Book Reviews: The Weight of Snow and Regret and Traveling Through History

Photo by Ed Ortiz – It’s still kind of cold, so the mug is trying to stay warm. 😀

I’ve mentioned in other posts that I don’t usually read much fiction, but I’m gradually adding more to my reading list. I’m discovering that biographical and historical fiction can be especially captivating. Following my instincts, I chose two wonderful works of historical fiction by authors and bloggers in my WordPress community—and I thoroughly enjoyed both. 

The first is The Weight of Snow and Regret by Elizabeth (Liz) Gauffreau.

Before reading this novel, I knew nothing about poorhouses1. These institutions provided basic housing, food, and care for people with disabilities, orphans, and the elderly in the United States and Britain. In the U.S., most began to close after the Welfare Act of 1967.

This novel brings one of them to life: the Sheldon Poor Farm in Vermont, which closed its doors on October 1, 1968.

Liz vividly depicts the circumstances that brought people to the Sheldon Poor Farm, making their struggles tangible and compelling.

The story centers on two characters: Claire Lapierre, a fleeting presence, in my view, whose story sets the stage for the main narrative, and Hazel Morgan, whose life is full of twists and turns that will capture your heart. Hazel’s journey takes her from a traumatic childhood experience that lands her in the poorhouse temporarily, through adulthood, and eventually full circle as she returns—this time as a caregiver, dedicating herself to helping those in need.

Liz did an excellent job researching the history of these poorhouses and writing a fictional story that feels remarkably real. Some of the social conditions forming the backdrop of the novel are still relevant today.

The second is Traveling Through History by Janet Morrison. 

Traveling Through History is a collection of short stories inspired by various sources, as Janet states in the introduction. The stories inspired by her ancestors, who migrated from Scotland to America, were particularly fascinating.

Traveling Through History includes 13 short stories. My favorites were The Tailor’s Shears, From Scotland to America, and A Letter from Sharpsburg.

The Tailor’s Shears is a moving story about the conflict between the Anglican Church and the Presbyterians in the 17th century. It narrates the stories of the Covenanters2, members of a Scottish religious and political movement who supported the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The story centers on Alexander Montgomery, a Presbyterian tailor, who gets in trouble with the local government and is sent to Barbados as forced labor in the sugarcane business, and Sir Ian Douglas, Alexander’s client and a well-known man in town who helps Mrs. Montgomery and their children through this difficult time.

From Scotland to America tells the story of five people who migrated in the 1700s: John, his wife Mary; John’s brother James, and his wife Jennet; and John’s youngest brother Robert. They embarked on a journey from Campbeltown, Scotland, to Pennsylvania, then to North Carolina, where they finally bought land and settled.

Finally, A Letter from Sharpsburg tells the story of a Confederate soldier named John, who fought in the Battle of Sharpsburg (or the Battle of Antietam) and wrote a letter to his parents during the American Civil War. As a former soldier, I could relate to the sentiments expressed in the letter and to the ugliness of war.

I had a great time reading both novels and researching the history and facts behind the stories.

I like to read local history and then see the connections to broader history. In Liz’s novel, this meant gaining a close view of social conditions in the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and seeing how locally-run poorhouses filled gaps before the current welfare system. There is a critical article on the History website titled “Poorhouses Were Designed to Punish People for Their Poverty” that discusses the dark side of some of these institutions.  

Janet’s stories provide a personal touch about the political and religious conditions in Scotland that motivated migration to America. Her stories place readers in historical settings we usually read about but cannot fully immerse ourselves in, helping us imagine what life was like in those days.

If you enjoy historical fiction based on local history, these two novels will be a great addition to your collection.

About the Authors:

Elizabeth Gauffreau writes fiction and poetry with a strong connection to family and place. Her work has been widely published in literary magazines, as well as several themed anthologies. Her short story “Henrietta’s Saving Grace” was awarded the 2022 Ben Nyberg prize for fiction by Choeofpleirn Press.

Janet Morrison is a North Carolina author. Writing nonfiction and historical fiction let her combine two of her favorite things — writing and doing historical research. Her work has won various awards from the North Carolina Society of Historians. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with a minor in history and a Master of Public Administration degree.

