Description: Dr./Major Breathed chooses the cause of the Confederacy over medicine but will that decision cost him the love of his life? James is swept away into a war created by divisions between the northern and southern states. The Broken Circle has elements that mirror a Greek tragedy that sets up the paradoxical inner conflict of saving life as a doctor versus destroying life as a soldier. He re-channels his genius from medical to master warrior and ultimately becomes disillusioned and demoralized. Mollie Macgill utilizes her espionage talents as the two fall in love throughout the course of the war. In the final post-war chapters they both seek redemption from God for their greater devotion to the Southern cause. As they seek to repair their shattered souls the tragic brokenness of James's and Mollie's lives is revealed. The Broken Circle is full of historically accurate battle scenes and the characters are historical people.
Industry Reviews
""Major Breathed, a morally sensitive, philosophically inclined young man desiring a career in medicine, became a bold and effective warrior at the center of Lee's battles. As a commander of horse artillery, Breathed fought in over 70 engagements. He was post-humously awarded the Medal of Honor, of which there have been only 48 ever given, for outstanding bravery beyond the call of duty. His story is a struggle over constitutional, political, and moral conflicts--and the story of a romance.""
--Donald W. Livingston, Emory University
""Breathed's romance brings a touch of suspense that goes beyond the normal Civil War book--along the lines of two of the best Civil War novels, Gone with the Wind and Cold Mountain . Breathed's internal conflicts and transitions--from doctor to warrior to cold-blooded killer to reflective, maimed survivor--is a story that is weighty and symbolic of soldiers of many wars. Both of these subplots transcend the military action of the Civil War, distinguishing the book.""
--Waite Rawls, III, Museum of the Confederacy, Director
""Bridges brings a theologically trained mind and insights that illumine important events of this critical time in American history while bringing an understanding of how Breathed's faith in God's providence guided his life, propelling him into the Confederate Army. The novel will attract students of the Civil War and readers exploring the inner life of this son of the south.""
--William P. Wood, First Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, North Carolina
"A complex and deftly woven novel in the form of diary entries, archival documents, and eye-witness accounts, ''The Broken Circle'' is a saga that deftly grips the reader's attention from beginning to edn. Highly recommended and entertaining reading, ''The Broken Circl'' will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library historical fiction collections.''
--Jack Mason, from ''The Midwest Book Review''
