The women of Water’s Ford, PA are trying to support their men who are in the Union Army. The sewing circle has to help!

I love this series. It's just an easy read, feel good book. This book, however, bothered me a little because it talked about the civil war and the attitudes about racism during the civil war. It felt like the attitudes were those of 21st century people, not of 19th century people. But if you can overlook this one fault it is a fun book. ( )

The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini
1860's Elizabeth stays behind as her husband leaves to fight in the war. She must stay strong.
She hides that she's pregnant and gives Thomas, her husband one of her quilts to take with him because she won't be able to keep him warm.
Racial tensions, politics and war are the focus of this book and the quilting and the part it represents during the war.
When the men write to tell the women they've not even had potatoes nor fresh vegetables the local circle of quilting women go into action.
When they are requested to make 60 quilts they make plans to get a building that is large enough for everybody to sew them.
Dorothea comes up with a great idea to get the quilts done and a contest for the quilters...
Love how the sampler came about and what is in it, what a treasure!
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device). ( )

Love Jennifer Chiaverini's novels! The Union Quilters was no exception. The audiobook utilizes the same reader as the previous books, and contains crossover characters mentioned in other books in the series. It was quite enjoyable learning more of the background of some of the prominent characters in previous books. As a book about the Civil War, it was certainly written in the same tone; it wasn't all sunshine and roses! Some of the descriptions of war sites and conditions certainly invite the reader to investigate the actual history even further. Some of the characters are lost to the war, others return home forever changed, others participate in support activities. Well researched, very well written. ( )

[This review first appeared at Bookin' It.]

This was an engrossing piece of historical fiction set in Pennsylvania from 1861 - 1868.  It continues with many of the characters from The Runaway Quilt and shows the impact and effects of the Civil War on the men and women of the (fictional) Watersford community (which I always picture as being a little bit like Slippery Rock).  

Chiaverini did quite a bit of research for this book, as evidenced by the bibliography in her acknowledgments at the front of the book.  She aptly demonstrates what life was like for the men who went to war (and those who didn't), the women at home (and in the community), and the free Blacks in Pennsylvania.  It's particularly appropriate with publication during the first year of the Civil War bicentennial.

The plot is compelling and the characters are intriguing.  Jonathan and Gerda were particularly interesting, obviously intelligent people, but not so wise in matters of the heart and tact, for continuing to carry a torch for the other despite Jonathan's marriage to another.

The book itself is beautiful, with a gorgeous cover that includes a white quilted background, lovely printed fabrics, an appliqué star, and a period photograph of women of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts sewing an oversized flag for the soldiers during the Civil War. The endpapers have pictures of some of the quilt blocks described in the text.

This was an easy but fascinating read.  It stands alone and it's not necessary to read other books in the Elm Creek Quilts series first (although one who's already read The Runaway Quilt will be able to make connections with this book).  As someone who has read some of the books in this series, I now want to read The Lost Quilter, which begins in 1859 immediately following the events chronicled in Gerda's memoir in The Runaway Quilt, and parallels The Union Quilters.

© Amanda Pape - 2012

[This book was borrowed from and returned to my local public library.] ( )