FEATURED BOOK: BECOMING an AMERICAN
Becoming an American
Becoming an American is historical fiction about the transformation of Timothy Mahoney, a bullied, young Canadian-Irish immigrant, power-loom operator at a cotton-mill in 1861. With the Union’s existence at jeopardy there is a call for more troops, thus Timothy enlists in the Ninth Maine Infantry in hopes of being accepted by Americans, but after fighting in battles for two years, on leave he meets and falls in love with Clara Tainter, who is married, and after Timothy is bullied by her husband in a jealous rage, he helps other prisoners and thinks of Clara which helps hin survive imprisonment and a barefoot march. His story of striving to belong in his new land, surviving war, and hopefully finding love is a timely addition to the country’s current debate about immigration, the polarized nation, and what it means to be an American.
My great-grandfather’s eulogy that mentioned his service during the Civil War was the inspiration to write this story. To learn greater details of the Maine Ninth Infantry, I studied official logs and other documents at state archives, national archives, and libraries, as well as books and films about specific battles. Walking on the former battle sites, prisons, and visiting cemeteries enriched my understanding of the depths of what occurred in those locations.
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