What do you think?
Two Brothers: One North, One South
Exceptionally researched and keenly accurate to actual events, this harrowing novel expands upon the story of poet Walt Whitman, whose documented compassion for the wounded and dying soldiers of the Civil War brings him to Armory Square Hospital in Washington, DC, at the bedside of Rebel soldier William Prentiss. Just after the fighting has ended, William’s brother Clifton, a Union officer, is admitted into another ward of the same hospital, and Whitman becomes the sole link between the two boys and their fractured family. Through their story, the narrative is swept from the hospital to Medfield Academy in Baltimore, where the Prentiss family makes its home, and onwards to the drawing rooms of high-society Richmond and the battlefields where North and South collide.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2008
About the author
David H. Jones
4 books4 followersDavid H. Jones, born and raised in West Virginia, is a lifelong student of the American Civil War and author of the historical novel "Hold At All Hazards: Bigelow’s Battery At Gettysburg July 2,1863" that was released by Casemate Publishers in mid 2021. He is the author of Two Brothers: One North, One South, an award-winning historical fiction that was published in 2008. David’s approach to storytelling is to use original source material and the writings of actual participants and contemporary observers in crafting an accurate portrayal of real people and events. By this distinctive means the reader may enjoy an exciting story that reveals fascinating details and realities that have often been misinterpreted or ignored by historians. A graduate of Kentucky Military Institute and Babson College, a former Navy officer, entrepreneur and business executive, he currently resides and writes in Denton County, Texas.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 2, 2009
A unique and interesting look into a difficult time in America's history awaits readers in "Two Brothers - One North, One South" by David H. Jones.
During the American Civil War, poet Walt Whitman volunteered as a nurse in army hospitals. His concern for the poor boys torn apart by the War leads him to Armory Square Hospital in Washington D.C., where he finds young William Prentiss, a Rebel solider whose right leg has been amputated. He is not expected to survive and Whitman spends many hours at his bedside listening to William's stories. In another ward of the hospital, lay William's older brother, Clifton, a Union Brevet Colonel who had been shot through the lung not far from the position of his injured Rebel brother.
After William's death, Whitman and two other Prentiss brothers--John Jr. and Melville--join Clifton at his bedside where Whitman shares William's journey fighting for the Confederacy and Clifton speaks of his experiences as a Union soldier in the War Between the States.
There is a great deal to enjoy in Two Brothers. The author uses his extensive knowledge of the Civil War to create a realistic portrait of Maryland's importance--as it was so close to the Capital the Union could not let it become part of the Confederacy but there were many families with Southern ties and sympathies who supported secession. And this is where William and Clifton Prentiss find themselves within the pages of this book: William does not feel the Federal government should interfere with the Southern way of life, but Clifton believes the Union must be preserved at all cost.
Jones brings the reader from the present (1865) back and forth through different periods of the War to create a whole picture of how the loyalties were divided, how the battles were won and lost, and at what cost. The reader follows along as William and Clifton and their family and friends experience triumph and tragedy through one of the most tumultuous times in American history.
Other memorable persons include: Hetty and Jenny Cary, whose clandestine work in support of the Confederacy is both dangerous and admired; John Prentiss, William and Clifton's father who sides with the Union during the conflict and whose untimely death leaves behind much sadness; and Elijah Carter, one of the Prentisses' freed Negro servants who signs up with the 7th United States Colored Troops and becomes a leader of his regiment.
The main challenge I had with "Two Brothers" comes in the narration. There are stories that neither Whitman nor Clifton would probably know first-hand, such as the death of Clifton's father, John--which was relayed in great detail. Since none of the Prentiss brothers was home at that time, how did anyone present at Clifton's bedside have that much detail to relay how the entire story unfolded? And since the conversations among Whitman and the Prentiss brothers are often interrupted by narratives that sometimes run multiple pages in length, the reader can often get confused over who is sharing which portion of the story. These interruptions also don't allow the reader to get to know William and Clifton as well as I would have liked. The reader gets knowledge of the War, its impact on Maryland, the battles that were fought, and the important people whose names now fill text books, but at the end of the story, I don't believe the reader will really know William and Clifton Prentiss very well.
Lastly, there is the matter of the characters often speaking of the events that unfolded in the four years of the War as if they were third party to the events instead of active participants, often relaying information that anyone who participated in the War or read newspapers of the time would already be aware of.
Overall, I found "Two Brothers" to be an enjoyable read. History buffs and military fiction fans will appreciate Jones's keen eye for detail, while historical fiction fans will be grateful for the authentic picture the author paints. Students of the Civil War will find much to like about "Two Brothers - One North, One South". Jones has certainly done his research well.
