Tomorrow, the War - by Max Watman (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Tomorrow, The War is a sweeping historical epic that follows the intertwined lives of Jed Stokes, a restless wanderer shaped by violence, and Raleigh, a once-enslaved man seeking justice. After fleeing his troubled Jewish family in Virginia, Jed is drawn into the Mexican-American War before becoming a drifter, outlaw, and buffalo hunter in the untamed West. Meanwhile, Oliver Bodkin VII, heir to a failing Virginia plantation, attempts a radical experiment--raising his enslaved half-siblings, Temple and Raleigh, as equals. But their idyllic existence is shattered when outraged neighbors burn their home, killing Oliver and forcing Raleigh to flee. Believing Temple dead, he survives as an itinerant musician--until he discovers that his sister is enslaved once more under a cruel master. Teaming up with Jed, Raleigh stages a daring return to Virginia, leading to a heart-pounding rescue mission on the eve of the American Civil War. Perfect for fans of historical fiction and Tarantino-style action, Tomorrow, The War is a gripping tale of survival, rebellion, chutzpah, and redemption.

Review Quotes

"Watman's characters are well-drawn and the plot moves at a steady clip. It's an evocative panorama of the war's prelude."--Publishers Weekly

"Tomorrow, the War is a book that I didn't know I needed. Watman's sharp clever prose reminded me of the reasons I chose to become a writer in the first place. This book should be required reading for anyone dreaming to fully understand the history of this country, and its current political state. I highly recommend." -- D. Watkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Beast Side, and Black Boy Smile

"Tomorrow, the War is more than just a historical novel, it's a meditation on America, history, racism, and perspective. In an age when authors are pressured into only looking at things from their own specific perspectives--a directive which makes writing a novel (or anything other than memoir) nearly impossible--Watman has deftly and defiantly dared to enter the perspectives of a broad range of characters whose identities he doesn't share, and he has done so in a way that makes the characters breathe and sweat and think and feel. Max Watman is a master-storyteller, and Tomorrow, the War is a masterpiece." --Jonah Winter, author of My Name Is James Madison Hemings, a New York Times Notable Book

About the Author

Max Watman, who was raised in the Shenandoah Valley, completed his undergraduate studies at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond and went on to earn an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. Watman authored several books, including Race Day (Ivan R. Dee, 2005), Chasing the White Dog: An Amateur Outlaw's Adventures in Moonshine (Simon and Schuster, 2010), and Harvest: Field Notes from a Far Flung Pursuit of Real Food (W.W. Norton, 2014) to great acclaim. Besides being a well-regarded writer of the South and a teacher at Virginia Commonwealth University, Watman has also worked as a farmer, a silversmith, a tutor, a greenskeeper, a warehouseman, a cook, and a musician.