  1.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poorhouse ↩︎
  2.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covenanters ↩︎

73 thoughts on “Book Reviews: The Weight of Snow and Regret and Traveling Through History”

  2. Hi Edward, I have also read and enjoyed Liz’s book. A fascinating, albeit tragic, insight into life in a poor house at that point in history. The elderly lady who lost her home due to flooding was especially tragic for me. The other book, Traveling Through History, sounds right up my street. Thanks for the recommendation.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. The story is very neat because it presents life in those poorhouses in a lively way, for lack of a better word, instead of just reading a dry version in history books or on the internet. The pace gets very interesting and fast toward the end. Yeah, I read her post about the audio version, pretty cool.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. You do quite a job of keeping us informed about what is worth reading, Edward. There is a German word that captures your help. It is “dienen.” It means, “to serve.” Thank you.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. Hi, Edward. It’s exciting to see these reviews for our little community. Yes, indeed, Liz is a marvelous researcher, which to me is a fundamental part of fiction. I’m not familiar with Janet’s work, but it’s getting good press. Thanks for posting your reviews and supporting indie authors. Hugs all around.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  10. Such a great review of Liz’s book Edward which you covered so well. I’m sure she was over the moon. The history and labor of love is truly magnificent. Also, Janet’s stories look really fascinating as well! Thanks for sharing both of these wonderful books and authors. xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. Love your reviews, Edward…thank you for these! And cheers to your adorable mug/companion. I meant to comment about “him” the other day and forgot. Dressed for the weather, yes indeed! 💝😊💝

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. You’re very welcome, Michelle. It was interesting to read more about the poorhouses. I was thinking yesterday about some of the movies I watched in the past that portrayed “poorhouses,” and I didn’t make any connections until now.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  14. These stories sound excellent, Edward. Thank you for the detailed summaries and the author bios. I enjoy well-researched historical fiction. More interesting to learn about history that way. 👍🏻I’ve been moving through my reading stack, some digital, since the holidays. 📚 🤓

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Michele. You’re so right about making learning more interesting. I was just commenting with Violet about the value of historical fiction. I need to add more to my list.

      Awesome progress on your end. I’m surprised that I’ve already finished four books. I usually read one book a month, but I guess practice makes perfect, and I’m getting better at reading, which is good because I want to read more every year. 🤓

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. You’re very welcome. Finding the balance between writing and reading takes intentional effort, on my part. Though not categorized as historical fiction, Michael Moorcock’s book, Gloriana comes to mind. I enjoyed learning about Elizabethan England in that book. I love his work! Just one of many authors…

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

        1. Intentionality—yes. That’s the only way to work through all the projects and everything we have going on. I was trying to follow a list of the 100 books to read before we die, but I almost died last year reading Pride and Prejudice. 😂 OMG, it was boring.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

  15. Historical fiction can open your eyes to the lived realities of history like no other genre. It is my favorite- and I am so glad you are enjoying it! It can really open the door to so much research- I just cannot give it enough praise.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Violet. You are spot on, and I’m starting to see that now. My interest, I think, started when I read the Army of the Potomac trilogy by Bruce Catton. The way he wrote about the history of the Civil War was fantastic, it felt like a novel. So I’m definitely going to read more of them. I think it’s easier to picture how people experienced events in the past.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  16. The two books you review sound very interesting. Thanks for sharing the links so we can get more information.
    I’ve heard of the Poor Houses but didn’t really know anything about them.
    I also had ancestors that sailed to Canada and America from the Isle of Arran Scotland, so I’d be interested in reading Janet’s book.
    I’m not much of a fiction reader, but historical fiction certainly adds depth to the stories that have shaped our world. One book that had me more interested in reading historical fiction is ‘The Paris Library’. This story is based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, and tells of when the Nazis arrive in Paris and how Jewish people were taken. Library workers risked their lives to save people and books. That story has stuck with me.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you for the recommendation, Rose. I might check that book out. I wasn’t much of a fan of fiction, and the only author I really follow is Isabel Allende. Her books are all based on real experiences surrounding family, social issues, and politics. That has always attracted me. So historical fiction is a good addition, and I’m looking forward to reading more of it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  17. Wonderful reviews of two interesting and remarkable books. Reading about historical aspects certainly enriches our perspective and also helps us value what we are living now, which is an extension of all those events. Sharing life with a historian always helps me better situate current times. Thank you, Edward, for sharing about these two gems. Sending you light and blessings and wishing you a peaceful and warm day 🙏✨

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  25. Those sound like great books, Edward. I’ve learned about so many interesting things by reading fiction. And how wonderful you are supporting your WordPress Community! You don’t strike me as the kind of person who enjoys romance novels, but if you ever get a hankering to try one, I’d be happy to set you up (LOL)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  26. I very much enjoy historical novels and will search these out, so thanks for your reviews, Edward. One of my faves in this genre was “The Tide Between Us” by Olive Collins.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you for the recommendation, Terry. I did a quick read on Amazon, and it looks interesting. I’m adding it to my reading list. Reading that it’s based on 2,000 Irish children deported to Jamaica piqued my interest.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

Leave a comment