Historical Fiction

Flags on the Bayou

Flags on the Bayou

  • Downloads：8660
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2023-02-28 11:21:44
  • Update Date：2025-09-14
  • Status：finish
  • Author：James Lee Burke
  • ISBN：1797159488
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

Greville Waterman ，

Lyrical， terrifying cinematic and full of details about the terrors and deprivation of the American Civil War。 The author provides the perspectives of a variety of different characters from slaves to deserters and paints an indelible picture of the horrors of war。 A brilliant and unforgettable book。

Ira Smith ，

Wow！ Another magnificent novel from the pen of James Lee。 Burke， whom I consider not just the best living American writer， but a national treasure。Flags on the Bayou， while set in 1863 Louisiana， isn’t so much a Civil War novel as it is a meditation on the follies of war， the upheavals it causes。 Told from multiple points of view， from both black and white characters， it is a stunning look at the corrupting influence of war， and it’s associated absurdities， and the transformative effects it has Wow！ Another magnificent novel from the pen of James Lee。 Burke， whom I consider not just the best living American writer， but a national treasure。Flags on the Bayou， while set in 1863 Louisiana， isn’t so much a Civil War novel as it is a meditation on the follies of war， the upheavals it causes。 Told from multiple points of view， from both black and white characters， it is a stunning look at the corrupting influence of war， and it’s associated absurdities， and the transformative effects it has on ordinary people。 This may be Burke’s best writing yet。My heartfelt thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of reading an advanced copy of one of the best books of the year。 。。。more

Ira Smith ，

Wow！ Another magnificent novel from the pen of James Lee。 Burke， who I consider not just the best living American writer， but a national treasure。Flags on the Bayou， while set in 1863 Louisiana， isn’t so much a Civil War novel as it is a meditation on the follies of war， the upheavals it causes。 Told from multiple points of view， from both black and white characters， it is a stunning look at the corrupting influence of war， and it’s associated absurdities， and the transformative effects it has o Wow！ Another magnificent novel from the pen of James Lee。 Burke， who I consider not just the best living American writer， but a national treasure。Flags on the Bayou， while set in 1863 Louisiana， isn’t so much a Civil War novel as it is a meditation on the follies of war， the upheavals it causes。 Told from multiple points of view， from both black and white characters， it is a stunning look at the corrupting influence of war， and it’s associated absurdities， and the transformative effects it has on ordinary people。 This may be Burke’s best writing yet。My heartfelt thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of reading an advanced copy of one of the best books of the year。 。。。more

Lori ，

I believe I've found me a new Civil War author to read！Wow！ Just some amazing stuff going on and the writing is is excellent！ Burke will take you on a roller coaster ride in this fast paced novel for sure！I was invested since the beginning and couldn't put it down until I was finished！Lots of cool characters and some bad ones too。 The historical aspects are described spot on！ Every last detail was accurate。 He really did his research well and has made a great novel！ I highly recommend！ Some grea I believe I've found me a new Civil War author to read！Wow！ Just some amazing stuff going on and the writing is is excellent！ Burke will take you on a roller coaster ride in this fast paced novel for sure！I was invested since the beginning and couldn't put it down until I was finished！Lots of cool characters and some bad ones too。 The historical aspects are described spot on！ Every last detail was accurate。 He really did his research well and has made a great novel！ I highly recommend！ Some great reading and action going on in this book！5 stars for a job well done！ I was NOT required to write a positive review。 All opinions expressed are my own。 。。。more

Andrew ，

I love Burke。 Have read all of his books and have loved his historical fiction as much if not more，than his crime novels。 And I really like this one。 Excellent writing and characterization。 Excellent imagery and historical verisimilitude。 The only problem is the shifting points of view in the narrative。 It made the book a bit hard to follow and prevented full blown characterizations。 I don’t know why authors do this， as reviewers often。 One the confusing nature of the multiple narrators。 But it’ I love Burke。 Have read all of his books and have loved his historical fiction as much if not more，than his crime novels。 And I really like this one。 Excellent writing and characterization。 Excellent imagery and historical verisimilitude。 The only problem is the shifting points of view in the narrative。 It made the book a bit hard to follow and prevented full blown characterizations。 I don’t know why authors do this， as reviewers often。 One the confusing nature of the multiple narrators。 But it’s still Burke and it’s still dry very good。 。。。more

Doug Yonce ，

The Master takes us to Louisiana past in a remarkable look at the Civil War （AKA War of Northern Aggression， War Between the States）。 The characters are timeless， but the background provided for their tale is perfect。 I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily provided an honest review。

Joyce ，

4 starsThis book broke my heart。 It is set in Louisiana during the fall of 1863。 The Union Army is in control of a large portion of the state and wreaking havoc on the local populace。 The Confederates have lapsed into confusion and their largely corrupt government is falling apart。 There are rogue groups running about murdering， raping and pillaging their own territory。 The Confederate soldiers are largely uneducated farmers who do not know why they are fighting to protect a small number of rich 4 starsThis book broke my heart。 It is set in Louisiana during the fall of 1863。 The Union Army is in control of a large portion of the state and wreaking havoc on the local populace。 The Confederates have lapsed into confusion and their largely corrupt government is falling apart。 There are rogue groups running about murdering， raping and pillaging their own territory。 The Confederate soldiers are largely uneducated farmers who do not know why they are fighting to protect a small number of rich landowners。 The “servants” as the wealthy call them， we know them as slaves， are in upheaval and aer beginning to smell the winds of freedom。 They are being abused in all manner of ways， and God help the women。 The devastating things that happened to the people greatly upset me。 On an intellectual level， I knew what was happening， but to read it， even in Mr。 Burke’s fine prose， was awfully disheartening， It was perhaps Mr。 Burke’s unflinching words that tore through my mind。 It was so very sad。 The only problem I had with this brilliant novel was the plotting。 There were many characters of which to keep track。 I also missed Mr。 Burke’s usual fleshing out of his characters。 I didn’t really know any of the characters， save for Hannah， and I was left almost bereft。 It left me feeling that I didn’t like any of them。 But then perhaps that was exactly the author’s intent。 After all， it was a horrible war。 I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for forwarding to me a copy of this remarkable book for me to read， enjoy and review。 The opinions expressed here are solely my own。 。。。more

Dave ，

Flags on the Bayou， the forthcoming novel from James Lee Burke， is a historical novel set in the waning years of the Civil War as Louisiana is occupied by the Yankee armies。 Told in a number of different narratives， we learn about the wartime confusion， the armies of the North occupying Lousiana， the renegade soldiers setting up their own rules， and the fall of the plantation way of life。 The war will be won we learn by burning the Southern cities， starving the populace， and occupying the estate Flags on the Bayou， the forthcoming novel from James Lee Burke， is a historical novel set in the waning years of the Civil War as Louisiana is occupied by the Yankee armies。 Told in a number of different narratives， we learn about the wartime confusion， the armies of the North occupying Lousiana， the renegade soldiers setting up their own rules， and the fall of the plantation way of life。 The war will be won we learn by burning the Southern cities， starving the populace， and occupying the estates。 Most of the Southerners never benefited from slavery and were fools to fight for the South to begin with。 While the slaves are not in open rebellion， word of emancipation has filtered down and， with it， the knowledge that only certain states， not all， have so far been emancipated。 Hannah Laveau， who has been enslaved on the Lufkin plantation， has been accused of murder， but she is only one of many who had cause to kill Lufkin， a rapist。 Laveau escapes from jail when an abolitionist makes a jailbreak and， in the bloody aftermath， the two women are on the run from everyone。 Meanwhile， Wade Lufkin， a younger nephew of the deceased Lufkin， duels another man to his detriment。 The novel， with its constantly shifting point of view， gives a glimpse of a time or turmoil and of deeds done in the fog of war and even after that fog has been lifted。 It might have been preferable to follow one storyline rather than so many and the shifting points of view are at times confusing as well as the fact that not one single plotline is pursued。 。。。more