The Secret Trial of Robert E Lee by Thomas Flemming
publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
This is the kind of book I enjoy reading… historical fiction. Take a subject. Mix in some historical figures. Weave a story surrounding this event. In this case we are taken to the 1860’s at a time just after the US Civil War. In history, when Robert E Lee surrendered the Northern Virginia Army at Appomattox to general Grant all of Lee’s soldiers were given amnesty for things done during the war. This story proceeds from the standpoint that there was a secret trial of Robert E Lee for treason and various war crimes including the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
In this telling of post war politics there is much information woven into the story. You can begin to grasp the true reasons behind the war. It is also a good view of what elements on the yankee side tried to do following the war. I have been reading bits and pieces about this historical era for decades and find it a true history. The “trial” never happened but the rest of the history did. It is the first book I have read about that time period that reflected my knowledge of those events.
Thomas Flemming is a historian as well as a writer. He weaves a pretty good story laced with historical facts. This is a recommended read.
Ooohhh, historical fiction. I do enjoy that. I’m stuck in the middle of one by Edward Rutherfurd right now. I’ve enjoyed his other ones, but this one just isn’t grabbing me as much.
I usually read European HF…but maybe I should think about branching out!