During the American Civil War, poet Walt Whitman volunteered as a nurse in army hospitals. His concern for the poor boys torn apart by the War leads him to Armory Square Hospital in Washington D.C., where he finds young William Prentiss, a Rebel solider whose right leg has been amputated. He is not expected to survive and Whitman spends many hours at his bedside listening to William's stories. In another ward of the hospital, lay William's older brother, Clifton, a Union Brevet Colonel who had been shot through the lung not far from the position of his injured Rebel brother.
After William's death, Whitman and two other Prentiss brothers--John Jr. and Melville--join Clifton at his bedside where Whitman shares William's journey fighting for the Confederacy and Clifton speaks of his experiences as a Union soldier in the War Between the States.
There is a great deal to enjoy in Two Brothers. The author uses his extensive knowledge of the Civil War to create a realistic portrait of Maryland's importance--as it was so close to the Capital the Union could not let it become part of the Confederacy but there were many families with Southern ties and sympathies who supported secession. And this is where William and Clifton Prentiss find themselves within the pages of this book: William does not feel the Federal government should interfere with the Southern way of life, but Clifton believes the Union must be preserved at all cost.
Jones brings the reader from the present (1865) back and forth through different periods of the War to create a whole picture of how the loyalties were divided, how the battles were won and lost, and at what cost. The reader follows along as William and Clifton and their family and friends experience triumph and tragedy through one of the most tumultuous times in American history.
Other memorable persons include: Hetty and Jenny Cary, whose clandestine work in support of the Confederacy is both dangerous and admired; John Prentiss, William and Clifton's father who sides with the Union during the conflict and whose untimely death leaves behind much sadness; and Elijah Carter, one of the Prentisses' freed Negro servants who signs up with the 7th United States Colored Troops and becomes a leader of his regiment.
The main challenge I had with "Two Brothers" comes in the narration. There are stories that neither Whitman nor Clifton would probably know first-hand, such as the death of Clifton's father, John--which was relayed in great detail. Since none of the Prentiss brothers was home at that time, how did anyone present at Clifton's bedside have that much detail to relay how the entire story unfolded? And since the conversations among Whitman and the Prentiss brothers are often interrupted by narratives that sometimes run multiple pages in length, the reader can often get confused over who is sharing which portion of the story. These interruptions also don't allow the reader to get to know William and Clifton as well as I would have liked. The reader gets knowledge of the War, its impact on Maryland, the battles that were fought, and the important people whose names now fill text books, but at the end of the story, I don't believe the reader will really know William and Clifton Prentiss very well.
Lastly, there is the matter of the characters often speaking of the events that unfolded in the four years of the War as if they were third party to the events instead of active participants, often relaying information that anyone who participated in the War or read newspapers of the time would already be aware of.
Overall, I found "Two Brothers" to be an enjoyable read. History buffs and military fiction fans will appreciate Jones's keen eye for detail, while historical fiction fans will be grateful for the authentic picture the author paints. Students of the Civil War will find much to like about "Two Brothers - One North, One South". Jones has certainly done his research well.
April 22, 2008
I wish there was more to this story: the personal history gets lost in the long general scheme of events. I actually found the history of the Prentiss family very interesting - particularly Sarah and Laura, and would have loved to have seen more interaction between all of them (letters are mentioned in passing but are never quoted, not even in the appendix.) I suspect like many of the gentlemen in the book, the author also harbors an affection for Miss Hetty Cary - while I'm certainly going to see if there's more about her, she was all but peripheral to the main plot here and her detailed story had no explanation within the framework. Maybe a separate book on the ladies would have done as well. And, I must admit, I would have liked to know what happened to all of the other people and characters mentioned here after the war.
Certainly the framed sections felt more forced than not - oh, let's go back and cover what the girls were doing right then before this story gets ahead of itself- and the characterizations there were extremely shallow. Clifford in particular - while I liked him, it's hard to see how a man could go from refusing to see his brother because he fired on the US flag to being understanding and admiring his Southern convictions. Milton came across as the mockery of a uptight minister - even if he was one or not, it wasn't very convincing. I had no feel for John whatsoever - while Whitman is simply the all knowing narrator - and goodness knows how. (edit: I admit wondering about the Amazon reviews for this book which are all so positive and state that Whitman is the main character. Did we read the same book?)
I'm not one to criticize a book for its writing usually, but I admit that for Civil War fiction, this had pretty stiff competition - and this didn't make the cut. The dialog was stilted and artificial, while it was difficult to follow who was the narrator at present - or occasionally even what side we were viewing at the time! That said, while I was expecting fiction rather than non-fiction, the more historical sections showed a lot of research - and thankfully avoiding a good number of the usual stories told about various events and people (well, I can think of one). I'd like to know more about the sources used - or a map and a list of battles. This would have made for a great non-fiction book, but alas, it proved not to be a good work of fiction.
