The Insurrectionist

A Novel

Herb Karl

• Publisher: Chicago Review Press
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781613736333
• eBook ISBN: 9781613736364
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Historical Fiction
• Index: Literature

The Insurrectionist is a captivating historical novel that follows the militant abolitionist John Brown from his involvement in Bleeding Kansas to the invasion of Harpers Ferry and the dramatic conclusion of his subsequent trial. Herb Karl carefully blends historical detail with dramatic personal descriptions to reveal critical episodes in Brown's life, illuminating his character and the motives that led up to the Harpers Ferry invasion, giving readers a complete picture of the man who has too often been dismissed as hopelessly fanatical. Brown's friendship with Frederick Douglass and their ongoing debate on how to end slavery, his devoted family, who stand by him despite the danger, and his struggles to secure funding and political favor for his cause against deeply entrenched politicians all make for a surprisingly contemporary story of family, passion, race, and politics.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• A Note to the Reader
• The Backstory
• 1 - May 22, 1856 Washington, DC
• 2 - Sixteen Hours Later May 23, 1856 Kansas Territory
• 3 - Seven Hours Later May 24, 1856 Kansas Territory
• 4 - Eight Days Later June 2, 1856 Kansas Territory
• 5 - A Month Later July 2, 1856 Kansas Territory
• 6 - Eight Weeks Later August 28, 1856 Kansas Territory
• 7 - Five Months Later January 19, 1857 Boston, Massachusetts
• 8 - Three Months Later April 30, 1857 North Elba, New York
• 9 - One Year and Eight Months Later December 20, 1858 Vernon County, Missouri
• 10 - Four Months Later April 29, 1859 North Elba, New York
• 11 - Four Months Later Late August 1859 Southern Pennsylvania
• 12 - Two Months Later October 15, 1859 Kennedy Farm, Western Maryland
• 13 - Eight Hours Later October 16, 1859 Kennedy Farm, Western Maryland
• 14 - Minutes Later October 16, 1859 Harpers Ferry, Virginia
• 15 - One Hour Later October 17, 1859 Harpers Ferry, Virginia
• 16 - One Hour Later October 17, 1859 Harpers Ferry, Virginia
• 17 - Four Hours Later October 17, 1859 Harpers Ferry, Virginia
• 18 - Minutes Later October 17, 1859 Harpers Ferry, Virginia
• 19 - Eight Hours Later October 18, 1859 Harpers Ferry, Virginia
• 20 - One Minute Later October 18, 1859 Harpers Ferry, Virginia
• 21 - Nine Days Later October 27, 1859 Charles Town, Virginia
• 22 - Minutes Later October 27, 1859 Charles Town, Virginia
• 23 - Twenty-Nine Days Later December 1, 1859 Charles Town, Virginia
• 24 - Minutes Later December 1, 1859 Charles Town, Virginia
• Epilogue
• Acknowledgments