ISBN-13: 9781539635062 / Angielski / Miękka / 2016 / 288 str.
Born to privilege during the slave era, Aaron Richardson found himself at odds with the world around him. Even though he was the son of a slave owner at Calla, a beautiful plantation nestled into the rolling hills of Tennessee, he did not believe any man should be allowed to enslave others. When he fell in love with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, the father of his heart's desire was steadfastly against him, even threatening to kill him. His father, Big Jim Richardson, also mysteriously disapproved. The outbreak of war put love on hold. Big Jim demanded Aaron fight for the Confederacy, alongside his brother, Jim Junior. Even though the two brothers were as different as people could be, they shared a bond that defied ideology. But Aaron could not fight with Jim Junior because it meant protecting the institution of slavery. And he did not want to fight against his brother and the land where he grew up. It seemed as though the only answer was to avoid the war, to do something else while others fired at each other across the farms and fields of America. There was no choice but to leave Calla. He could not stay at home without fighting for the South. But leaving meant he might never come home again. He had to take that chance, so he left Tennessee and wandered northward. He had no real destination, no objective other than avoiding a war that made no sense, so he roamed across the North, from town-to-town and job-to-job, searching for himself while staying away from hostilities and commitment. During his travels, he met another young lady and fell deeply in love, but, once again, war got in the way. This time was different. This time forced his hand. He could no longer avoid making a stand. He could no longer avoid choosing between the Blue and the Gray. Aaron Richardson dressed for war. His presence on the battlefield was significant. Aaron was perfection with a rifle in his hand, but his gift of marksmanship soon became a curse. The war ended for Aaron earlier than it did for rest of the country. A few years later, through the bizarre twists of real life, he found himself in a race to save his former love. But, no longer possessing the skills he used to wield on the battlefield, his desperate quest appeared doomed to failure. It seemed Aaron would lose both his love and his life. Was he destined to die before he could realize his dream of love and family and happiness? Was his entire life nothing more than a monument to failure and frustration?