Joe G. Bax

Touching on a piece of history that I think is too often overlooked, author Joe G. Bax successfully paints a vivid picture of a small Texas town during the tumultuous period that followed the Civil War.

With a wide cast of characters, ranging from the prosperous land owner to the poor share cropper, from former slaves to Kluxers, The General explores the turbulent and violent era commonly known as Reconstruction.

General Leander Wilhite, for whom the book is named, is a quiet, reclusive character, while John Ross, his grandson, takes the lead in the story. A former Confederate commander, General Wilhite returns to his plantation Catulpa to put the war behind him and try to come to terms with the momentous change the that has been wrought upon society. Through his grandson John Ross, the reader gets a glimpse of the emotions, the discord, the violence, and the fear that gripped the nation, and especially the South, after the war.

My only criticism would be that, for those like me, who enjoy long, meaty novels with well-developed characters, this one falls short at only 168 pages. For those who enjoy quick reads, this is good historical fiction, a well-crafted story of race relations, revenge and retaliation by an author with a unique voice and authentic writing style.


… (mehr)

A TEXAS DESTINY: THE SAGA BEGINS by Joe G. Bax is an interesting historical fiction set in Louisiana and Texas. It is a prequel to his Reconstruction-era epic," The General and Monaville, Texas". A tale of a family's saga from the swamps of Louisiana to Texas and beyond.Where they end up in Monaville, Texas. Filled with family drama,Indians,slavery,Texas Land Grant,Texas Rangers,the beginning of the Civil war,the Alamo, and love of family. You will be engrossed with this tale of one family's saga. Intertwined with historical and fictional characters such as Austin, Houston,and Bowie,you will not go wrong with this story of bravery,prejudice,and the fight for freedom. If you are a historical buff,fictional reader,and enjoy reading about Texas than this is the story for you. I would recommend this title to historical and fictional alike. Received for an honest review from the author. The author draws the reader into this story with vivid descriptions and engaging characters. Received for an honest review from the author.

RATING: 4
HEAT RATING: SWEET
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, My Book Addiction Reviews… (mehr)

"The General and Monaville, Texas" is a historical novel set in the reconstruction era following the United States Civil War. It is told through the eyes of John Ross, the teenage grandson of General Leander Wilhite who fought for the South and is now trying to put the war behind him and get on with the responsibilities of running a ranch. John tries to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and get on with his life but there are many things going on around him that he just doesn't understand. Who are the "Kluxers" and why do they want to hurt the freed slaves? Why does his grandfather no longer go into town and why does he seem to dislike the church ladies so much? Why are people always asking him how Miss Afton is when they could ask her themselves? As John Ross spends more time with his grandfather and other town elders such as Blue, and The Colonel, he finds the answers not only lead to more questions but also lead to his becoming an adult.

This is a well-written, character driven novel of a period in US history that many people know very little about. History books often gloss over the time directly after the civil war and rarely mention the beginnings of the Ku Klux Klan but author Joe G. Bax takes us there and gives us a sometimes startling, sometimes humorous, and oftentimes all too realistic glimpse into this tumultuous period of US history. If you like historical fiction that packs a punch then I highly recommend "The General and Monaville, Texas". It may be short but it delivers and I guarantee that once started you won't be able to put it down until you have read every last word.… (mehr)

I received this book from Reviewthebook.com and did not receive any money for this review nor am I required to write a positive review.

The General and Monaville, Texas is about a young boy named John Ross Wilhite growing up in Texas post Civil War. His grandfather was a General in the war fighting for the south but has since put that behind him. He has set his slaves free and given most of them land as sharecroppers. He takes a genuine interest in them expecially Blue for who the General sets up a blacksmith shop in the town.

John Ross is growing up and is starting to get interested in girls expecially his friend Afton. Coming from a small town they all start asking him about his "friend Afton".

Not everyone is willing to let the loss of the Civil War go to the wayside and with the help of the District Attorney and the drunken Sheriff a group forms the local Klan. They don't take kindly to the former slaves being treated as equals and start to cause some trouble in the area having deadly consequences.

And if the Klan isn't enough to handle a former slave show up to take revenge out on the General.

This book isn't very long , only 168 pages, but it sure packs a punch, I found myself not being able to put the book down. The book does end with somewhat of a mystery though and i would love to read more about John Ross and the town of Monaville, Texas.… (mehr)