The Amalgamation Polka
Liberty Fish is born in 1844 to an uncommon set of parents. His father is a Northern abolitionist; his mother was born and raised on a South Carolina plantation. During the antebellum years, he discovers that his home is a station on the Underground Railroad. Raised to oppose slavery, Liberty lives a lonely childhood; other children would pick on him because they knew his parents harbored runaway slaves. When his Uncle Potter came to visit, he learns about “Bloody Kansas” and the war between the free-staters and the pro-slavery factions.
Throughout his youth, Liberty is tormented by his mother’s relationship with her parents, who disowned her for moving north and marrying an abolitionist. Shortly after the Civil War begins, he joins the Union army and participates in the march into Georgia. When he learns his unit isn’t far from his grandparents’ plantation, Liberty decides to leave the army and try to find their home. During this adventure, he learns not only about his roots but also about the terrible practice of slavery.
This book may very well be one of the top ten books I’ll read this year. The author did an outstanding job writing this story; his use of the English language in describing the era and people is exceptional. Wright puts together a great cast of characters that he cleverly weaves throughout the novel. You will become as outraged as I when you read about the peculiar institution of slavery and how people of the time dealt with it. This compelling novel should be on the bookshelf of all Civil War aficionados.