Audiobook11 hours
White Doves at Morning
Written by James Lee Burke
Narrated by Ed Sala
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
()
About this audiobook
A riveting evocation of the Civil War, drawn from the true family history of "America's best novelist" (The Denver Post), JAMES LEE BURKE
1861. Two young Southerners, friends despite their differing political views and backgrounds, enlist in the 18th Louisiana regiment of the Confederate Army: Robert Perry, wealthy and privileged, and irreverent Willie Burke, the son of Irish immigrants, face the trials of battle and find redemption in the love of a passionate and committed abolitionist, Abigail Downing, and in the courageous struggle of Flower Jamison, a beautiful slave. Filled with a cast of unforgettable characters, and penetrating a landscape of shattering Civil War bloodshed as few novels have, this epic from an American literary giant endows readers with the gift of experiencing the past through new eyes, while its timeless prose style—at once luminous and brutal—ensures the legacy of this bloodiest of conflicts will never be lost.
1861. Two young Southerners, friends despite their differing political views and backgrounds, enlist in the 18th Louisiana regiment of the Confederate Army: Robert Perry, wealthy and privileged, and irreverent Willie Burke, the son of Irish immigrants, face the trials of battle and find redemption in the love of a passionate and committed abolitionist, Abigail Downing, and in the courageous struggle of Flower Jamison, a beautiful slave. Filled with a cast of unforgettable characters, and penetrating a landscape of shattering Civil War bloodshed as few novels have, this epic from an American literary giant endows readers with the gift of experiencing the past through new eyes, while its timeless prose style—at once luminous and brutal—ensures the legacy of this bloodiest of conflicts will never be lost.
Author
James Lee Burke
James Lee Burke is a New York Times bestselling author, two-time winner of the Edgar Award, and the recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts in Fiction. He has authored forty novels and two short story collections. He lives in Missoula, Montana.
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Reviews for White Doves at Morning
Rating: 4.208661543307087 out of 5 stars
4/5
127 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/52.5 stars rounded up… I’ve never read anything by this author so I’m entirely unbiased on that front. I will say this book would have benefited from a bit more editing - though I’d fully recommend this unabridged version because the author tries to cover so many bases that there really isn’t a way to shorten the story without rushing it; if anything this would have been better as two or three books extending it further so as to have better character development.
There are many many different povs.. but few characters are developed enough for true empathy… and the story alternates constantly - perhaps it would have been a better read vs listen?
As for narration.. 2.5 stars again. The narrator is pleasant but breathy to the point of seeming out of breath. Again, a bit of editing would have gone a long way. With the sheer number of alternating story lines either multiple narrators should have been used.. or at least narrator who’s better at varying his voice; he’s not bad, just not great at creating distinct characters/accents. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I liked the plot of this book, but the dialogue was a little bland and the 21st century words and phrases in it made me lose interest.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Of the 12 books JLB I've read, this is his best work so far. The love pours out. The love for his heritage, his forefathers, the human feelings among the townspeople, the love of the community that transcends the political issue of Negro slavery or freedom. If one reads to learn differeing points of view, this is a must-read for any American interested in any way in the South and its history.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I liked this book - it focuses more on the characters and their development than actual battles/strategies in the war. The story moved along fairly quickly (the book is less than 300 pages.) The main character is based on an actual Confederate soldier who was the author's ancestor. This was the first book I had picked up by this author, and I would try another one.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A brilliant historical novel of Louisiana in the Civil War. Great characters - the book is sometimes harrowing, sometimes deeply descriptive, and definitely one to re-read. Does for 1840's Deep South what Steinbeck does for 1930's California!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5White Doves at Morning is a historical fiction novel, published in 2002 and set around New Iberia, Louisiana, during the Civil War. Of course, since it occurs during the Civil War, it does not include Burke's reknowned Dave Robicheaux. Instead, this book focuses on Burke's ancestry. Willie Burke is the son of an Irish immigrant who joins the Confederate forces more out of fear than support for the "cause." Robert Perry, Burke's friend, is the son of slave owners and is a staunch supporter of Secussion. Perry and Burke are both in love with Abigail Dowling, an abolitionist who came south from Massachusettes to help fight an outbreak of yellow fever. Abigail befriends Flower Jamison, the black slave daughter of Ira Jamison, the owner of Angola Plantation.White Doves at Morning follows these characters during the Civil War and into the beginning of Reconstruction. As with James Lee Burke's signature series, this book lulls the reader into another world through the colorful depiction of character, the vivid development of setting and the captivating plot. When closing the book, I would have to remind myself of the present day since I was so focused and present in the Nineteenth Century.Burke's characters are as rich and complex as Dave or Billy Bob Holland. I had the opportunity to briefly discuss this book with Jim Burke while I was reading, and he expressed pride in the characters of Abigail and Flower. And proud he should be. These two female characters are outstanding. Neither one is immune to pain and suffering, both are "outsiders" in their homes. But Abigail and Flower are strong characters who rely on eachother and find ways to perservere.Burke's villans are also dynamic characters. And much like the antogonists in his series novels, these villans make your skin crawl and remind you to check the locks at night when you go to bed. From Ira Jamison at the top of the "food chain" to Rufus Atkins and Clay Hatcher, the preverbial "white trash," through them we see the birth of such groups as the Klu Klux Klan and the Knights of the White Camellia. And of course, it wouldn't be a James Lee Burke novel without an accute sense of place. Burke's amazing gift of transporting his readers to places completely unknown to them and making them feel like they've lived in the place all their lives is like no other. White Doves at Morning is a magnificient departure from Burke's signature characters and time period but definitely a book that we should not forget is part of his great works.