I Shall Be Near to You, by Erin Lindsay McCabe

I Shall Be Near to You is both an interesting and informative book.   The fiction story is based on well-researched facts and mixes historical with fictional characters.  Before reading it I had never thought much about women soldiers during the Civil War.  The book provided insight into not only why a woman would do that but also into the cultural expectations for women at that time and the devotion between a husband and wife.    The book is a different kind of reading experience than a “page-turner” or suspenseful mystery, but the characters will stay in your thoughts and you will remember them, their decisions and their lives long after closing the covers. 

NOTE: A complimentary copy of this book was provided through Blogging for Books.

Characters
Home	Military
Rosetta (Ross Stone) Parents – Betsy – sister   Jeremiah Wakefield Parents and family   Eli – Bully   Friends: Henry and Jimmy O’Malley Sullivan Cameron	Ross Stone (Rosetta) Jeremiah   Captain Chalmers Jennie Chalmers   Three friends from home   Will Eberhart (Towhead Boy) John Morgan (Leatherskin) Frank – John’s son Hiram Binhimer (Foul Mouth) Edward Stiles (Black Eye)   Levi Blalock - Deserter   Real people: Clara Barton - nurse Mrs. Greenhow – spy

For discussion:
NOTE:  All page numbers are for the hardback edition of the book.


1. How do you think Rosetta expected Jeremiah to treat her in camp?   Were her expectations of Jeremiah and military life realistic?


2. Did you think Jeremiah’s reactions were realistic?  Would a husband in the military, surprised by his wife’s unannounced appearance as a man, act that way?   


3. Early in the story Will keeps looking at Rosetta.  Do you think he knows she is a woman or does he have other intentions?  Were you surprised to find out that he was gay?   Do you think the offer he made to Rosetta after Jeremiah died would have worked out?


4. This is based on true experiences of women fighting as men in the Civil War.  But do you think it would be possible to actually live with your husband in the military camp and no one knows?


5. Consider Jennie Chalmers compared to Rosetta.  Do you think one was happier or more fulfilled than the other? 


6. How do you think Captain Chalmers would react in the same situation as Jeremiah?


7. Did you like the inclusion of real people into the story (Clara Barton and Mrs. Greenhow)?


8. Can you imagine yourself doing what Rosetta did?  Why or why not?


9. What do you think happens after the story ends?  

First Semester Success, Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.