Literary Quote of the Month

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies," said Jojen. "The man who never reads lives only one." - George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Walking to Gatlinburg by Howard Frank Mosher... A Review


"Years later Morgan Kinneson would conclude that it was probably reading that had gotten him and his brother, Pilgrim, into trouble in the first place..."

Walking to Gatlinburg by Howard Frank Mosher is a wonderful story of a young man, 17-year-old Morgan Kinneson, who travels from Vermont to the Great Smoky Mountains trying to find his older brother, Pilgrim, who went missing during the Battle at Gettysburg. Along the way, as in all good tales, Morgan encounters a whole host of quirky characters including a weeping elephant, a woman who lives in a tree, and the not so quirky and very beautiful slave girl named Slidell.

The year is 1864. The Kinneson family has been helping runaway slaves enter Canada from Vermont by way of the Underground Railroad for some time. A chance encounter with one of those slaves, leaves Morgan in possession of a mysterious rune with strange markings and a pack of 5 murderous thugs after him (and the rune). As Morgan deals with his "problems" he makes his way through the rugged terrain searching for any clues as to the whereabouts of his brother. The backdrop for the story is the Civil War, one of America's bloodiest wars, where at times brother fought brother, and where, as I was reading, could feel the hopelessness of it all. What makes this book stand out is the way the author blends the history of the times with the beauty of the American landscape and adds a twist of wry humor. Howard Frank Mosher has written a coming of age story during the turbulent times of the Civil War and added quirky entertaining characters to help us see past the horrors of war and see what the American pioneer spirit was founded on. Imagine Charles Frazier writing as Mark Twain and you’ll understand Walking to Gatlinburg.

Howard Frank Mosher calls himself a natural born liar. Something he's not lying about is that he's no Charles Frazier, and Walking to Gatlinburg is no Cold Mountain... and for that I am thankful, because Mr. Howard has his own blend of New England charm. Howard Frank Mosher knows how to craft a yarn. He is a gifted storyteller and knows his history. Walking to Gatlinburg is engaging, his characters are filled with personality, and I loved it! Walking to Gatlinburg is an adventure, it's historical fiction, and it'll make you smile more than once...

Read an excerpt of Walking to Gatlinburg at Mr. Mosher's website, and while you're there check to see if he'll be making an appearance somewhere near you. He has a fascinating slide show to go along with his book tour called "Transforming History into Fiction: the Story of a Born Liar". You get a glimpse at how Walking to Gatlinburg came to be and how there's not only a liar in the Mosher family, but a murderer (or an almost murderer) in his family too. (Which makes for another great story!)

*P.S. This Book is Kindle Ready!

9 comments:

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

This sounds different, but one I would probably enjoy.

Mary (Bookfan) said...

As I took my walk early this morning I listened to Books On The Nightstand podcast and they raved about this book! I've added it to my list and actually think my husband might enjoy it. Thanks for the review, Suzanne!

Mason Canyon said...

Sounds like such an interesting book. The cover caught my eye, but your review has me wanting to read it. Thanks.

Suzanne Yester said...

Hi Daine,
I think you would enjoy it. It has been compared to Mark Twain's The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn. The writing is solid.

Suzanne Yester said...

Hi Mary
I haven't caught up to my Books On The Nightstand podcasts, so now I'll have to! As for Walking to Gatlinburg, I really enjoyed the way the author entertained me by adding the quirky characters. It deflected the heaviness of the war around them, which we don't avoid in the story, but doesn't weigh the story down completely. Read the excerpt and you'll get a good idea of Howard Frank Mosher's writing.

Suzanne Yester said...

Hi Mason.
The books cover is beautiful! Now that I'm thinking of it, I wish I had asked the author if that is a particular view from somewhere...

Elisabeth said...

I'm so glad to read your review of this book. I tried to get an advanced copy because it sounded beautiful... now I know I need to add it to my list. Thanks!

Suzanne Yester said...

Hi Elisabeth,
Yes, it was such a good read! So many wonderful characters and the author is a great writer, and just as entertaining in person as his writing reflects. I had the opportunity to see his at one of his book tour stops and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Diana of Diana Rambles said...

Sounds like an interesting book. Thanks for visiting my blog!

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