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 CharlieMerrill--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 Mi