Certainly the framed sections felt more forced than not - oh, let's go back and cover what the girls were doing right then before this story gets ahead of itself- and the characterizations there were extremely shallow. Clifford in particular - while I liked him, it's hard to see how a man could go from refusing to see his brother because he fired on the US flag to being understanding and admiring his Southern convictions. Milton came across as the mockery of a uptight minister - even if he was one or not, it wasn't very convincing. I had no feel for John whatsoever - while Whitman is simply the all knowing narrator - and goodness knows how. (edit: I admit wondering about the Amazon reviews for this book which are all so positive and state that Whitman is the main character. Did we read the same book?)
I'm not one to criticize a book for its writing usually, but I admit that for Civil War fiction, this had pretty stiff competition - and this didn't make the cut. The dialog was stilted and artificial, while it was difficult to follow who was the narrator at present - or occasionally even what side we were viewing at the time! That said, while I was expecting fiction rather than non-fiction, the more historical sections showed a lot of research - and thankfully avoiding a good number of the usual stories told about various events and people (well, I can think of one). I'd like to know more about the sources used - or a map and a list of battles. This would have made for a great non-fiction book, but alas, it proved not to be a good work of fiction.
April 3, 2023
Having read another book by this author, I had hoped for more. This is a light version and spent way too much time giving information from a female perspective when the story is supposed to be about two brothers.
February 4, 2010
Two Brothers: One North, One South
By David H. Jones
Publisher:Staghorn Press
Published: 2008
ISBN:9780979689857
Pages:303
This book takes the reader on a journey through the Civil War period allowing them to visualize—the pain, anger and pride—of the characters. It is a great depiction of such a difficult time in our history. I haven’t come across a book of historical fiction that has caught my eye before Two Brothers: One North, One South.
Mr. Jones’ novel spanned over a four-year period focusing on the Prentiss brothers who chose to fight in the war but on opposing sides. The characters are quite vivid allowing the reader to see the brothers as they stood in their uniforms—one blue and one gray—fighting in the same war on different sides of the country.
Walt Whitman visits with patients at the Armory Square Hospital and meets both brothers—William and Clifton Prentiss--when they are injured in the war. Mr. Whitman becomes the storyteller discussing the journey that each man takes during the war. He is the link between the two brothers as the story unfolds. The book embraces fiction and non-fiction but provides a good balance helping one to stay focused on the story rather than getting lost in the historical facts.
I am not a history buff nor do I generally read books like this, but I thoroughly enjoyed the journey I went on during this time period with Mr. Whitman and the Prentiss brothers. My only regret was some of the dialogue which I think slowed the pace of the book. I recommend this book for anyone interested in history—teens in AP classes, college students and adults— and it might also be a great support in classes that to some may be boring.
By David H. Jones
Publisher:Staghorn Press
Published: 2008
ISBN:9780979689857
Pages:303
This book takes the reader on a journey through the Civil War period allowing them to visualize—the pain, anger and pride—of the characters. It is a great depiction of such a difficult time in our history. I haven’t come across a book of historical fiction that has caught my eye before Two Brothers: One North, One South.
Mr. Jones’ novel spanned over a four-year period focusing on the Prentiss brothers who chose to fight in the war but on opposing sides. The characters are quite vivid allowing the reader to see the brothers as they stood in their uniforms—one blue and one gray—fighting in the same war on different sides of the country.
Walt Whitman visits with patients at the Armory Square Hospital and meets both brothers—William and Clifton Prentiss--when they are injured in the war. Mr. Whitman becomes the storyteller discussing the journey that each man takes during the war. He is the link between the two brothers as the story unfolds. The book embraces fiction and non-fiction but provides a good balance helping one to stay focused on the story rather than getting lost in the historical facts.
I am not a history buff nor do I generally read books like this, but I thoroughly enjoyed the journey I went on during this time period with Mr. Whitman and the Prentiss brothers. My only regret was some of the dialogue which I think slowed the pace of the book. I recommend this book for anyone interested in history—teens in AP classes, college students and adults— and it might also be a great support in classes that to some may be boring.
May 24, 2010
"Two Brothers: One North, One South" by David H. Jones is chock full of history. I love books based on historical truth and this book fits the bill. This is a novel about the Civil War and how it tore apart our country, the states and families. Walt Whitman, who befriends one of the brothers, is center to the telling of the story, which is based on a Maryland family dealing with mixed loyalties.
