Aaron Gwyn
Autor de Wynne's War (Eamon Dolan)
Obras de Aaron Gwyn
Obras relacionadas
McSweeney's Issue 24 (McSweeney's Quarterly Concern): Trouble/Come Back, Donald Barthelme (2007) — Contribuidor — 280 copias
You and Me and the Devil Makes Three (Esquire's Fiction for Men, #1) (2012) — Contribuidor — 6 copias
Etiquetado
Conocimiento común
- Fecha de nacimiento
- 1972-08-22
- Género
- male
- Nacionalidad
- USA
- Lugar de nacimiento
- Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
- Educación
- East Central University (BA)
Oklahoma State University (MA)
University of Denver (PhD)
Miembros
Reseñas
Premios
También Puede Gustarte
Autores relacionados
Estadísticas
- Obras
- 7
- También por
- 5
- Miembros
- 115
- Popularidad
- #170,830
- Valoración
- 3.8
- Reseñas
- 4
- ISBNs
- 18
- Idiomas
- 1
Gwyn tells his tale of the early years of Texas (1820s to 1860s) using two alternating narrators. One is Duncan Lammons, a Kentucky boy who drifts down to Texas to escape the slave states and also the 'disgrace' of his homosexuality. He finds out soon enough that there is no escaping either, but along the way he joins the early Texas Rangers and becomes an Indian fighter, and also fights the Mexican army to establish the independent Republic of Texas. He also falls for the blonde beauty and natural innocence of Sam Fiske, a fellow Ranger. It is an unrequited love, however, as they are soon separated and do not meet again for several years, by which time Sam has met, rescued and made a family with Cecelia, a runaway slave, who is the book's other narrator. Highly intelligent and taught to read as a child by an early mistress, Cecelia runs multiple times from various 'owners' before Sam frees her and they form an initially uneasy alliance and then have a child. Gwyn even manages to evoke some parallels to Odysseus in Cecelia's long journey toward freedom.
But happiness is elusive, and not just for Sam and Cecelia, but also for Duncan, as slavery makes its way into Texas which is annexed into the Union, and various villains and political events converge in a savage and heartbreaking chain of events.
There are other fascinating minor characters here too - war-damaged villains and heroes - as well as mentions of some real historical figures - Houston Austin, Bowie and Crockett, to name a few. Because as I said earlier, Gwyn has done his research and his knowledge of Texas history is evident. And, by the book's conclusion, with the nation on the brink of Civil War, the story becomes eerily relevant to what is happening today in our dangerously divided country. That's quite a hat trick, Mr Gwyn, but you've pulled it off admirably.
This is one helluva good book. Bravo, Mr Gwyn. My very highest recommendation.
- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER… (más)