A Separate Country

A Separate Country  by Robert Hicks      424 pages

Set in New Orleans after the Civil War, author Robert Hicks has tackled one of the most tragic stories of the War. Confederate General John Bell Hood was one of the most-respected generals of the South. After the Battle of Antietam, Robert E. Lee promoted him to major general. But fate had it in for Hood, He lost the use of his left arm at Gettysburg, and his right leg was amputated during the Battle of Chickamauga. He returned to New Orleans, broken not only in body, but also in mind and spirit.

The story opens with Hood near death from yellow fever. In another room, his daughter, Lydia, has already perished. The Hoods are found by one of his nemesis’ Eli Griffin. Hood leaves him a stack of papers that turnout to be a secret memoir and urges Griffin to do everything he can to get them published.

 

Hood’s story begins in 1878. He has not done will since the war, failing at one business after another. He married Anna Marie Herrern and together they produced eleven children. Nearly broke, he reflects on the last ten years.

The story oscillates between Hood, Anna Maria, and Eli. During the first half of the book, all three voices sounded exactly alike, and I had a hard time figuring out who was talking.  In the last half, the voices were more distinguishable, and I truly became interested in Hood.  Although I didn’t care much for A Separate Country, (I give it 3 out of 5 stars), I am looking for more material on Hood.