A Dream of Kings
About this book
A DREAM OF KINGS is a novel of Civil War Days; an intense, lyric projection of Tom Christopher's growth to manhood, and a deeply moving love story.
Tom Christopher is an orphan, raised by his Aunt Sarah in a West Virginia river town. He shares a strange, lonely childhood with a girl whom Sarah Holmbrook has also taken in, Cathie. Through their early years these two children are sustained by their dream of a glowing God-like figure who never appears in the novel and yet pervades it—Abijah, Cathie's father, who has told the little girl that he will some day return a King. As Tom Christopher grows older, he comes more and more into conflict with Cathie, he is possessed by a feeling so powerful and so agonizingly unfamiliar that he believes it must be hate. At length he flees from his aunt's house, eventually to soldier under Stonewall Jackson, and through the violent months of war the redoubtable figure of Stonewall becomes one and the same, in Tom's mind, with King Abijah. The Tome is wounded, and when Stonewall Jackson dies he deserts.
Tom Christopher returns home, returns to find Cathie, and they realize they are in love and have always been. Because even Cathie has given up hope, finally, of Abijah, they have nothing now but each other...
There are a number of things about this book that make it extraordinary: the strong flavor of the period and the utterly convincing account of Civil War soldering, the fascinating gallery of secondary characters like Aunt Sarah, the lyric beauty of Mr. Grubb's prose. But the signal, unifying achievement is the emotional drive of A DREAM OF KINGS, the intensity of feeling that sweeps the reader through a profound experience.
"Novelist Grubb...has now attempted what might have been a commonplace story...but...he writes with such emotional conviction and lyric intensity that the book emerges as an authentic and haunting experience."—Time Magazine
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Title page
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
- DEDICATION
- BOOK 1 - 1855-1860
- BOOK 2 - 1860-1864