Bright Starry Banner: a novel of the Civil War

“The fascinating story of a ferocious three-day battle, among the bloodiest ever fought on US soil. Six months before Gettysburg, there was Stones River, near Nashville, in which 44,000 Union troops and 37,700 Confederates hammered away at each other, savagely and unremittingly, and yet so indecisively that at the end, both sides could claim victory. . . . Carter’s theme––war is hell––is familiar enough, yet ever fresh when rendered, as it is here, with the kind of creative force that amounts to a sense of mission. Buffs will love it.”–– Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“Monumentally ambitious. . . . For a depiction of war, this is as good as it gets.”— Publishers Weekly (starred)

“Carter brings not only Stones River, but also all Civil War conflict to life in a manner that no novelist since Josepeh Pennell has done. . . . It’s a wonderful book all the way around.”––Peter Cozzens, author of No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River

“ Bright Starry Banner transports me into the thick of the Stones River campaign and enables me to see the tragic battle and its personalities in a new and dramatic way. Bravo!”––David J. Eicher, author of The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War

With Bright Starry Banner, Alden R. Carter adds an invaluable chapter to the war’s legend, presenting not only a great battle, but also the terror and courage of the men who fought it.

Alden R. Carter’s nine novels and 20 nonfiction titles have won numerous honors, including six ALA Best Book awards.