The Insurrectionist
A Novel
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.
Herb Karl is an emeritus faculty member of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. He is the author of a YA novel, The Toom County Mud Race, which was published as an honor book by Delacorte. He is also the author of "A Game of War," which was selected for publication in From One Experience to Another, a collection of stories in which award-winning authors share real-life experiences through fiction. He lives in Burnsville, North Carolina.
