Origins
Personal significance
Carl Sandburg, his wife, and two daughters had their ashes buried undeOrganization
The novel tells a plethora of stories taken from American history, involving essentially the same characters recast through the centuries. They are easily identified because their initials never change. The opening and ending frame story is set during World War II. It begins with a retired Supreme Court Justice, Orville Brand Windom, preparing and giving a radio speech, broadcast nationally and overseas, on patriotism and war and U.S. history. He has made a little legacy of leaving handfuls of earth and dust, taken from Plymouth, Valley Forge, Cemetery Ridge and Argonne, at "Remembrance Rock", a large Washington, D.C. garden boulder by his house. He dies soon after, and leaves a request to his children and grandchildren that they read the three manuscripts he has prepared. These three manuscripts are the bulk of the novel. The first involves the Pilgrims and Plymouth Rock, the second is set during the Revolution, and the third is set during the Civil War. The main woman is named Mary Windling, Mim Wilming, Mibs Wimbler, and Mimah, respectively. The young warrior who has to choose between the girl and the cause yet ends up with both is Resolved Wayfare, Robert Winshore, Rodney Wayman, and his grandson Raymond, respectively. The avuncular storyteller is named Oliber Ball Windrow, Orton Wingate, Ordway Winshore, and Omri Wonwold, respectively, but also Justice Orville Brand Windom. After the three manuscripts, the novel returns to World War II. Windom's speech has affected and inspired many soldiers overseas, inspiring the burial of more earth, dust, and sand, taken from Utah beach, the South Pacific, Sicily, and Okinawa, under Remembrance Rock.Reception
References
{{Carl Sandburg 1948 American novels American historical novels Novels by Carl Sandburg 1948 debut novels