Fell for Inman and not much help for it.

Antiquated facial hair fashions having become a modern-day hipster statement, I rather easily developed a distinct — and distinctly handsome — image of the man in my mind's eye. His voice, both inner and outer, made me love him. I also felt kindly disposed towards Ada, though this crept up more slowly. Maybe I was impatient at first or perhaps a bit jealous. But really, I believe it's because nothing works without Ruby. Ruby is a treasure. One I fear may be lost to us. Here, once found, she makes everything flow. Thankfully! She's a person I so completely am not.

With the help of experienced friends, accurate maps inclusive of marked water sources, modern hiking technologies from gadgets to gear, and high-end organic freeze-dried pouch foods, I managed to survive two warm days on the Appalachian Trail and one clear, chilly night on a Blue Ridge bald. It was absolutely lovely. But no, I did not wish it to go on longer. I'm clueless about the ways of the natural world, have a poor sense of direction, am a plant killer, an indifferent cook, impractically dreamy and bookish, a bit faint in the face of frailties of the human body, and instinctively rather reticent towards hard physical labor. That's me. Much like Ada. However, I would make a worthy second under the stewardship of a wise woman like Ruby, much as Ada did, and good on her.

I loved the way Ruby saw Ada's predicament as a rich field of sparkling opportunity. I loved the friendship that develops between the two women, sparely described as it may have been. The ability to interface with our natural environment, to wrest not just bare survival or subsistence, but a thriving and meaningful life from the land, is something we long for. Meanwhile, floating over darker, deeper fears of having broken our planet beyond repair is the fact that we simply don't know how to do it. We've utterly lost the wisdom Ruby, for the most part, taught herself. Stark, starving necessity being the mother of invention and all. And so it goes. Despite sharp sadnesses, upon finishing this read I enjoyed many minutes of after imagery. Picturing how the lives of loved characters must have unfolded in seasons between those described. Yes, I'd had my doubts at the start. Wondered if this book could muster the strength to reel me in, but it did so. And I'm glad.

Book on CD read by the author

A wounded soldier limps away from the hospital, his heart set on returning to his beloved on Cold Mountain. Meanwhile, that young woman, bred to be a Southern belle, is finding her way alone, with the assistance of a homeless waif who has reserves of strength and the know-how to survive.

This is a deliberate exploration of character and what truly matters. Inman has fought bravely but no longer discerns the purpose for which he is fighting. All he desires is to go back to Ada and Cold Mountain and be left alone to live in peace.

Ada was cherished by her father after her mother passed away during childbirth. She has received an education, traveled to Europe, studied the piano, and dressed in the latest fashionable attire. When her father's doctors suggest that a move to the mountains will enhance his ailing health, they leave the humid Charleston for a small plot of land on Cold Mountain. She is like a hothouse orchid in a field of wildflowers. She can speak French and read Latin, but she doesn't know how to cook, tend a vegetable garden, or milk a cow; she lacks the essential skills for survival.

Ruby is a homeless waif, whose father prefers to drink and play the fiddle rather than care for his only child. She has fended for herself since she could walk. She approaches Ada with a proposal – she will assist Ada in managing the farm in exchange for a place to live and an equal partnership.

What I adored most about the novel was the relationships between and personal growth of the women – Ada and Ruby. They transitioned from a dependent/superior dynamic to an equal partnership and true friendship. They came to recognize and admire each other's strengths, set aside their differences, and developed a genuine trust born of hard work and repeated small trials. While Ada and Inman's bond was ethereal and romantic, the bond between Ada and Ruby was firmly rooted in the North Carolina soil and woods they called home. If Sherman had marched his forces through their cove, I would bet on Ruby and Ada to outwit the federals.

The novel alternates between the perspectives of Ada/Ruby and Inman, offering different views of this era during the Civil War. Inman lived much closer to the brink of survival and death, and his chapters were more suspenseful. Although Ada and Ruby were no less at risk of losing their lives and/or livelihood (as demonstrated by several of the people and situations Inman encountered), they did seem to lead a relatively "charmed" life – filled with hard work, but generally less danger.

Charles Frazier read the audio version himself, which was a misstep. He has absolutely no skill as a voice artist, and his reading was slow, cumbersome, and lacking in inflection. I thought I would doze off to his droning as I commuted to and from work. It was the quality of his writing that salvaged the work for me. If I were to evaluate the book based solely on the audio, it would receive only 2 stars.

This is a very dark and poignant account of a historical moment in a specific place and time.

The book is truly interesting and a real page turner. As you read it, you have the distinct feeling that you are actually there, experiencing the events firsthand.

It takes you on a journey through a period that was likely filled with turmoil, drama, and perhaps even a touch of mystery.

The author has done an excellent job of bringing this historical moment to life, painting a vivid picture in the reader's mind.