Two of the four brothers are injured in battle and end up in the same hospital. When one, William Prentiss, dies the other brothers, John and Melville, along with Mr. Whitman visit the other injured brother, Clifton, to tell him the sad news. From here the story begins with flashbacks to events throughout the war.
Through the flashbacks, we learn both the Confederate and the Union points of view, the stories of men in battle, the women’s role in the underground, and the free blacks’ role in the 7th U.S. Colored Regiment. All this history wound into an extremely interesting and mostly easy-to-read story. At times the book slows with a bit too much detail but, on the whole, it is a good book for both the historical facts and the intertwining story of the characters.
Civil War buffs will love this book and most everyone else who is interested in our history will enjoy it. I highly recommend Mr. Jones’ "Two Brothers: One North, One South."
Two of the four brothers are injured in battle and end up in the same hospital. When one, William Prentiss, dies the other brothers, John and Melville, along with Mr. Whitman visit the other injured brother, Clifton, to tell him the sad news. From here the story begins with flashbacks to events throughout the war.
Through the flashbacks, we learn both the Confederate and the Union points of view, the stories of men in battle, the women’s role in the underground, and the free blacks’ role in the 7th U.S. Colored Regiment. All this history wound into an extremely interesting and mostly easy-to-read story. At times the book slows with a bit too much detail but, on the whole, it is a good book for both the historical facts and the intertwining story of the characters.
Civil War buffs will love this book and most everyone else who is interested in our history will enjoy it. I highly recommend Mr. Jones’ "Two Brothers: One North, One South."
May 18, 2013
This is an important book because it makes real for us the actual conflict of beliefs that enabled what we now call the US Civil War. It's an engaging work of historical fiction and unique in its reliance on less well known, but actual characters and events. David Jones relies on the brother vs. brother theme so often associated with the Civil War, but his portrayal of a few specific family tragedies is superior to the typical fictional examples. He uses authentic context rather than hyperbole to build the emotion. Shaara conveyed the political principles held by the military figures we know so well. Jones explores the same beliefs in more detail, through the civilian perspective of Maryland's prominent families. He highlights the importance of women, youth, and servants, and relates how their convictions emerged to influence the war. Jones provides a good story, a fine history lesson about the Civil War, and a balanced presentation of the views on states' right and slavery during that time.
September 19, 2009
This is the first Civil War book I have read and I was confused for most of it. I was never quite sure who was who in each battle description (n vs s)and each page cited a new general, captain, sarg....
I realized about half way thorough that almost all battles described were from the South's perspective and this gave me some insight to "the other side"
The good part of the book were the scenes in the Hospital where three brothers were speaking with Walt Whitman about the loss of the fourth brother (who was confederate and the others Yanks)
I realized about half way thorough that almost all battles described were from the South's perspective and this gave me some insight to "the other side"
The good part of the book were the scenes in the Hospital where three brothers were speaking with Walt Whitman about the loss of the fourth brother (who was confederate and the others Yanks)
October 3, 2009
I felt the dialogue was very stiff, unnatural. If you are interested in detailed information about various battles of the Civil War you will not be disappointed. And the story about the Prentiss family and the two brothers wounded on the same battlefield, but on different sides of the war, was interesting. I was expecting more information about this family and less about the specifics of numeorus battles. The book does make me want to find out more about Walt Whitman's life.
April 9, 2009
A fiction book with Walt Whitman as the a central figure in the telling of the story.
Well written and very well documented. I felt that the author spend too much time on some of the characters that did not really influence the events of the time. Went light on the slaughter and killing of the battles.
Well written and very well documented. I felt that the author spend too much time on some of the characters that did not really influence the events of the time. Went light on the slaughter and killing of the battles.
Read
September 27, 2013I found the true story this novel is based on very interesting. However, it's not very well written.
The language is formal, but very stilted at times. The dialogue is over explained in places. I thought the scenes the author described in first person and the ones he didn't were sometimes the wrong choices.
The language is formal, but very stilted at times. The dialogue is over explained in places. I thought the scenes the author described in first person and the ones he didn't were sometimes the wrong choices.
March 14, 2011
An extremely well researched story and enlightening along with entertaining for the reader. There are a few stumbling blocks caused by the author including factual information (which I enjoyed) but wasn't necessary to keep the story rolling and sometime interfered with continuety.
Want to Read
November 9, 2008http://myadventuresinhistory.blogspot... (Review by a fellow Blogger)
February 8, 2012
A very in Depth book about the American Civil War. Great if you like history, but can be a bit long. Definitely a good read.
June 13, 2018
Read my thoughts over on Many a Quaint & Curious Volume: https://manyaquaintandcuriousvolume.b...
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews