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Reconstructed Yankee

WHO IS CALEB PARKER?

The year is 1862. Caleb Parker, a native of the western North Carolina highlands, is an unusual man. He is one of 257,000 Free Persons Of Color living in the Confederacy. Caleb's best friend is Tom Parker, a white man whose father once owned -- and then freed -- Caleb's father. A man with whom Caleb has grown up as a near brother.

Caleb is unique in other ways as well. Tom's mother, Susan, is the daughter of a schoolteacher. She has taught all of the Parker children, white and black, to read, write, and do arithmetic. Caleb also is a skilled blacksmith and gunsmith.

As a Free Man of Color, Caleb is on the horns of a dilemma. He sees and understands the plight of the slaves, yet realizes that being born free sets him apart from others of his race. At the same time, the whites with whom he has grown up have treated him as an equal.

In this context, the loss of the war by the Confederacy will threaten the precious little freedom that he enjoys. Thus, the start of the Civil War presents Caleb with a dilemma - on which side will he serve?

WHAT IS THE BOOK ABOUT?

	Andrew & Silas Chandler, the two Confederates on whom Reconstructed Yankee is based

To avoid forced enlistment in the Confederate Army, Caleb and Tom initially join the Union militia led by the Reverend Bill Carter. After experiencing Yankee atrocities and tragedy at home, the two friends are driven to make a radical decision. The free black man and the Union sympathizer change sides, and they spend the bloodiest months of the war in the Confederate Army fighting with the 23^rd Virginia.

After gruesome fighting in the night assault on Culp's Hill, Tom is killed and Caleb brings the body of his fallen "brother" and comrade home. At war's end, Caleb experiences the harsh realities of life as a black man in Reconstructed North Carolina. Fearing for his family's safety, he moves to upstate New York, hoping to find the freedoms promised by emancipation. On the way, and once there, Caleb discovers Northern racism and segregation rather than the acceptance and freedom he expected. His life becomes a struggle with personal conflicts over what the Civil War really accomplished.

Caleb emerges from his struggle as a hero, not a victim. Because of his special upbringing, he values education and the benefits it brings. Through both his efforts and the circumstances of a single event, Caleb secures educational advantages for his children and grandchildren.

WHAT TRADE REVIEWERS SAY

"Maples has done scrupulous research, and it shows in this well-written and powerful novel, which will appeal to Civil War buffs and historical fiction readers." Kathleen Hughes
American Library Association

"[Reconstructed Yankee] is informative and enlightening. The realism was unbelievable and I felt as if I was transported back to that era. I have read it twice already and will have my students [at UNLV] read it as well. An understanding of the Civil War is an understanding of Reconstructed Yankee." Stan Armstrong, Documentary Filmmaker:
The Forgotten Battle of Fort Pillow and the Birth of the KKK, Black Confederates: The Forgotten Men in Gray, and Native Americans of the Civil War

"This balanced and compelling novel, based on freshly synthesized scholarship, shines a spotlight on a censored historical subject and opens the way for a greater understanding of the conflicted lives and legacy of Afro-Confederates." Ervin L. Jordan, Jr. Professor, University of Virginia & Author, Black Confederates and Afro-Yankees in Civil War Virginia

"[Reconstructed Yankee] is constructed by an author with enough expertise to speculate on the "what" and "when;" enough creativity to invent the "who;" and enough of the philosopher's soul to search for the "why." Jack's artistry wraps this all into an enjoyable read." Verni Geis Cullen, Elan' Magazine

"Reconstructed Yankee is an educational tool for those interested in Black History, Confederate History, Southern History, US History, & the Southern War for Independence. It will enlighten all readers and hopefully help some realize our common heritage." Charles Kelly Barrow, Historian-In-Chief, SCV, Commissioner, Georgia Civil War Commission - Co-editor of Forgotten Confederates: An Anthology About Black Southerners

"A well researched and fascinating work of historical fiction. It raises concerns as relevant today as they were in the Civil War Era." Don Markle, Author of Spies and Spymasters in the Civil War

"What flag must I follow? Only in wartime do such profound conflicts of conscience arise. Only an expert like Jack Maples could portray them so vividly and accurately." Dick Côté, Author of Mary's World & Theodosia

PUBLICATION DETAILS

Reconstructed Yankee was published on September 1, 2001 and became available on January 1, 2002 nationwide through all independent, chain, and Internet booksellers. The book is distributed nationally by Mid-Point Trade.

• Deluxe hardcover library binding edition: ISBN 1-59411-087-5, $19.95
• Deluxe soft cover binding edition: ISBN 1-59411-088-3, $16.95
• Library of Congress Control Number: 2001093137

	"Reconstructed Yankee” News
		Reconstructed Yankee is in the early stages of becoming a film! Two producers and a director are interested. A production company has been identified. Stay tuned for breaking news!