All Other Nights: A Novel

All Other Nights by Dara HornJacob Rappaport, 19, left his father's home to avoid an unsuitable marriage and voluntarily joined President Lincoln's Union army. He was called upon by his superior officers to commit the crime of murder of his uncle, accused of being a Confederate spy and involved in a plot to assassinate President Lincoln. Jacob's position as a soldier serving in the Union Army exacted loyalty. He also sought respect and esteem, something he had not received from his father. Opposing these ideals, was the question of moral virtue, as pertaining to the distinction between right and wrong, or good and evil. Making the situation even more difficult was the fact of his being a Hebrew. In Jewish thought, one is created in the divine image of God, and if one is to be worthwhile, one must distinguish right from wrong and have the ability and the capacity to act on this knowledge. Jacob's choice in the first part of the book opens up the mythical Pandora's Box releasing for Jacob all the pains and grief his imagination could never have configured. One night, one decision and the shape of events to come altered irrevocably.I asked myself the question, could he have turned down the assignment since it was way outside the duties of a Private in the 18th Infantry Regiment of NY? What would his punishment have been? Would he have been punished? However, he accepted and even when he realized that his uncle was more bluster than deed he went ahead with the plan. These are three out of four questions.In the second part of the book, his choices are even more difficult. His imprisoned father-in-law, Philip Levy, a secret spy for the Union, saved his life and his wife, Eugenia Levy, knowing Jacob was a Union spy, protected him from her own sister. Jacob, in spite of these sacrifices, decided to send the message on through: " Mission compromised by confirmed confederate agent Charlotte Levy. Request capture of Charlotte Levy as soon as possible" As Jacob wrote out the words to send, he felt himself burning with glory. Caleb, the freed slave and Union agent, warns Jacob. He says, "You know this will break Philip's heart all over again." Jacob answers. " It isn't a choice" and Caleb replies, "There are always choices."Jacob once again has chosen glory over moral virtue.The third part of the book deals with redemption. Jacob's vanity has ended and his physical destruction left him disfigured beyond recognition. Redemption was his only way of salvaging what he began. He continues as a spy for the Union, possibly to save many Union soldiers' lives and avert the kidnap plot of Lincoln. He believes he can atone for his crimes. He also wants to locate the Levy daughters for Philip and for himself and thereby find Eugenia and his own daughter. He believes that his life would regain the meaning he had lost.What occurs with Jacob and Philip Levy's family parallels the devastation of the Civil War itself. The human cost of the conflict was 1.2 million, the combination of dead and wounded. Human suffering extended beyond the military sphere. Thousands of blacks and white Southerners became refugees. Although the blacks emerged from the war with their freedom, they did not have equal rights for many years to come. Not until the 20th century did the South fully recover from the economic devastation. In contrast, the North forged ahead with the building of a modern industrial state.The final question for me which completes the four questions like at the Passover Seder when the youngest child asks the traditional four questions beginning with "Why is this night different from all other nights?" is the following. Did I love the book? The honest answer is I liked it but...other than forcing me to review the history of the Civil War, which was a great read; I felt that the book was just a step above a romance novel. Set in a period of major historical significance and using real characters like Judah Benjamin, who were fascinating to learn about separately, it then became more relevant. Much of what happened is a stretch and not believable other than the descriptions of the war torn south. And surprisingly, I never reached a point where I admired and truly cared for the protagonist. Jacob was just too immature from the start and his growth and maturation in character never seemed to acquire a resounding identity and uniqueness. One always hopes for the protagonist to distinguish himself or herself in a manner that will manipulate the reader into revering the individual.

Dara Horn's novel, "All Other Nights," is a fascinating tale of the American Jewish communities, north and south, at the time of the civil war. This large book opens with Northern Private Jacob Rappaport whose superior officers request him to journey as a spy to New Orleans to murder his own uncle. Privates don't often refuse a request/command of superior officers. In this case, Private Rappaport also imagines promotion. While the action of "All Other Nights" is centered about the tension in the midst of spy rings on both sides, the underlying "back story" is the relationships of people both north and south and their choice of loyalty whether to family or to country.After he successfully poisons his uncle, young Rappaport, now a sergeant, is next sent as a spy to Virginia where he must court and marry the daughter of an old family friend in order to spy upon that family's spying activities. Sergeant Rappaport does just that, but steps outside the assignment to actually fall in love with his target wife. later, he is discovered and must sneak back to the north to save his life. In his escape, he is nearly killed, but lives with half his face permanently scarred, the loss of an eye, and badly damaged legs. We follow this character not yet 22 years old as he faces a life of disability and disfigurement. This time, the assignment is to rejoin his old New York unit now based in Tennessee and to infiltrate the spy network of yet another old family friend who plans to kidnap President Lincoln.A plot of amazing twists and turns, author Horn has the reader "right there -- in the action" and her research is so thorough and novel so well written we're persuaded every word is factually correct. There are also amazing details seldom revealed, e.g., in December of 1862, General Ulysses S. Grant ordered all non-military Jews out of Tennessee.I consider this book to be a major addition to my library of American Historical Fiction. Of a topic that is rare, the author's characters are complex and real, believable people not cardboard heroes and heroines. We see them shaped and grow with their experiences and we suffer just as they do under the skilled pen of an extraordinary writer. As an addicted historical fiction freak, I am delighted to see the attention given to non-Christian Americans, an infrequent topic in the genre. Furthermore, the authors use of language is precise and elegant, describing the horrors of war and what people do to people.Finally an aspect of historical fiction that is not often discussed is that the portrayal of the past sometimes invites us to look at contemporary events in a different way. Ms. Horn's presentiation of "All Other Nights" may make it easier to understand -- maybe even tolerate -- some current American political events. Just seeing that today's events are not new may take the sting out of troublesome contemporary events.Whatever your personal political point of view, "All Other Nights" is a must for a refreshing look at the civil war.

Book is exactly as described

The print of this book is very poor, light and the letters are too small although I have fairly good vision.