However, after seeing an article in The Tribune recently I decided that "Magnolias" was something I wanted to read. A book critic I am not, but I thought was worthwhile to pass on my opinion of this interesting novel series.

In the article in The Tribune by Margaret Ferguson, we are told that "Magnolias" is "a romantic family saga consisting of four novels set in Eufaula in the mid to late 1800s." The author, Jacquelyn Cook, decided to use Eufaula as her setting after a spring trip to the April Pilgrimage many years ago. She fell in love with our beautiful town and the idea for this saga was born.

I am a history major with a distinct interest in American history. The four stories are set around the Civil War, and I was intrigued to read the fictional story about Eufaula during that era.

What I have learned now that I am halfway through the series is that much of the history presented is true. Ms. Cook used valid sources and in-depth research to create an accurate picture of antebellum Eufaula.

Eufaula is described in great detail from the very beginning of the first novel. The fictional family home, Barbour Hall, is based on Fendall Hall. The author used this home because of her special interest in the belvedere and the widow's walk.

Ms. Cook did a lot of research on Eufaula and the surrounding area. She talks about the cotton industry and the Chattahoochee River, and you feel like you have stepped back in time while reading her work.

I have completed two of the four novels and at this point the timeline has extended to the end of the Civil War. During the second novel, "The River Between", we learn of the decline of the south during the War Between the States. Sherman and his troops devastated much of the region, and Union troops were making their way toward Eufaula the week after armistice was declared.

The Yankee troops had not received word of the cease fire and they intended harm to the city on the bluff. Eufaula’s town leaders greeted the troops with warmth and hospitality in hopes that they could stall the attack until word came to the Union Army that the war was over.

As we all know Eufaula was spared, Lincoln was assassinated and the Reconstruction Era began.

Ms. Cook does a wonderful job of weaving the history of Eufaula into stories about love and spirituality. It is a chance to learn about a portion of our town’s heritage while enjoying a story of challenge and ultimate success.

"Magnolias" is available locally at SonLight Bookstore East Broad Street.