John Gschwend

Chase the Wild Pigeons: a Novel of the Civil War John Gschwend

There was more to the Civil War than famous, glorified generals. In this well researched historical novel, you will see how the terrible war affected the folks on the homefront, too.

The Civil War South in 1863 is desperate and dangerous. For Joe, a 12-year-old boy suddenly alone and 600 mile from home, it's a nightmare come true.

This adventure story is a tale of a special friendship that only comes along once in a lifetime. Joe, who is white, and Peter, sixteen and a free Black, become unlikely friends and learn to depend on each other as they try to escape the desperate Confederate South.

Follow these two as they trek through a war-torn countryside and witness war at its worst, up close and personal. They travel through a landscape that has been decimated by brutal battles, and they encounter people that have suffered the extreme hardships and depredation of three years of war. All the while they learn to depend on each other and grow a binding love as special as any two brothers.

They will need each other more than they know-unknown to them, they are being pursued by a deranged killer.

What others are saying:

"... The triumph and terror these young boys faced during the civil war is unimaginable. I found myself cheering them on, almost crying for them. My heart broke, I laughed out loud and I was filled with anger and rage throughout the story. Not too many books can have people go through all those emotions and back again, but this one did..."-Courtney

"... Two young adolescent boys, one white age 12, and one black age 16, become indelibly imprinted on your mind. Because this is a character-driven story, you laugh and you cry, you love and you hate, you react and you reflect. Gschwend's heart and soul resonate on every page. The story is action-packed. The description is superb..."-Edwynne, Amazon.com Reviewer, Librarian and Retired English Teacher

"Set in the deep south, Chase the Wild Pigeons is a historically accurate novel that transports the reader back to the Civil War. The reader finds himself pulled into life on the Mississippi River, Southern culture and even Civil War era flora and fauna. Mr. Gschwend paints a vivid picture of the effects of war on a nation, especially from the stand point of a child. Chase the Wild Pigeons does a fine job of illustrating racial tensions across the south with out being offensive, and tells a lovely story of two young men who have only each other to rely on. Entwined into this entertaining story is adventure, one that makes it difficult to put down. I read this book into the wee hours of the night! I highly recommend this book!"-JennBryant, Amazon.com Reviewer