good idea gone wrong ~

[lookingland]

for the 50bookchallenge:

no. 10 ~ Sharpshooter by david madden. yes, mr. madden, you did your research. yes, mr. madden, it's all very interesting. here again another example of all enthusiasm and the maladroit writing skills of a novice. the story is interesting enough (if not a wee bit convoluted): young willis joins the confeds, becomes a sharpshooter, may or may not have shot general sanders, solves the mystery of sullivan and gardner schlepping bodies around at gettysburg, and then wanders into some tangential remorse about shooting a man at andersonville. the story has the makings of something worthwhile, but the telling is painfully dry like a textbook of civil war minutiae and the central mystery or dramatic question is ultimately not all that engaging. oh well.

if you don't know anything about the "body schlepping" at gettysburg, you might find this analysis by james groves interesting (it's long-winded, but worth a gander if you can get through it). i think some of groves's rationale is spurious, but nevertheless interesting ~ i always find this level of obsession quite fascinating.



"Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, Gettysburg"
from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, 1865
Often called "the most famous photograph made during the war"
and the source of endless controversy thereafter.

Comments

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

Well a lot of people focus on Pickett's charge, but the truth is, the charge would have succeeded if Longstreet had pressed the hilltops (which he could have taken). had he done so, the Union army would have been flanked and Pickett's charge would have had the support it needed to demolish the yankee line. but Longstreet got cold feet and there was a slaughter instead.

etc. etc. etc. ~ i s'pose we could endlessly conjecture the could haves and should haves.

hahahaha ~

: D

i think losing stonewall was a big blow indeed. even if i do think he was a bit of a creep. hahahaha ~

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

etc. etc. etc. ~ i s'pose we could endlessly conjecture the could haves and should haves.

LOL... that we could, that we could. We just need to settle this with a good old fashioned duel. Whaddya think? ;-)

Stonewall was a bit creepy. LOL... Talk about a religious fanatic. Brilliant tactical mind though.

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

pistols or swords?

hahahahahaha ~

: D

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

Oh, I think swords would be more sporting, don't you? Plus it would look a lot cooler. :-)

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

en garde ~ !

: D

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

Hai! I keeeeeeel you!

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

you know the line....

hahahahaha ~

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

LOL.... Of course I do.

But my sword is bigger. I win. :-p