You can almost see the people, feel the emotions, and sense the atmosphere of that particular time and place.

It's a book that not only entertains but also educates, giving you a deeper understanding of a significant moment in history.

Whether you're a history buff or just someone who enjoys a good story, this book is definitely worth checking out.

It's Gone With The Wind Meets Easy Rider -- with all the phoniest elements of both American classics!

All the old Southern lies are here, children. Slavery wasn't so bad. We weren't fighting for slavery. The war was not our fault. Slavery was not our fault. Nothing is ever anyone's fault, except for the damned meddling Yankees who started the war for no reason at all! We are all prisoners of history. We know our slaves... and so on and so forth!

But at the same time, there are plenty of trendy new lies as well. And these new lies are tailor-made for an aging baby-boom generation that has never quite overcome its own excessive self-pity. Do you understand? Here's Billy Pilgrim -- I mean, here's Inman, the drug-addicted draft dodger, fleeing from authority. He's cool, vacant, passive, and deeply self-absorbed. He's not the charming Rhett Butler, no sir! He's the empty-eyed Peter Fonda, on the road like Kerouac, searching for America and finding it nowhere.

My heart bleeds. Or maybe not.

I didn't like this book very much. But Abraham Lincoln gave it a truly scathing review. "Those who deny freedom to others, do not deserve it for themselves. And under a just God, cannot long maintain it."

Wow... I really did not enjoy this book at all.

The writing style seemed to be overly self-indulgent, almost as if the author was just masturbating with words.

The plotline was completely stupid and lacked any real substance or depth.

It had all the elements that one might expect in a Greek tragedy, such as the sense of inevitability and the almost cheesily coincidental misunderstandings.

However, despite having these elements, the overall reading experience felt supremely unsatisfying.

It was as if Charles Frazier had simply crapped out this book without putting in any real effort or thought.

Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone.

In my opinion, this novel stands out as one of the finest American novels written in the 21st century. It is truly a masterpiece that captivates readers from the very first page.

The author has skillfully crafted a story that is both engaging and thought-provoking. The characters are well-developed and come to life on the pages, making it easy for the reader to become invested in their lives and experiences.

The plot is filled with twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat, never knowing what will happen next. The writing style is流畅 and engaging, making it a pleasure to read.

Overall, this novel is a must-read for anyone who loves American literature or simply enjoys a great story. It is a work of art that will be remembered for years to come.

There are an abundance of excellent reviews on this book. Links to some of my personal favorites are provided at the bottom. However, there are also a number of reviewers who were extremely bored and gave this book a low rating.

Cold Mountain will always be 5 Stars for me. The language within its pages is truly magical and captivating, pulling the reader in from the very first sentence. The characters are vividly brought to life, making them feel like real people. The South of the late Civil War is depicted as ominous, yet in certain places, it holds an inviting charm.

This is a book that I can read over and over again. Inman, the wounded Confederate soldier, has decided to leave the horrors of war behind and embarks on a long walk back to Cold Mountain. Ada, the sheltered Charleston debutante, must learn to survive on her deceased father's farm. Each of their journeys takes time, and Frasier masterfully gives them the space and time to tell their story. As I delved into the book, the pages seemed to fly by as I became completely immersed in learning about survival at Black Cove or trekking through the Blue Ridge mountains.

At its core, this is a story of a soldier leaving the atrocities of war in search of his one true love and a woman's journey from dependence to independence. But there is so much more to discover within these pages. I adored every single page and only regret that it took me so long to pick up this book from the shelf. This book definitely makes it onto my list of 10 books that I would want to have with me on a desert island.

Read these reviews to truly appreciate just how good this book is:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I really loved this book. I thought it was beautiful.

This is a book of historical fiction that is set during the Civil War. It vividly tells the story of a Confederate soldier who was seriously wounded in battle and his intense desire to reunite with the woman he loves.

The narrative follows the soldier's arduous journey back to his love, while also delving into all the events and hardships that his love is experiencing back at home. The story skillfully alternates between the perspectives of these two characters, creating a rich and engaging tapestry.

It is beautifully written, with the author doing an outstanding job of bringing both main characters to life. In fact, the author's descriptions of everything - people, places, and things - are so detailed and vivid that they seem to leap off the page.

I thoroughly enjoyed both of the main characters and was completely immersed in their story. This book is a true gem and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction or a good love story.

I don't ordinarily allow myself popular literature, except for the very occasional foray into speculative fiction. However, here, a friend's strong recommendation, a vague memory of the movie remake, and the coincidence of having recently read some books about the American civil war made for an exception. I'm truly glad it happened.

The novel is a romance in the modern sense of the word, involving a man and a woman in love. Unusually, their relationship plays only a very small role in the book. Instead, the bulk of it is about how he spends months trying to get home after escaping from a Virginia military hospital and about how she learns to support herself on a North Carolina farm after the death of her father and loss of her fortune - two separate stories.

They do come together at the end, both of them very different persons from what they were at the outset of the war, both of them much deeper and more sympathetic persons than they had been.

What is unreported in any detailing of the narrative is that which made this an exceptional story: the detail. Characters don't just walk through the woods; they walk under first this, then that kind of wood. Characters don't simply pass fields of flowers; the flowers are named. Farming too is detailed, with the text abounding with technical nouns I was previously unfamiliar with, words having to do with farming - farm implements, parts of farm implements, what one does with farm implements. Having spent a good deal of my life in the country and in the woods, I very much appreciated the author's appreciation of nature and of our place in it. The attention to detail truly brought the story to life and made it a memorable read.

\\n  A Colorful Adventure: Comparing the Book and Movie of 'Cold Mountain'\\n

Cold Mountain is a film that holds a special place in my heart as one of my all-time favorites. It's a historical romantic adventure that captivates the imagination. The story of a war-injured Civil War deserter, Inman, walking home to the woman he loves, Ada, is not only dreamy but also deeply romantic. The idea of enduring a long and perilous journey to return to love is truly heart-swelling. Ever since I discovered that this was also a book, I knew I had to read it. After all, books are often said to be better than the film, right?

In this case, I believe that both the book and the movie are almost equally excellent. Having seen the movie first, I was able to form a more vivid mental picture of everything. I could easily envision the actors in their respective roles as I read the character descriptions. The book, on the other hand, provides wonderful details of the landscape that I was better able to understand after watching the movie. Many of the incidents in Inman's journey home were similar in both the movie and the book, but the differences only added to the book's allure. I believe that the book, on its own, is truly amazing, and the movie serves as a great companion, bringing it to life in a different way.

I found myself eagerly reading at times, anticipating a certain scene that was in the movie. Sometimes, the scene would be there, described in even more graphic detail. Other times, it wouldn't, but this only added more depth to the characters than the movie could ever achieve. I was completely satisfied with both the book and the movie. Of course, Hollywood glamorized certain aspects, while the book presented a more rugged and realistic portrayal. Knowing this in advance, I was able to accept both versions with ease.

In the movie, the romantic theme was more prominent. It was all about Inman's journey home from war to Ada and Ada's survival in the name of love until he returned to her. In the book, however, the theme was more focused on the effects of war on the landscape and the people. It explored how everyone was affected by the upheaval of the Civil War and the struggle to survive. The romantic element was much more muted in the book. In fact, Inman left Cold Mountain as a shy, quiet, and slightly aloof young man. His reasons for leaving the war had more to do with his weariness of fighting and his longing for home rather than an undying love for Ada. In the book, he went home to the place he knew, and marriage was just a part of the dream of home.

Both the book and movie versions of Ada had their flaws. In the movie, Ada was more naive due to her upbringing, while in the book, she was more snobby and prudish. However, both versions underwent a transformation due to the hard times of war and the influence of Ruby, who entered their lives and taught them about farm life. Ruby in the movie was quirky and a little offbeat but smart, while Ruby in the book was a true genius when it came to farming, forestry, mountain living, and country life. She was sensible, hardworking, and almost like a medicine woman in a way. Modern people interested in "sustainability" would be fascinated by Ruby's knowledge.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I loved following Inman's adventures and meeting the interesting people he encountered along the way. Each character had a story that could have easily warranted its own stand-alone book. I would highly recommend this book to readers of historical fiction and those who enjoy stories where the main character travels to a destination and meets interesting people along the way. I give it 5 stars and will definitely remember this book for a long time.

Read: 3/23/21

This book is truly fantastic! It offers a world of imagination and depth that is simply captivating. The story unfolds in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat, eager to turn the next page. The characters are well-developed and relatable, making you feel as if you are a part of their journey.

However, I must strongly caution you against watching the movie. It is horrible! The movie fails to capture the essence and magic of the book. The plot is often distorted, and important details are left out. The characters in the movie lack the charm and authenticity that they have in the book. It is a disappointment to see such a great book being adapted so poorly.

In conclusion, if you want to experience the full beauty and wonder of this story, do yourself a favor and read the book. Avoid the movie at all costs. You won't be disappointed!

This book far exceeded my expectations.

It was truly a remarkable piece of work, being both grim and beautiful.

It is a historical novel that has the unique ability to transport you to the specific time and place with an incredibly easy touch.

There are no awkward passages that try too hard to set the stage; instead, it simply offers outstanding storytelling.

The characters in this book are extremely well developed. They are authentic in their complexity, which makes them feel like real people.

Moreover, it rang true with my own experience of life. This means that not everything ended satisfyingly for the characters, just as in real life.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-written historical novel that can touch the heart and make you think.

It is a must-read for all book lovers.