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The Parting: A Story of West Point on the Eve of the Civil War Paperback – March 12, 2013

by Richard Barlow Adams (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 74 ratings
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The Parting: A Story of West Point on the Eve of the Civil War is an award-winning historical novel and recipient of a Five Star ForeWord Clarion Book Review. It is a true and epic story told in flashback from the days leading up to the first major battle of the Civil War to the final year at the Academy for the Class of 1861, a microcosm of the nation.

The story is factually based, and the cadet characters and many other characters are real, and their relationships to one other are founded in fact. Pictured on the cover of the book are members of the class and best friends, John Pelham from Alabama, and Edmund Kirby from New York. The story unfolds with Pelham, Kirby, and their classmates enjoying the idyllic time of their final summer encampment, when chaperoned young ladies would grace the West Point Hotel in hopes of meeting the most eligible bachelors in the country. But soon the clouds of secession form. The Class of 1861 and the country witness the election of Lincoln, the country unraveling, another one forming, and make decisions that, after Fort Sumter, will pit friend against friend in the most devastating war ever fought by Americans. And complicating everything for Pelham is the young lady he met during summer encampment, the stunning Clara Bolton from Philadelphia.
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  1. Print length
    410 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    March 12, 2013
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 1.03 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1483602257
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1483602257
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Author

ForeWord Clarion Review
 
The Parting: A Story of West Point on the Eve of the Civil War
Richard Barlow Adams
Five Stars (out of Five)

Set in the year before the start of the Civil War, The Parting captures both the excitement and tension of that troubling and divisive time in American history. Although a full third of the novel is devoted to what may seem a frivolous romance between cadets and visiting college girls during a week in the summer of 1860, this element of the storyline is more than just light entertainment. It provides a scrupulous look into the way the young, privileged elite of the time comported themselves in study and play, how they treated one another, and how they viewed their world and the roles they felt required to play in it.

The romance also provides a backdrop for the real story of the book: a country and a class driven apart by conflicting loyalties and beliefs on issues of family, politics, region, and, of course, slavery.  The characters' opinions on these controversial issues drive the plot and propel the narrative through the remainder of that last, sweet summer of 1860 and into the increasingly contentious fall and winter before the outbreak of war the following spring.

All in all, and despite the heady issues of the day, Adams' writing is charming, entertaining, and at times even light...a delightful yet poignant look at a generation--and a country--about to lose its innocence in the fires of civil war.
 
Mark G. McLaughlin

From the Inside Flap

It is July 18, 1961 in Winchester, Virginia. The Civil War has begun, and Confederate Lieutenant John Pelham, formerly of the West Point Class of 1861, is about to play a pivotal role in the First Battle of Bull Run.

The confident Pelham bears little resemblance to the seventeen-year-old who journeyed alone five years earlier from Jacksonville, Alabama, to West Point, New York, to attend the United States Military Academy. As he immerses himself in West Point, both Pelham and his country see substantial change. While Pelham and his classmates witness the unraveling of the Union and the birth of the Confederacy, Pelham meets Clara Bolton, a Philadelphian belle who captures his heart...all while Pelham and his compatriots are preparing for the reality of combat.

Told against the backdrop of slavery and states' rights, the Democratic and Republican Parties, the fire-eaters of the South and the abolitionists of the North, The Parting portrays how profoundly historical events divided West Point's graduating class of 1861 on the eve of the Civil War.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ XLIBRIS (March 12, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 410 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1483602257
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1483602257
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.32 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.03 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 74 ratings

About the author

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Richard Barlow Adams

Richard Barlow Adams

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Richard Barlow Adams, speaker and award-winning author, delights in writing historical fiction that creatively connects factual dots and promotes thought. "The Parting: A Story of West Point on the Eve of the Civil War" derives from being the first of three brothers to graduate from West Point, a Vietnam veteran, and a lover of Academy and Civil War history. "Eben Kruge: How 'A Christmas Carol' Came to be Written" stems from his love for Christmas, the "Carol," and all things Dickens.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
74 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

