UNCLE TOM'S CABIN by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Uncle Tom’s Cabin is one of the classics I missed reading. I’d heard of little Eva, Eliza and Topsy and thought I knew something about the characters. However, this novel was very different from what I anticipated. Since it was first published in 1852, I expected to have to trudge my way through it. That was not the case at all. This book kept my interest throughout. It’s easy to understand why it was so successful.

 

An early printed report says that when they first met, Abraham Lincoln said to Mrs. Stowe, “Is this the little woman who made the great war?” Certainly her portrayal of the cruel treatment of Uncle Tom, and other slaves, had a great impact on society of that era. The Civil War was horrible, but it brought about an end to slavery in America.

 

I recommend that everyone read Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It brings home what slavery was really like to those of us who are far removed from that period. At the end of the Kindle version I read there are notes about Mrs. Stowe’s background and it says her characters were gleaned from stories of real slaves and the trials they actually faced.

Harriet Beecher Stowe

As a young woman.

It surprises me that the term, “an Uncle Tom,” is meant as a negative slur today. Her character, Uncle Tom, does obey his masters, yet when one insists he give up his Christian faith Tom is a true martyr, willing to suffer pain and death before giving in. That and other acts of courage, make Tom a character to emulate, not denigrate.

 

It’s my belief that history will judge today's society as a time of great cruelty and moral apathy. Since I'm currently working on a novel, Cast Me Not Away, that shines a light on the horrors of abortion, I thought it appropriate to read the book that led to an end of another horrific period in American history. I have high hopes my novel will open people's eyes as Harriet Beecher Stowe's did.

 

God bless America and may this country once again choose to take the high road and get off the low road we’re presently on.
 

—Zara Heritage
 

PROMISES by E.G. Lewis

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A young girl endures hardships to become a highly successful super model traveling the world. Yet her fame and fortune are threatened when an unscrupulous entrepreneur tricks her into marriage. What follows is immensely satisfying. Although she endures humiliation and her career is damaged at his hands, she retaliates in a way only a strong, intelligent woman could. 

Sprinkled throughout this novel are quirky characters whose humor alone  makes PROMISES  worth reading. However, Mary Jane Combs from Kentucky who becomes Claudia Monet of New York, is someone whose integrity is worth emulating.  

Strong sense of Kentucky, New York, Paris and the Caribbean. Lots of interesting information about the stock market and how public corporations function. Just because she’s a super model doesn’t mean she’s a dumb blond, or an easy lay. Hard work and family loyalty help her overcome obstacles and succeed. 

Despite her miserable first marriage, Claudia is not without romance in her life. This great story concludes with a “feel good” ending.    

Loved this novel. It’s a rewarding read. I adored Claudia Monet and HIGHLY RECOMMEND this novel to everyone.

—Zara Heritage 

MARTYR by E.G. Lewis

Summit Book Reviews is pleased to welcome author Zara Heritage as a member of our review team. For her first submission, she chose the novel MARTYR, a recent Cape Arago Press release by fellow Summit reviewer, E. G. Lewis. Zara’s debut novel, Cast Me Not Away, is currently undergoing its final edits and will be available in the near future.

*****

As a career writer I am sometimes critical of other people’s writing. When I see something outstanding, however, it makes me want to stand up and shout.

The Seeds of Christianity Series caught my attention with WITNESS, the first novel by E.G. Lewis. I eagerly read each one that followed and believe each book is better than the one preceding it. In MARTYR Mr. Lewis outdoes himself. I cannot recommend it more highly.

Although each novel stands alone, I suggest you read them all, and in order. You will fall in love with this First Century family and their interaction with Biblical events. History comes alive as Lewis weaves fact into fiction to create this memorable saga. The books themselves are not “preachy” as some Christian fiction tends to be.

In MARTYR the main characters, Rivkah and Shemu’el, are now grandparents. They relocate from Antioch to Rome with their adult children and their families. They all have to endure the horrible persecutions of Christians in that time period. However, there is also humor in this novel as well. Rivkah’s interaction with Nasica the rental agent evokes laughter while accurately representing what housing conditions were like at that time. At first, you’ll dislike their feisty neighbor, Severina, then laugh and cry as she transforms into a totally different person with  Rivkah’s influence.

You will experience Nero’s terrifying burning of Rome and their chilling escape thanks to the knowledge of their son, Yudah. His time as an aqueduct apprentice in Antioch serves them well. The autistic giant, Pavlos, introduced in DISCIPLE and a major player in APOSTLE, returns in this book too. Lovable Pavlos is quite a hero. If you don’t shed tears of joy and sorrow over him you are one hard-hearted soul.

Of course, Peter and Paul, Mark and Barnabas are in this book too. How could they not be? Yet, the book isn’t about them. It is about the lives of ordinary people who lived in the First Century and how they managed to survive, maintain and spread the Christian message. Whether you are Christian or not, you will find much to like about this series. It is truly entertaining, educational and inspiring.  MARTYR gets a five-star plus rating in this writer’s estimation.

−Zara Heritage

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PRODUCT DETAILS:

Paperback: 330 pages 
Publisher: Cape Arago Press (February 20, 2012) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 098259495X 
ISBN-13: 978-0982594957