Just finished this great Civil War fiction.  Tells the story of real life spy Elizabeth Van Lew.  A 43 yr old woman who lived with her widowed mother and was a member of the Richmond elite, Elizabeth was a staunch supporter of the Union and worked to see that union prisoners were given food and medicine beginning with the battle of Manassas in 1861 with men being thrown in the what is now known as libby prison.   While doing this she had the bravery and the opportunity to get information out and back to the forces in the north all the while keeping up the appearance of a loyal confederate.  She was considered the most effective Union spy.
The book was very well written and I enjoyed it very much

family history gem

I have become the repository of family history, a fact that pleases and humbles me.  I am honored that my husband's family sees me as a historian and have entrusted me with several wonderful links to the past.  We have been given articles that belonged to my husband's father after he passed, including birth and wedding certificates, honorable discharge papers from the US Air Force and wonderful old pictures.  I do love old pictures.  Two gems I was given were these... a German service medal that was originally given to my husband's grandmother, Martha Berger, for her work in a German factory during WWI.  This was accompanied by a letter, written in German, where she requested a replacement for a lost medal.  I found this fascinating.  The company still exits and it opens a small window into the life of Martha, whom I never met.
But me favorite gift was a hand written letter dated 1863.  I was soo excited to hold this precious letter.  This young man was writing while with Grant's forces at the battle of Vicksburg.  He wrote of camp life and his health, the gunboats on the river and the upcoming battle.  Such a wonderful primary source and a glimpse into the life of an infantryman.
So I thank those who entrust our family history to me.  It thrills me to dig into the past and uncover gems like these.