Of Guardians and Angels

by Thomas Wade Oliver

John Sexton IV's retired parents spend two years assembling a book of John's genealogy and present it to him on his fortieth birthday. But strangely missing from the old letters, official documents, and newspaper clippings, is information about John's namesake, the first John Sexton. A family legend does tell a vague story of John's great-great-grandfather having married an unnamed Choctaw Indian woman, but there are no records of the marriage, only proof that they bore a son. In an attempt to complete his family tree, John begins a search for his mysterious ancestors. Months of research eventually lead him from his home in Washington to a restored plantation mansion in Mississippi. There, the current resident takes John on a journey back in time and reveals an extraordinary truth that will change the Sexton family name forever. Of Guardians and Angels is a story of humanity in a time of war. It is a story of great courage, love, and faith, and how, even in the darkest days of our nation's history, dignity and compassion prevailed.

280 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2013

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I am trying to figure out my genealogy and then this book showed up on an email. Wasn’t disappointed at all, wonderful book. Read it all in one night after I got home from work. You think you have the story figured out, then you kept guessing.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love historical fiction, so this was an easy pick for me. Oliver created a beatiful story that everyone can relate to. We all come to a point when we become curious about our family history, and this was an intriguing story of just that. Discovering a rich family history with mystery. Well done, Mr. Oliver.

[Maureen Lunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great novel, don't be off put by the summary--this book was much more of a page turner than I expected considering it's essentially about someone's genealogy. It gave me a clear picture of the civil war era while getting to know the honest lives and thoughts of the characters. A very fast read as well and good fodder for thought on racism and equality as well.

[Barbara J Wicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read all the way to the end

If you are interested in the life of people in the South during the Civil War, this book will give you a good taste of it. I guessed the family connection pretty quickly, but couldn't wait to read when the man searching for his roots would.