Against the Grain
Against the Grain by James Haydock, published by AuthorHouse in August 2011, is a historical fiction novel that delves into the experiences of a Quaker community in eastern North Carolina during the Civil War. Spanning 392 pages, the narrative explores the impact of the war as Union and Confederate armies disrupt the lives of the townspeople, leading to a struggle between their pacifist beliefs and the harsh realities of conflict.
Readers will find a portrayal of courage and endurance as the Quaker family grapples with the challenges posed by the war. The story highlights their quiet resistance to the brutality surrounding them, particularly as two family members are forced into military service. The novel is closely based on historical fact, Confederate records, and Quaker tradition, providing a rich backdrop for the characters’ trials and tribulations amidst the turmoil of the Civil War era.
Official synopsis Publisher
Product Description
Children of the grain. When the horror came they went against the grain. A community of Quakers in eastern North Carolina finds itself caught up in the action of the Civil War. Union and Confederate armies tramp through the region, bivouacking wherever they choose, destroying anything in their path, and confiscating as the war drags on everything of value. A close-knit Quaker family, entrenched in rural tradition and unswerving faith, quietly resists the ugly brutality of war. When two of their men refuse to pay the exemption tax, they become unwilling Confederate soldiers in the vanguard at Gettysburg and Petersburg. At home their women suffer nocturnal danger and deprivation until the horror ends.
Against the Grain is a story of courage and endurance in the maw of adversity. It is a novel closely based on historical fact, Confederate records, and Quaker tradition.
About the Author
James Haydock was born and educated in the South and now lives in Wisconsin. For thirty years he taught English and American literature in university classes, specializing in the Victorian era and writing about it. His latest publication before the current book is
Beacon’s River, a novel based on the life of George Gissing.
Against the Grain is Haydock’s third novel.
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