Nell Joslin | Measure of Devotion

ABOUT THE EVENT

Tickets include a signed copy of MEASURE OF DEVOTION, guaranteed entry to the event, and a seat in the reserved section. Nell will be in conversation with Elaine Neil Orr and will sign books after the program.

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the American Civil War, this intricately woven novel delves into the life of Susannah Shelburne, a thirty-six-year-old woman residing in South Carolina with her older husband, Jacob. Their son, Francis, defies his parents' wishes by enlisting in the Confederate army, sparking bitter familial discord. In October 1863, devastating news arrives: Francis has been critically wounded near Chattanooga, Tennessee. Susannah embarks on a perilous journey to bring her son home, finding Francis delirious with fever and haunted by the horrors of battle. Their reunion is overshadowed by the conflicts at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, culminating in Francis being captured as a prisoner of war. As the war exacts its toll and tensions escalate between mother and son, Susannah confronts impossible choices amidst harrowing revelations from home. This gripping narrative explores themes of sacrifice, resilience, and the profound impacts of war on family bonds, painting a vivid portrait of one woman's relentless fight for survival and reconciliation in a time of unprecedented turmoil.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

NELL JOSLIN is a native of Raleigh and received her MFA from North Carolina State University. Besides a fiction writer, she has been a public school teacher, journalist, and attorney. She currently lives in Raleigh.

ELAINE NEIL ORR Elaine Neil Orr is the author of five books, including the novels Dancing Woman, A Different Sun and Swimming Between Worlds. She was born and grew up in Nigeria, the daughter of missionary parents, and most of her writing is grounded in both the American South and the Nigerian South. She is a professor of literature at N.C. State University and serves on the faculty of the Brief-Residency MFA in Writing Program at Spalding University.

Host or Publisher Quail Ridge Books