Overview

NOTE: Illustrations in this edition are printed in black and white. In the Belly of the Anaconda is a sweeping historical fiction set during the American Civil War, primarily focusing on the occupation of New Orleans and the personal struggles of its citizens amid the conflict. Through the lens of protagonist Rachel Durand, the story explores themes of survival, identity, and transformation in a society in upheaval. Rachel, a widow navigating the occupied city, struggles to support her family while facing moral dilemmas and the weight of her Southern heritage. As Union forces tighten their grip on New Orleans, she is drawn into a world of espionage, intrigue, and resistance. The novel also explores the moral and social dilemmas its characters face, including the tension between Southern tradition and the harsh realities of war, the plight of enslaved people seeking freedom, and the struggle of women to find agency in a male-dominated society.

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9798999763112

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Reviews

Original, historically authentic, especially well-written, impressively benefiting from the author's extensive research involving dairies, newspapers, and archival accounts, In the Belly of the Anaconda is a riveting, engaging, and thought-provoking read from start to finish. A simply fascinating and carefully constructed read, In the Belly of the Anaconda is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community/public library American Civil War-themed fiction collections. -Midwest Book Review In The Belly of the Anaconda by C. Arthur Ellis, Jr., blends history and fiction, offering a vivid portrait of New Orleans during the Civil War. The story focuses on Rachel Durand, a widow whose life has been shattered by war. As Union troops take control of the city, she must find ways to survive in a place where power has shifted, alliances are fragile, and every choice carries consequences. Rachel's journey is both personal and political as she struggles to reconcile her Southern roots with the new realities around her. Her character is at the heart of the story, providing an intimate perspective on a larger historical moment. Her moral struggles reflect the broader conflicts of the era, including questions of loyalty and the meaning of freedom. When she becomes involved in espionage and secret operations, her personal transformation echoes the city's own upheaval. C. Arthur Ellis vividly portrays life in occupied New Orleans, from the lively energy of the French Market to the tense parlors where Union officers meet with local elites. The thorough research and extensive bibliography are clear in every chapter. Illustrations enhance the realistic depictions. Equally notable is how the book explores the roles of women during wartime... It deserves more than five stars. -Readers' Favorite review The Anaconda Plan, devised by Union Gen. Winfield Scott, proposed suffocating the Southern ports along the Mississippi with naval blockades. In the center of the Anaconda lay the port of New Orleans, the setting for Ellis' novel. It's here, in April of 1862, that we meet Rachel Durand, a young Jewish widow who has lost her husband, Levi, in the Battle of Shiloh. Rachel lives with her younger, pregnant sister Sarah, whose husband, Jacob Mercier, is still away at war. Within a few days, the Union overtakes the Confederate barriers and begin their occupation of New Orleans. Gen. Benjamin ""Spoons"" Butler-locally referred to as the Beast-is put in charge of the city. When he has the Stars and Stripes hung at City Hall, it provokes a small citizen revolt with dire consequences...Months later, with the city suffering from devastating shortages, Jacob returns home severely injured. It's now up to Rachel to provide for her small family. This is how she finds herself joining a group of New Orleanians who, disguised as peddlers, facilitate trade between the Union and the Confederacy. Ellis' sprawling drama is a tale of political maneuvers, schemes, backroom deals, and secret alliances. But, most of all, it's a novel driven by a hefty cast of complex, pivotal characters navigating extraordinary times. --Kirkus Reviews

Author Information

C. Arthur Ellis, Jr. grew up in Live Oak, Florida, where the Suwannee River flowed with stories as old as the land itself. His heritage traces back to a young physician who, in the late 1700s, boarded a Spanish galleon to escape religious intolerance in Ireland during the Rebellion and seek freedom across the Atlantic. Dr. Ellis earned master's degrees in medical physiology and literature, then completed a doctorate in the humanities with a concentration in the history of medicine. He built a career in laboratory medicine and education before turning to writing in retirement. His Zora Hurston and the Strange Case of Ruby McCollum, along with appearances on A Crime to Remember (Discovery Channel) and Curtain of Secrecy (a true-crime documentary short), renewed attention to a forgotten trial that exposed issues of race, gender, and power in the Jim Crow South. His current novel, In the Belly of the Anaconda, contrasts the romanticized myth of Scarlett in Gone with the Wind with the story of Rachel, a New Orleans native who sheds her privileged illusions to confront the cruelty of slavery and dedicate her life to social change. Rachel's story is set against the backdrop of the Civil War, the Union occupation of New Orleans, and the necessity of enduring the seemingly unendurable.Dr. Ellis lives in the beautiful North Georgia mountains with his forensic psychologist wife of fifty-seven years, Dr. Leslie Ellis, their family, a black bear, a mountain lion, and a lively pack of rescue dogs.

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