Bedlam
Bedlam South
David Donaldson and Mark Grisham

Reviewed by Bonnie Jo Davis

This Civil War novel takes place first in England and then in the battlefields, hospitals, prisons and all the places inhabited by the people affected by this bloody war.  Much of this engrossing story takes place at Wingate Asylum in Richmond, Virginia where we watch Dr. Joseph Bryarly upon his return to the United States after spending many years working in England.  The authors do not spare the details of the inhumane treatment of prisoners and those suffering from mental illness. 

There are many characters in this book including soldiers, prostitutes, immigrants and physicians that share their story and in the end their lives intersect in amazing ways. Many Civil War novels glorify the battles and the outcome but this book takes you up close to the pain and the loss suffered by everyone during the war.  

Authors David Donaldson and Mark Grisham are friends who are grew up together in Mississippi .  They decided to write a novel that combined their separate interests in the Civil War and psychology.  Readers should count themselves lucky that the authors took the step to write this richly textured novel.  I have read many Civil War novels but I have never read a book where the characters are so well developed that you actually know what they are thinking, feeling and experiencing.  This book is a must read for those interested in the Civil War or any type of historical fiction.  It offers a glimpse into the past on a personal level that no other book offers.

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