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.

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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.

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

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