation experience of the segments of American society addressed in the novel.

Like the author's contemporary novel, The Duke Don't Dance, the novel is a saga involving multiple protagonists over a substantial time period, weaving an evocative tale of elements of the American social landscape with whom the reader may be unfamiliar.

[Elizabeth (Stuffed Shelves) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read by Mr. Sharp, so I was excited to start Jacob's Cellar because I enjoyed The Duke Don't Dance so much

This is a book written in a multi-narrative point of view during the Civil War. Each character is an immigrant who is seeking shelter the basement. The leader of the group has been appointed to the blind grandfather who spends his time telling stories of family lore. He spices up many of his stories incorporating the popular stories originally told by Edgar Allan Poe, and Shakespeare. How much he incorporates and what he adds to his own stories, is determined by which family member he is telling the story to. There is a wide variety of ages incorporating three generations of family member which means lots of attention is on grandpa to entertain the with stories told from the American Revolution to the Civil War.

I wish some of the stories would have been written in a flashback point of view. I believe it would have gripped the reader in a much stronger way, but I am absolutely not disappointed how Mr. Sharp developed this book. I was engrossed with action and drama which goes to prove you don't have to incorporate different settings to keep the reader's attention. This is my only complaint about the book and Richard Sharps writing style.

Each character comprised in this book all had such strong and different personalities. Everyone had their strong and weak attributes, all bringing different qualities to the table in order to work efficiently as a family.

My favorite part of Jacob's Cellar was the great amount of different narration. It was so fun and interesting to read about every character and the stories that built up their personalities. You can put a large timeline of stories from multiple generations just by reading of a family who shared everything with one another.

All in all I would give this book a 5/5. I was able to read it with ease and great interest.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Received from Goodreads first reads giveaway

This book started slowly for me and then it grabbed me! It is a work of historical fiction. The book is about war, family, relationships, secrets and assimiliation. What first grabbed my attention was the mystery of what happened to Jacob in the celler. But then the lives of the many protaganosists, how they intertwined, and how they related to each other, as well as, how THEY were related to each other really sparked my interest. The storytelling was fantastic. I loved how it all unfolded and certain "truths" came out. The reader does learn what happened in the cellar - not just what happened to Jacob but what occured between other characters and how certain events shaped and changed lives. I really enjoyed this book.

[Granny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tale of a family whose stories about their lives moving west, and west again and again forms the core of who they are and who they will become. Spanning the Revolutionary War through the Civil War, the love of these people from generation to generation is interwoven throughout this story.

It is also a tale of mystery. It is also about what happened to grandfather Jacob in the cellar - or rather why it happened - is the core around which the story turns. Through their struggles as a family, they continue to preserve their bonds of love and understanding for each other. It is a unique and powerful novel, unlike any other I've read.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book as a FirstRead.

Jacob's Cellar tells the story of an extended family in Missouri in the years before and during the Civil War. They also recount the family history in Carolina and Tennessee. The story started a little slow for me, as it was hard to keep all of the different people straight, but by the end, I was hooked and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. This story has a little bit of something for everyone.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book very much. It draws you in and makes you feel like part of the family and their lives during the civil war so this book has made me more interested in the history of our country. The secrets and the reason for them are revealed.

[Tommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, the characters are amazing. The story pulls you along with it, trying to second guess their motives for what they do is a challenge. I look forward to reading the next book.