James H Blunt
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Historical Fiction
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2010
Verified Purchase
As a student of history, and a lifetime fan of American historical novels, I can in a word say "Superb". Mr. Adams has given us an extremely pleasant balance of history and fiction, with really ourstanding character development, in a highly readable, enjoyable experience. It's difficult to believe that this is a debut effort. His treatment of national politics and movements is even-handed; whether you personally sway towards the abolitionist/unionist or states' rights/secessionist side, you are -tastefully and lightly- given a great deal to think about. The treatment of the events leading directly to the opening salvo at Fort Sumpter was especially enlightening, even to an old history buff. The personalities are alive, the history is entrancing, and the epilogue alone is worth reading again and again. I thank Richard Adams for giving us a very memorable tale. I find no fault, although the southern side of my soul would have liked to see a little more "Manassas" vs. "Bull Run" and "Kellysville" vs. "Kelly's Ford" ...
Congratulations, sir. You excel.
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dawkinsj
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down!
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2010
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I loved this book written by Rich Adams because it dealt with a subject dear to my heart, West Point; and, with a level of 'bonding' which I had not focused on before. We have all heard of the hardships placed on family members (fathers, sons, brothers, cousins, nephews, etc.) who found themselves on different sides of the Civil War. However, this well-written, insightful look into the challenging strain on the friendships of classmates who found themselves on opposite sides, as well, and the difference it made during - and after - the war! If you have any connection with, and love for, the United States Military Academy, this is a MUST read!
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Death Dealer 6
5.0 out of 5 stars The Corps Asunder
Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2022
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Great research behind this historical "fiction". Adams has filled the gaps that pure historians would have left. Very much in the style of Sharra a, he develops the background of the turmoil at USMA (and the Army) as individuals decide whether honor ties them to the nation or to their states and families. Absolutely should be added to your reading list.
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William Crowe
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2014
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Ecellent feel for preriod. Most enjoyable read
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JQ
5.0 out of 5 stars Made historical characters come to life
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2012
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I very much enjoyed this book. I thought that the stories behind the real life characters made them come to life like they were people you knew. The reader gained insight into their flaws as well as their strengths. I think the author's style of writing allowed me to better understand how painful it must have been for those cadets to decide to possibly fight and kill a man who was their best friend for years. The love story interwoven into the book gave it a lighter side as well. I found that sometimes, the physical description of West Point was just a little over the top, but I'm sure that some readers would appreciate those sections more than others. Overall, it was a great book and addressed a side to the Civil War that I didn't even consider before.
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Son of the Confederacy
5.0 out of 5 stars "The Parting" - A Missing Link
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2010
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As a Civil War history student from the Southern perspective, I always have been fascinated that the armies were led largely by West Pointers on both sides, and I always had wondered how those who were cadets at the time of seccession handled it. Adams wonderfully fills in this missing link. I so appreciate a historical novel that is both of literary excellance and sound history; accordingly, I find "The Parting" enjoyable reading which provides an important historical perspective. I have checked my own Civil War library as well as other sources, and I find the historical accuracy of Adams' characters, events, and places to be impeccable.

And even if you're not a Civil War history buff, it's a great story and good read.
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DeanChris
5.0 out of 5 stars Anyone who loves West Point - Must Read
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2010
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Rich Adams has produced a West Point classic. I am certain that anyone who has any connection with West Point will love this book. It is wonderfully written and the research supporting the work makes this more non-fiction than fiction. I believe anyone would enjoy this wonderful of a most troubling peiod in American history, but this is difficult for me to judge fairly because I lived and served at West Point and those experiences certainly added to my appreciation of "The Parting".
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Jack Wood
5.0 out of 5 stars The Parting - Bonds of friendship put to the supreme test
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2010
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What an incredible story! Our nation was being torn apart by seceding states, and no where was this more traumatic than at West Point. Rich Adams weaves the way of life of the cadets at West Point, the political turmoil leading up to the Civil War, and a set of unique personalities and relationship into spell binding story of intrigue, romance and bonds of friendship that are so deep that they endure above all other human emotions. The Parting is a "must read" for anyone interested in this fascinating period of American history, or for anyone who enjoys a brilliantly-told story of conflicting loyalties.
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