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Surrendering Appomattox
Novel. History teacher Horace Edgecomb finds himself teaching the daughter of a leading "American Civil War denier" and must confront an organization determined to disprove the occurrence of the Civil War in this satire of historical revisionism.
246 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2019
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About the author
Jacob M. Appel
36 books1,593 followers**Please note: A limited number of complimentary electronic copies of several of my books are available for review. Please email me directly if you are interested**
Jacob M. Appel's first novel, The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up, won the Dundee International Book Award in 2012. His short story collection, Scouting for the Reaper, won the 2012 Hudson Prize. He has published short fiction in more than two hundred literary journals including Agni, Conjunctions, Gettysburg Review, Southwest Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, and West Branch. His work has been short listed for the O. Henry Award (2001), Best American Short Stories (2007, 2008), Best American Essays (2011, 2012), and received "special mention" for the Pushcart Prize in 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2013.
Jacob holds a B.A. and an M.A. from Brown University, an M.A. and an M.Phil. from Columbia University, an M.S. in bioethics from the Alden March Bioethics Institute of Albany Medical College, an M.D. from Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons, an M.F.A. in creative writing from New York University, an M.F.A. in playwriting from Queens College, an M.P.H. from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He currently practices psychiatry in New York City.
Jacob M. Appel's first novel, The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up, won the Dundee International Book Award in 2012. His short story collection, Scouting for the Reaper, won the 2012 Hudson Prize. He has published short fiction in more than two hundred literary journals including Agni, Conjunctions, Gettysburg Review, Southwest Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, and West Branch. His work has been short listed for the O. Henry Award (2001), Best American Short Stories (2007, 2008), Best American Essays (2011, 2012), and received "special mention" for the Pushcart Prize in 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2013.
Jacob holds a B.A. and an M.A. from Brown University, an M.A. and an M.Phil. from Columbia University, an M.S. in bioethics from the Alden March Bioethics Institute of Albany Medical College, an M.D. from Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons, an M.F.A. in creative writing from New York University, an M.F.A. in playwriting from Queens College, an M.P.H. from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He currently practices psychiatry in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 25, 2019
CATCH 44
I had just written a legal thriller set in 1887 Washington D. C., and much of my plot hinged upon the place where Abe Lincoln was assassinated, although it was then being used as a medical museum for the U. S. Army. Another crucial element of my plot was a fraud perpetrated on veterans of the Civil War.
Flash-forward to this book, this blasphemous and hilarious piece of satire by one of my favorite authors, Jacob M. Appel. I read it because it had a Civil War theme, but when I completed it, Appel had me feeling the way I had the morning Donald J. Trump took the Oath of Office. "This can't be happening!" was what I was thinking, in both instances.
They say it takes a pretty developed right hemisphere of the brain to appreciate humor. Well, after reading Surrendering Appomattox, the right hemisphere of my brain has taken over, and I am speechless. All I can see is history teacher Horace Newcomb, struggling to save his sanity, fighting an existential civil war against a narcissistic Department of the Treasury, represented by his high school crush, Vicky Vann, and the carnival barker voice of the group leader he is recruited to spy on, Roland Royster.
As Horace's marijuana-smoking roommate and Mohammed the Prophet Coloring Book entrepreneur, Sebastian Borrelli, tells him at one point, "It's a catch 44." Funny he says that because my already-exercised right hemisphere was comparing Appel's characters with some of Joseph Heller's "Catch 22" folks. Appel has created some of the most "laugh-out-loud" zanies (which, by the way, during the Civil War meant "homosexuals") I have ever followed inside a piece of literature.
Make no mistake. This is literature is on "high octane," for the Twenty-first Century, hearkening back to Swift’s "A Modest Proposal.” Jacob M. Appel's Surrendering Appomattox is the perfect satirical antidote for these horrific Trumpian Times.
I had just written a legal thriller set in 1887 Washington D. C., and much of my plot hinged upon the place where Abe Lincoln was assassinated, although it was then being used as a medical museum for the U. S. Army. Another crucial element of my plot was a fraud perpetrated on veterans of the Civil War.
Flash-forward to this book, this blasphemous and hilarious piece of satire by one of my favorite authors, Jacob M. Appel. I read it because it had a Civil War theme, but when I completed it, Appel had me feeling the way I had the morning Donald J. Trump took the Oath of Office. "This can't be happening!" was what I was thinking, in both instances.
They say it takes a pretty developed right hemisphere of the brain to appreciate humor. Well, after reading Surrendering Appomattox, the right hemisphere of my brain has taken over, and I am speechless. All I can see is history teacher Horace Newcomb, struggling to save his sanity, fighting an existential civil war against a narcissistic Department of the Treasury, represented by his high school crush, Vicky Vann, and the carnival barker voice of the group leader he is recruited to spy on, Roland Royster.
As Horace's marijuana-smoking roommate and Mohammed the Prophet Coloring Book entrepreneur, Sebastian Borrelli, tells him at one point, "It's a catch 44." Funny he says that because my already-exercised right hemisphere was comparing Appel's characters with some of Joseph Heller's "Catch 22" folks. Appel has created some of the most "laugh-out-loud" zanies (which, by the way, during the Civil War meant "homosexuals") I have ever followed inside a piece of literature.
Make no mistake. This is literature is on "high octane," for the Twenty-first Century, hearkening back to Swift’s "A Modest Proposal.” Jacob M. Appel's Surrendering Appomattox is the perfect satirical antidote for these horrific Trumpian Times.
July 23, 2022
Mildly…
I am mildly disappointed in this book for this reason.
This man is so accomplished and capable it is astonishing and yet
he seems to founder in early to late teenage angst. He appears to be trying to work through the utter unfairness of his astoundingly varied accomplishments which still don’t allow him to grow beyond a stew of confusingly unfulfilling relationships.
Once he grows through this, I imagine the guy’s ability to tell a mature story might do him justice. He has all the right pieces, imho.
I am mildly disappointed in this book for this reason.
This man is so accomplished and capable it is astonishing and yet
he seems to founder in early to late teenage angst. He appears to be trying to work through the utter unfairness of his astoundingly varied accomplishments which still don’t allow him to grow beyond a stew of confusingly unfulfilling relationships.
Once he grows through this, I imagine the guy’s ability to tell a mature story might do him justice. He has all the right pieces, imho.
September 25, 2020
Very entertaining satire of historical revisionism! The cast of characters is varied and idiosyncratic which makes the character development very well done. We follow Horace Edgecomb but each of the other main characters in the book could have their own novel with interesting backstory's. But the character building with the humor and you have yourself a novel that's hard to put down.
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September 12, 2021No stars DNF
My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:
https://youtu.be/pi6HW2YDiNc
Enjoy!
My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:
https://youtu.be/pi6HW2YDiNc
Enjoy!
December 29, 2025
Like if Catch-22 and Eddington had a baby
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews