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Heart In Dixie
"A startlingly insightful and moving tale of the power and nebulousness of the past." - Kirkus Reviews
A new political novel, for America's new politics
In 1972 a segregationist southern governor ran in the Democratic Presidential primaries, before dropping out of the race. Primaries had been held in 15 states. He had won five. This part is true.
“Objects in the review mirror often really are closer than they appear. It’s not that far from Wallace to Trump.” --Louis Menard, New Yorker Staff Writer
Heart in Dixie is a fictional description of the movement that began with that governor and that has grown in American life ever since. This movement has recently risen to the surface and, against all odds, has helped to elect a President of the United States. But the book is also a love letter about this very special place where many of us were “southern-born and southern-bred.”
The year is 1999, and four-time Governor Thomas Jefferson Davis lies near death. A young reporter makes her first trip to the Deep South to learn what his career meant to his supporters and what it may mean for the future of America.
She meets Gordon Halt, a trusted advisor to the Governor so long ago. She learns Gordon fought with his father, a moderate newspaper publisher, at the same time he resisted elements of the Klan, striving to preserve his particular vision of the South. Her research uncovers explosive audiotapes, long forgotten, by Billy Trask, a rival to Gordon and the Governor’s closest aide and oldest friend. Her reporting reveals the violence that went with the battle for civil rights, and a criminal conspiracy, hidden for decades. Gordon strives to reconcile her reporting with his memories of that distant time and his love for the gracious and genteel South that has always been his home.
When her work is nearly done, a senseless crime drags the past into the present and both Rebecca and Gordon must come to terms with unexpected truths: that a love of place can override even love of family; that the civil rights movement was a second Civil War which, like the first one, was fought within families as much as between groups; and that this second Civil War may not be over.
A new political novel, for America's new politics
In 1972 a segregationist southern governor ran in the Democratic Presidential primaries, before dropping out of the race. Primaries had been held in 15 states. He had won five. This part is true.
“Objects in the review mirror often really are closer than they appear. It’s not that far from Wallace to Trump.” --Louis Menard, New Yorker Staff Writer
Heart in Dixie is a fictional description of the movement that began with that governor and that has grown in American life ever since. This movement has recently risen to the surface and, against all odds, has helped to elect a President of the United States. But the book is also a love letter about this very special place where many of us were “southern-born and southern-bred.”
The year is 1999, and four-time Governor Thomas Jefferson Davis lies near death. A young reporter makes her first trip to the Deep South to learn what his career meant to his supporters and what it may mean for the future of America.
She meets Gordon Halt, a trusted advisor to the Governor so long ago. She learns Gordon fought with his father, a moderate newspaper publisher, at the same time he resisted elements of the Klan, striving to preserve his particular vision of the South. Her research uncovers explosive audiotapes, long forgotten, by Billy Trask, a rival to Gordon and the Governor’s closest aide and oldest friend. Her reporting reveals the violence that went with the battle for civil rights, and a criminal conspiracy, hidden for decades. Gordon strives to reconcile her reporting with his memories of that distant time and his love for the gracious and genteel South that has always been his home.
When her work is nearly done, a senseless crime drags the past into the present and both Rebecca and Gordon must come to terms with unexpected truths: that a love of place can override even love of family; that the civil rights movement was a second Civil War which, like the first one, was fought within families as much as between groups; and that this second Civil War may not be over.
- GenresFiction
463 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 15, 2018
156 people are currently reading
652 people want to read
About the author
Nick Bouler
3 books9 followersI am a retired contracts attorney who has lived in Birmingham for the last 30 years. I have been a writer since I edited my college newspaper and I grew to be an adult during the time described in Heart in Dixie.
This is my first novel.
This is my first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 2, 2018
Heart in Dixie by Nicolas Bouler is a fictionalized retelling of the story of George Wallace, Governor of Alabama; more famous for his racist views than anything else. With the longest term as governor of 16 years, and his extreme views, it is no wonder that his story has been wrapped into a compelling piece of fiction. When Rebecca Tanner, a youngish reporter in the year 1999, travels to the South for the first time, and as the Governor character in the story, Thomas Jefferson Davis, lays on his death bed, she has no idea what she is in for, and the depth of corruption that has taken place in his past campaigns. This is a riveting recounting of historical fact told through the lens of fiction, be aware that language exists in the book that is not appropriate today, but is accurate in this retelling of a specific time in history in the South. Overall, a riveting read about a troubled time in America, and a fascinating and unique look at an extreme segregationist in the form of a politician.
March 14, 2021
Racism Can’t Be Legislated Away
The author has done a wonderful job in presenting the continuing racist problems in the Deep South. The main character is a woman newspaper reporter from Atlanta that was born and raised in the Midwest. The story centers around J.T. Davis, fictitious ex-governor that is patterned after the former Governor George Wallace. Davis is dying and the reporter is writing a series on the former governor and she discovers facts about the murder of a candidate that ran against Davis. A very enjoyable read.
The author has done a wonderful job in presenting the continuing racist problems in the Deep South. The main character is a woman newspaper reporter from Atlanta that was born and raised in the Midwest. The story centers around J.T. Davis, fictitious ex-governor that is patterned after the former Governor George Wallace. Davis is dying and the reporter is writing a series on the former governor and she discovers facts about the murder of a candidate that ran against Davis. A very enjoyable read.
March 6, 2018
It is almost laughable when Rebecca gets schooled about the South. It is a foreign culture all of its own. You would have to live in the deep South to understand the unwritten rules, language, and mood it puts off. The history books were obviously written by northerners, because if you were to visit a country southern museum, you would find they still think they either won the war, or they are still fighting the Yankees. They have an emotional attachment to the Civil War that the northerners do not.
As Rebecca interviews the ex-Governor Davis’s closest friend, she continually hears how hard Governor Davis worked and he was awful lucky. Any of his major opponents mysteriously died in car accidents. Plus, he understood the needs of the plain folk. They wanted to be heard and taken seriously. Gordon worked hard to avoid the pointed questions Rebecca has for him about Governor Davis, but she slowly works towards an ugly truth that is being kept from her.
As Rebecca interviews the ex-Governor Davis’s closest friend, she continually hears how hard Governor Davis worked and he was awful lucky. Any of his major opponents mysteriously died in car accidents. Plus, he understood the needs of the plain folk. They wanted to be heard and taken seriously. Gordon worked hard to avoid the pointed questions Rebecca has for him about Governor Davis, but she slowly works towards an ugly truth that is being kept from her.
March 2, 2018
‘They Do Things Differently There’
Alabama author/attorney Nicholas Bouler appears to be making his writing debut with HEART IN DIXIE and makes his mission clear in an Author’s Note – ‘This is a work of historical fiction and is, to the author’s ability, true to its time. Among other things, this means that the story contains demeaning and offensive language about Americans of African descent. This includes use of the epithet “N*****”. I hate that word. I felt I had to use it, however, in order to be historically accurate. Most importantly, however, is that readers too young to have lived this story may understand that in those days many people could use that horrible word with no thought of how, literally, hateful it is. To repeat, this is a work of fiction. It is clearly inspired by actual events during the Civil Rights era, particularly the career of George C. Wallace. But this book won't teach you anything specific about him; the book is not "about" Wallace. Heart in Dixie is about a current of political thought that has always been part of America and, as this is written, has elected our President. But is also a love letter about this special place where we were "southern-born and southern-bred."
Understanding the point of view of the author somehow makes the content of the book more poignant. Very briefly, the plot is summarized as follows – ‘In the 1970's a segregationist Southern governor ran a national campaign for president and won 5 Democratic primaries. In the process he somehow became the most important influence on our presidential campaigns in the last half-century. It's 1999, and four-time Governor Thomas Jefferson Davis lies near death. A young reporter, Rebecca Tanner, makes her first trip to the Deep South to learn what his career meant to his supporters and what it may mean for the future of America. She meets Gordon Halt, a trusted advisor to the Governor so long ago. She learns Gordon fought with his father, a moderate newspaper publisher, at the same time he resisted elements of the Klan, striving to preserve his particular vision of the South. Her research uncovers explosive audiotapes, long forgotten, by Billy Trask, a rival to Gordon and the Governor’s oldest friend. Her reporting reveals a criminal conspiracy, hidden for decades. And things she didn’t want to know: that a love of place can override even love of family; That the second Civil War was, like the first one, fought within families as much as between groups; And that the second Civil War may not even be over.’
To prepare the reader for the authors perspective, this charming Preface opens the door – ‘They do not know they are Southerners; that’s how young these boys are. If born in an earlier time, the age to catch tadpoles. They take their surroundings for granted, as the young are privileged to do, and don’t find it odd that a State Patrol car regularly parks outside the yellow brick house up the way. They can’t imagine that the old man who never comes out of that house was once famous; the street they live on is named for him. Like all little boys they long for excitement. So they can barely control themselves this morning when suddenly sirens wail and two police cars and an ambulance screech to a stop in front of that yellow brick house, all lights flashing, one hundred times better than an older brother’s video game. The boys sprint across the neighbors’ yards, right through the flowerbeds, to arrive at the house just as the ambulance attendants roll a metal bed to the porch steps and then carry it inside. A policeman sees them and shoos them away and they walk back home, dawdling, sorry to leave the action, but glad for a pretty exciting morning on boring old Davis Street.’
There is something so genuine and fair about the reporting of the life of these men of influence that Nicholas succeeds brilliantly in accomplishing his mission for writing this significant novel.
Alabama author/attorney Nicholas Bouler appears to be making his writing debut with HEART IN DIXIE and makes his mission clear in an Author’s Note – ‘This is a work of historical fiction and is, to the author’s ability, true to its time. Among other things, this means that the story contains demeaning and offensive language about Americans of African descent. This includes use of the epithet “N*****”. I hate that word. I felt I had to use it, however, in order to be historically accurate. Most importantly, however, is that readers too young to have lived this story may understand that in those days many people could use that horrible word with no thought of how, literally, hateful it is. To repeat, this is a work of fiction. It is clearly inspired by actual events during the Civil Rights era, particularly the career of George C. Wallace. But this book won't teach you anything specific about him; the book is not "about" Wallace. Heart in Dixie is about a current of political thought that has always been part of America and, as this is written, has elected our President. But is also a love letter about this special place where we were "southern-born and southern-bred."
Understanding the point of view of the author somehow makes the content of the book more poignant. Very briefly, the plot is summarized as follows – ‘In the 1970's a segregationist Southern governor ran a national campaign for president and won 5 Democratic primaries. In the process he somehow became the most important influence on our presidential campaigns in the last half-century. It's 1999, and four-time Governor Thomas Jefferson Davis lies near death. A young reporter, Rebecca Tanner, makes her first trip to the Deep South to learn what his career meant to his supporters and what it may mean for the future of America. She meets Gordon Halt, a trusted advisor to the Governor so long ago. She learns Gordon fought with his father, a moderate newspaper publisher, at the same time he resisted elements of the Klan, striving to preserve his particular vision of the South. Her research uncovers explosive audiotapes, long forgotten, by Billy Trask, a rival to Gordon and the Governor’s oldest friend. Her reporting reveals a criminal conspiracy, hidden for decades. And things she didn’t want to know: that a love of place can override even love of family; That the second Civil War was, like the first one, fought within families as much as between groups; And that the second Civil War may not even be over.’
To prepare the reader for the authors perspective, this charming Preface opens the door – ‘They do not know they are Southerners; that’s how young these boys are. If born in an earlier time, the age to catch tadpoles. They take their surroundings for granted, as the young are privileged to do, and don’t find it odd that a State Patrol car regularly parks outside the yellow brick house up the way. They can’t imagine that the old man who never comes out of that house was once famous; the street they live on is named for him. Like all little boys they long for excitement. So they can barely control themselves this morning when suddenly sirens wail and two police cars and an ambulance screech to a stop in front of that yellow brick house, all lights flashing, one hundred times better than an older brother’s video game. The boys sprint across the neighbors’ yards, right through the flowerbeds, to arrive at the house just as the ambulance attendants roll a metal bed to the porch steps and then carry it inside. A policeman sees them and shoos them away and they walk back home, dawdling, sorry to leave the action, but glad for a pretty exciting morning on boring old Davis Street.’
There is something so genuine and fair about the reporting of the life of these men of influence that Nicholas succeeds brilliantly in accomplishing his mission for writing this significant novel.
March 14, 2018
I found myself deeply interested in this book and not sure how to feel about current politics. So often we read these books, smile, and shake our heads at the idea that things could never be that bad. Now it is not so comical as it is scary.
Personally, I have never been to the south but I can imagine how that particular pride can become such a part of culture, it is almost sacrilegious to reject it. Analyzing how these little subcultures can affect both a person and overall politics is quite interesting. Whether it is positive or negative is a whole different thing, but to a degree I can understand the argument from both sides. I think this book may have resonated with big history buffs or those from the south. The civil war seems like such a long time ago, I struggle to understand the deep connection some people feel to it.
The story is certainly interesting and will keep you thinking. I appreciate the valiant effort to try and give a fresh look at politics and culture that have take over many conversations.
Personally, I have never been to the south but I can imagine how that particular pride can become such a part of culture, it is almost sacrilegious to reject it. Analyzing how these little subcultures can affect both a person and overall politics is quite interesting. Whether it is positive or negative is a whole different thing, but to a degree I can understand the argument from both sides. I think this book may have resonated with big history buffs or those from the south. The civil war seems like such a long time ago, I struggle to understand the deep connection some people feel to it.
The story is certainly interesting and will keep you thinking. I appreciate the valiant effort to try and give a fresh look at politics and culture that have take over many conversations.
March 23, 2018
Interesting defense of the South
I’m a transplant to the the South; first Texas, now Alabama. I find myself sympathetic to how the South was treated after the War Between the States.
This author tells of an imaginary state in the South where time has almost stood still. Memories run deep along with age old hurts. It would seem the author is correct in his premise that most of the evil and strife was brought in from the outside and allowed to play out by charlatans and opportunistic insiders.
Most Southerners, black and white, want to be left in peace to live their lives the same way all Americans do. The Southerners want to be free of the brush that has painted them as ignorant and ill bred rednecks since their loss of the war. And they should granted that relief, finally!
Very well written book, interesting reading, and very well researched! I’ll be looking for the author’s next book.
I’m a transplant to the the South; first Texas, now Alabama. I find myself sympathetic to how the South was treated after the War Between the States.
This author tells of an imaginary state in the South where time has almost stood still. Memories run deep along with age old hurts. It would seem the author is correct in his premise that most of the evil and strife was brought in from the outside and allowed to play out by charlatans and opportunistic insiders.
Most Southerners, black and white, want to be left in peace to live their lives the same way all Americans do. The Southerners want to be free of the brush that has painted them as ignorant and ill bred rednecks since their loss of the war. And they should granted that relief, finally!
Very well written book, interesting reading, and very well researched! I’ll be looking for the author’s next book.
June 26, 2021
Historical fiction about the philosophy and tactics of the governor of a fictional southern state in the Civil Rights era. It's the thinly veiled story of George Wallace and Alabama with interwoven real historical events I remember, and my new home would like to forget. I enjoyed this one; it demonstrates struggles between family members, generations, and neighbors. Not unlike what we may be experiencing now. Wrong then and wrong now.
May 4, 2020
Excellent!
This book was so well-written! I found myself turning, time and again, to Google - to cross-reference people and events. The path from page 1 to the finish was methodical, and Rebecca’s development from reluctant reporter to avid and accurate chronicler of history, was terrific. Really enjoyed this book!
This book was so well-written! I found myself turning, time and again, to Google - to cross-reference people and events. The path from page 1 to the finish was methodical, and Rebecca’s development from reluctant reporter to avid and accurate chronicler of history, was terrific. Really enjoyed this book!
September 12, 2019
Well written and interesting, even for someone from Escambia old enough to recall the many historical references. Will recommend it to others. We need to remember that the present meanspirited political environment is not new, having roots in earlier ages.
July 28, 2020
Interesting Characterizations of Honoring the South
I didn't know what this book was about when I purchased. Surprisingly in this day when the BLACK LIVES MATTER movement in America is in the forefront.
I didn't know what this book was about when I purchased. Surprisingly in this day when the BLACK LIVES MATTER movement in America is in the forefront.
March 12, 2018
This book was a powerful though fictional look at being Southern and the impact of the civil rights movement in the south for both whites and blacks.
September 16, 2018
Excellent work of historical fiction.
May 20, 2020
Enlightening
If facts are true, learned more about a period in history I didn't Linux again Got confused by made up state.
If facts are true, learned more about a period in history I didn't Linux again Got confused by made up state.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews