A Distant Flame

Winner of the Michael Shaara Award In the spring of 1984, the Confederate Army in Georgia is faced with the onrushing storm of General William T. Sherman's troops. A young sharpshooter fo the South, Charlie Merrill, who has suffered many losses in his life already, must find a way to endure--and grow--if he is to survive the battles that will culminate in July at the gates of Atlanta. A Distant Flame is a historical novel about the cost of war and the running conflict that led Sherman's army to the Battle of Atlanta--and the March to the Sea. It is a must-read . . . a moving and beautifully crafted story that leaves one with hope for humankind's redemption.--Civil War Book Review Williams writes in an unadorned style that gathers momentum slowly and subtly.--The Atlanta-Journal Constitution This strikingly fine novel leaves an indelible impression on the reader long after he puts it down . . . As Stephen Crane once said about Civil War historical writing, ' I want to be there.' In A Distant Flame, Mr. Williams takes us there, and it's a landscape that captures the heart.--Robert J. Mrazek, author of Unholy Fire and Stonewall's Gold A powerful work that surely will become a classic of Civil War fiction. A superb book.--Robert K. Krick, author of Stonewall Jackson at Cedar Mountain A Distant Flame takes a sultry summer day in 1914 and weaves it into a page-turning tale of Civil War Georgia . . . Philip Lee Williams's bittersweet story of life, love, and loss in a small Southern town will touch your heart and move you to tears.--David Evans, author of Sherman's Horsemen The dramatic wartime events of A Distant Flame are written in the heart of Charlie Merrill--sharpshooter, lover, pilgrim, and friend of General Cleburne. This intense and memorable story of battlefield and hearth tells us that it is high time to assess and treasure the work of Philip Lee Williams.--Marly Youmans, author of The Wolf Pit, winner of the Michael Shaara Award A Distant Flame is the best story yet written about the Atlanta campaign and life on the home front in Civil War Georgia. It is also much more. It blends scrupulously researched history with powerful narrative to produce a compelling, multidimensional story of one man's life as shaped by the Civil War over a span of fifty years. It is a story of war, love, and community in a small north Georgia town, brilliantly told, full of insights into the complex impact of the Civil War on everyday Southerners.--Thomas G. Dyer, author of Secret Yankees: The Union Circle in Confederate Atlanta More than 80,000 books have been written about the American Civil War--and, with authoritative, vividly rendered battle scenes, Williams earns a place . . . in the upper quadrant.--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author :
Phillip Lee Williams is the author of eleven published books, including eight novels and two works of nonfiction, and a chapbook. He lives in Watkinsville, Georgia, and teaches creative writing at the University of Georgia.