x dismiss this message
Did you know you can edit this page?
-
Sign Into Shelfari
-
Choose something to edit
-
Save your contributions
see page history
Description edit
In this stunning debut novel, Darin Strauss combines fiction with astonishing fact to tell the story of history's most famous twins. Born in Siam in 1811-on a squalid houseboat on the Mekong River-Chang and Eng Bunker were international celebrities before the age of twenty. Touring the world's... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Organizations edit
- Stoneman's Raiders: In 1865, Civil War Union General George Stoneman sent his calvary across NC countryside with instructions to raze towns, ruin rail lines, etc. Beginning in Knoxville in March 1865, Stoneman led about four thousand cavalrymen over the mountains and into North Carolina and Virginia. The raiders tore up tracks, burned bridges, destroyed Confederate stores, captured towns like Christiansburg and Salisbury, fought some surprisingly sharp skirmishes, and terrified the population, achieving a sometimes exaggerated reputation. Their mission did not end until Confederate president Jefferson Davis was captured.
First Sentence edit
This is the end I have feared since we were a child.
Glossary edit
- ostensibly: Apparently or purportedly, but perhaps not actually
- efficacy: The ability to produce a desired or intended result
- bifurcate: To divide into two parts or branches; to fork
- habiliment: The special dress or garb associated with an occasion or office
- piquant: 1. Pleasantly pungent or tart in taste; spicy.2.a. Appealingly provocative: a piquant wit.b. Charming, interesting, or attractive: a piquant face.3. Archaic Causing hurt feelings; stinging.
- toque: A woman's small, brimless, close-fitting hat.
- cordon: 1. A line of people, military posts, or ships stationed around an area to enclose or guard it.2. A cord or braid worn as a fastening or ornament.3. A ribbon usually worn diagonally across the breast as a badge of honor or decoration.
- obsequious: Full of or exhibiting servile compliance; fawning.
- spurious: 1. Lacking authenticity or validity in essence or origin; not genuine; false.2. Of illegitimate birth.
- unctuous: excessively ingratiating: attempting to charm or convince somebody in an unpleasantly suave, smug, or smooth way
- dictum: An authoritative, often formal pronouncement
- encephalon: The brain of a vertebrate.
- caitiff: A despicable coward; a wretch.
- shoat: A young pig just after weaning.
- taffrail: 1. The rail around the stern of a vessel.2. The flat upper part of the stern of a vessel, made of wood and often richly carved.
- aspersion: The act of defaming or slandering.
- aegis: An aegis (pronounced /ˈiːdʒɨs/), from Greek αιγίς, is a large collar or cape worn in ancient times to display the protection provided by a high religious authority or the holder of a protective shield signifying the same, such as a bag-like garment that contained a shield. Sometimes the garment and the shield are merged, with a small version of the shield appearing on the garment.
- capitulation: an agreement in time of war for the surrender to a hostile armed force of a particular body of troops, a town or a territory.
- fusillade: A fusillade is the simultaneous and continuous firing of a group of firearms on command. It stems from the French word fusil, meaning firearm, and fusiller meaning to shoot. In the context of military tactics, the term is generally used to refer to a type of organized and concentrated gunfire from a military unit armed with small arms, and initiated by a command from a commanding officer
- eructation: to burp or belch
- conscription act: Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service
- "Butternut" soldier: Since the Confederacy didn't have as much money as the Union, some Confederate soldiers fought wearing homemade tan colored uniforms made from squashed butternuts. The butternuts were squashed and then used to dye the uniform.
- flagitious: shamefully wicked, as persons, actions, or times.2.heinous or flagrant, as a crime; infamous.
- doyenne: a woman who is the senior member, as in age or rank, of a group, class, profession, etc.
- amenable: ready or willing to answer, act, agree, or yield; open to influence, persuasion, or advice; agreeable; submissive
- malediction: curse
- bacchanal: A drunken or riotous celebration ; A reveler.
- pentatonic scale: A pentatonic scale is a musical scale or mode with five notes per octave in contrast to a heptatonic (seven note) scale such as the major scale and minor scale. Pentatonic scales are very common and are found all over the world. They are divided into those with semitones (hemitonic) and those without (anhemitonic).
- discordant concord: a disagreeable or unharmonious coexistence
- catechize: 1. To teach the principles of Christian dogma, discipline, and ethics by means of questions and answers.2. To question or examine closely or methodically
- magnanimous: 1. Courageously noble in mind and heart.2. Generous in forgiving; eschewing resentment or revenge; unselfish.
Authors & Contributors edit
- Darin Strauss (Author)
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Plume
Country: USA
Publication Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 978-0452281097
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Plume
Country: USA
Publication Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 978-0452281097
Page Count: 336
Awards edit
- Alex Awards (2001)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 813.54
Subjects edit
We’re hiding the errata, movie connections, books that influenced this book, books influenced by this book, books that cite this book and books cited by this book sections. If you would like to add content to them, you must first make them visible.
