Available at www.amazon.com The Hornet's Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly With this intricately detailed novel of the American South and the Revolutionary War, President Carter becomes our first chief executive, past or present, to publish a work of fiction. By concentrating on Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas from 1763 to 1783, Carter takes a fresh look at this crucial historical period, giving life and originality to a story usually told from the viewpoint of the northern colonies. There's a large cast of characters, but the focus is on the families of Ethan and Epsey Pratt and neighbors Kindred and Mavis Morris, backwoods Georgia homesteaders who are swept up, albeit reluctantly, in the revolution against the British. Among many other subjects, Carter covers military tactics, natural history, 18th-century politics, celestial navigation, the causes of the war, the sexual practices of both Indians and pioneers and how to tar and feather a man without killing him. Fascinating tidbits about well-known historical figures abound: "After some New Jersey militia actually mutinied [George] Washington decided to set an example of stern discipline; he forced the top leaders to draw lots, and the winners shot the losers." Carter's style leans toward the academic ("Mr. Knox, what's the difference between Whigs and Tories?"), but readers who can put up with the occasional lecture will learn fascinating truths about this exceedingly brutal war and the stories of the men and women who lived and died in the course of it. Those seeking a riveting prose style would be advised to look to more experienced fiction writers, but anyone who has ever wondered about the difference between a Whig and a Tory will find this an interesting and informative read. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Carter continues to have one of the most productive and varied post-political careers of any former U.S. president. A prodigious writer with 16 works of nonfiction to his credit, Carter turns to fiction with this account of the Revolutionary War as fought in the Deep South. Because most of the accessible literature revolves around battles fought in New England and the Middle Atlantic colonies, it is easy to overlook the fierce fighting that took place in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. The... read more Book Description The first work of fiction by a President of the United States -- a sweeping novel of the American South and the War of Independence In his ambitious and deeply rewarding novel, Jimmy Carter brings to life the Revolutionary War as it was fought in the Deep South; it is a saga that will change the way we think about the conflict. He reminds us that much of the fight for independence took place in that region and that it was a struggle of both great and small battles and of terrible brutality, with neighbor turned against neighbor, the Indians' support sought by both sides, and no quarter asked or given. The Hornet's Nest follows a cast of characters and their loved ones on both sides of this violent conflict -- including some who are based on the author's ancestors. At the heart of the story is Ethan Pratt, who in 1766 moves with his wife, Epsey, from Philadelphia to North Carolina and then to Georgia in 1771, in the company of Quakers. On their homesteads in Georgia, Ethan and his wife form a friendship with neighbors Kindred Morris and his wife, Mavis. Through Kindred and his young Indian friend Newota, Ethan learns about the frontier and the Native American tribes who are being continually pressed farther inland by settlers. As the eight-year war develops, Ethan and Kindred find themselves in life-and-death combat with oppos- ing forces. With its moving love story, vivid action, and the suspense of a war fought with increasing ferocity and stealth, The Hornet's Nest is historical fiction at its best, in the tradition of such major classics as The Last of the Mohicans. > [Original Message] > From: Kathryn Weiss <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Date: 12/4/2003 12:14:46 > Subject: [RowanRoots] Re:New Book > > Jimmy Carter's book, The Hornet's Nest, is about the RW in the south. > It begins before the RW, with the characters coming early to NC, and > discusses the Regulator movement. That's when I wrote last night. > > The characters are by p.137 on down in Georgia, but I expect that > Kings Mtn will be covered as well, and the Watauga is mentioned also, so > I expect to find something about it within the chapters. I am not doing > my usual skipping ahead, so can't tell much. > > I like the book. It's well-written. I am sure all major booksellers > have it now; it's been being promoted for the past few weeks. > > Kathryn > > [email protected] wrote: > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > Subject: Re: [RowanRoots] Rowan County Mention > > Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2003 09:19:19 -0500 > > From: "Linda Allred Cooper" <[email protected]> > > To: [email protected] > > > > Hi Kathryn: > > > > What is the book about? Where is it on sale? > > > > Linda > > > > > ==== ROWANROOTS Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from RowanRoots-L send a message from the address you subscribed from to [email protected] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.