LEGEND OF THE FREE STATE OF JONES

The Republic of Jones went viral in the Civil War era. The story of the southeast Mississippi county that reputedly seceded from the Confederacy first appeared in Natchez, and Yankees loved it--even if the truth fell short of the mark. As narrator, Claton Butcher puts his emphasis on establishing the credibility of the story behind the story. Occasionally his delivery has the slightly sensational tone of something like Leonard Nimoy's "In Search Of . . ." Mostly, though, Butcher matches the well-researched scholarly tone of Leverett's writing. The story might have been an exaggeration, but it provides a look at the Civil War era and the South's conflicted feelings about the war. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2013]