The Founding (Across the Great Divide)

by Michael L. Ross

Reviewed by Lisa Turley

Set during the end of the Civil War where racial divides were strong, this split time story of Will, Luther, their families and the building of railroads is not only intriguing, but very emotional!

Will has lost so much already, but when the opportunity comes along to be part of founding a new town, he has to take it! The question is, will he (they) be able to bring it to fruition.

Luther, a black man from Kentucky, forges his way to Indiana only to find that the Black Codes will still not allow him the freedom he’s looking for.

Will these two men be able to make a new beginning or will the railroad pass them by and make life even more unbearable for them and their families?

I love how the author made the characters warm and inviting to get to know which made a larger book a joy to read. His gift of weaving the perfect amount of detail to keep you wanting to turn the page is fascinating.

Though this is the third book of the series, I found it easy to read as a standalone without losing the history of the first two books of the series.

As much as I loved the book itself, I was equally enthralled with the history given in the author’s notes section of the book. That was the icing on the cake so to speak and showed just how much effort and research went into this amazing work of true to life fiction.

Fun Facts:

The settlement of Nicodemus was part of a greater movement of westward migration that occurred in the latter half of the 19th century. Several technological and cultural factors contributed to the growing trend of movement, enabling and encouraging new groups to move west.

Lisa Turley is from West Virginia. She is on numerous ARC street teams and reads in multiple genres. She is passionate about helping authors get the word out about their books.

Since the arrival of the Santa Fe Railroad, Lubbock has grown to be one of the country’s leading inland cotton markets and the center of a highly diversified agriculturalindustrial complex.

Petroleum, agricultural, and earth-moving equipment, cottonseed oil, and engineering products are major commodities.

Lisa Turley is an avid reader from West Virginia where she lives with her husband and three für babies. She is on numerous ARC street teams and reads in multiple genres, her favorites being historical and Christian Fiction and suspense. As a small business owner she knows the importance of promotion and is passionate about helping authors get the word out about their books.