Salisbury: Civil War Death Camp in North Carolina

Emotionally gripping, based upon a true story, Masterson introduces the reader to James Reed, a 19-year old farm boy from Angola, New York who is thrust into the bloodiest battles of the Eastern theatre of the Civil War. But it is while Reed is held as a P.O.W. at Salisbury Prison in North Carolina, a death camp, forgotten by history, where, in the midst of madness, the basic tenets of civility wither. This generation's "Andersonville," Masterson's "Salisbury" is a story whose time has come. Highly recommended! A Roundtable Buff

Masterson's Salisbury: A Civil War Death Camp in North Carolina swiftly takes the reader into a romanticized view of war. Equally swiftly, the tone changes as the main character encounters the realities of war--dirt, disease, and death found on the battlefield and in prison life on our nation's soil. Courage, self-sacrifice, and luck determine survival. Like The Red Badge of Courage and All Quiet on the Western Front, the timelessness of the struggles in war remain a story told over and over, one necessary to read to remind ourselves of the liberties we have because of the sacrifices of others. A satisfying and memorable read! A. A.

This book is a stunning, realistic portrayal of what it was like to be a soldier in the Civil War and perhaps any war. It brings us to an understanding of the suffering and death surrounding even the survivors, reminding me of Elie Weisel's book NIGHT. Without reading thoughtful and well-researched books, how would we ever know what horrors these men experienced? Today, men and women are experiencing war in Iraq, and even though communication is better, we do not really know the fears and pain the men and women soldiers are experiencing. Masterson has used his imagination to recreate the comaraderie as well as the inhumanities that war creates.