The Bonfire is the intimate and epic story of the most terrible city siege in American history: the destruction and burning of Atlanta.
Through the compelling, interwoven, and often surprising life stories of a diverse cast of colorful characters—schoolchildren and booksellers, bootleggers and covert Unionists, bondsmen and soldiers—Marc Wortman creates a rich and multilayered portrait of the age, the city, and the terrible siege.
Read an article from Smithsonian Magazine about Robert (Yancey) Webster, an Atlanta slave who became wealthy during the Civil War and then heroically saved 100s of Union soldiers' lives following the Battle of Atlanta: "Why Was Robert Webster, A Slave Wearing What Looks Like a Confederate Uniform?"
Praise for The Bonfire
“Next to Richmond, Atlanta was the most important Confederate city by 1864. Its fall in September of that year signaled the beginning of the end for the Confederacy. Among the many books about General William T. Sherman's Atlanta campaign, The Bonfire stands out for its focus on the experience of Atlantans themselves. Marc Wortman's vivid narrative proves that war is indeed hell.”
―James M. McPherson, George Henry Davis Professor of U.S. History at Princeton University and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Battle Cry of Freedom
“The Bonfire is a tour de force of American Civil War history,with everything a reader could want: Extraordinary original research,vivid prose and old-fashioned suspense.”
―Debby Applegate, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher
"Very absorbing."
―Booklist, Starred Review
“From the lurid flames of Gone with the Wind to the phoenix on the city seal, the fiery destruction of Atlanta during the Civil War occupies a central place in the city's mythology. In The Bonfire, Marc Wortman goes beyond the legend to reveal a history that is more complicated, but no less dramatic, than anything that came from Margaret Mitchell’s pen. [It] is a tale of divided loyalties, political intrigue and tremendous human suffering. Wortman’s real talent lies in portraying the life of the city and its residents. His ability to create a deft, rich picture of Atlanta during this tumultuous period is what makes The Bonfire both invaluable history and a gripping read.”
―Michael A. Elliott, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"A chilling narrative."
―Washington City Paper
“Prepare to luxuriate in gorgeous prose, first-rate scholarship, and to discover page by page why Atlanta became the city it is today…. This is one of the most important Civil War books in years. It certainly is a book that anyone who wants to understand the war or current-day Georgia or Atlanta simply must own.”
―Philip Lee Williams, Michael Shaara Prize-winning author of The Campfire Boys
“An admirable account of the circumstances leading to the fall of the city.”
―Winston Groom, Wall Street Journal
"Every Civil War history buff should read The Bonfire."
―Huntington News Network
"The Bonfire is a superb popular history that will appeal to specialists and buffs alike...that puts the military events in a larger social and political context, and it has the added virtue of being an exciting and engaging read."
―Parameters, The US Army's Senior Professional Journal
"Marc Wortman's book...is more than a story of the battle for that city – it is a morality tale and a microcosm of the Civil War.... Throughout the book Wortman follows a number of leading families and citizens of Atlanta, tracing their steps, relaying their words, and revealing their fates. He captures their hopes and fears, their ideals and ambitions, with clarity and sympathy."
―Akron Law Cafe
"Of the many books published about William Tecumseh Sherman's immolation of Atlanta, The Bonfire may be the most readable and, in its own way, the most jaunty."
―The Journal of American History
Through the compelling, interwoven, and often surprising life stories of a diverse cast of colorful characters—schoolchildren and booksellers, bootleggers and covert Unionists, bondsmen and soldiers—Marc Wortman creates a rich and multilayered portrait of the age, the city, and the terrible siege.
Read an article from Smithsonian Magazine about Robert (Yancey) Webster, an Atlanta slave who became wealthy during the Civil War and then heroically saved 100s of Union soldiers' lives following the Battle of Atlanta: "Why Was Robert Webster, A Slave Wearing What Looks Like a Confederate Uniform?"
Praise for The Bonfire
“Next to Richmond, Atlanta was the most important Confederate city by 1864. Its fall in September of that year signaled the beginning of the end for the Confederacy. Among the many books about General William T. Sherman's Atlanta campaign, The Bonfire stands out for its focus on the experience of Atlantans themselves. Marc Wortman's vivid narrative proves that war is indeed hell.”
―James M. McPherson, George Henry Davis Professor of U.S. History at Princeton University and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Battle Cry of Freedom
“The Bonfire is a tour de force of American Civil War history,with everything a reader could want: Extraordinary original research,vivid prose and old-fashioned suspense.”
―Debby Applegate, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher
"Very absorbing."
―Booklist, Starred Review
“From the lurid flames of Gone with the Wind to the phoenix on the city seal, the fiery destruction of Atlanta during the Civil War occupies a central place in the city's mythology. In The Bonfire, Marc Wortman goes beyond the legend to reveal a history that is more complicated, but no less dramatic, than anything that came from Margaret Mitchell’s pen. [It] is a tale of divided loyalties, political intrigue and tremendous human suffering. Wortman’s real talent lies in portraying the life of the city and its residents. His ability to create a deft, rich picture of Atlanta during this tumultuous period is what makes The Bonfire both invaluable history and a gripping read.”
―Michael A. Elliott, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"A chilling narrative."
―Washington City Paper
“Prepare to luxuriate in gorgeous prose, first-rate scholarship, and to discover page by page why Atlanta became the city it is today…. This is one of the most important Civil War books in years. It certainly is a book that anyone who wants to understand the war or current-day Georgia or Atlanta simply must own.”
―Philip Lee Williams, Michael Shaara Prize-winning author of The Campfire Boys
“An admirable account of the circumstances leading to the fall of the city.”
―Winston Groom, Wall Street Journal
"Every Civil War history buff should read The Bonfire."
―Huntington News Network
"The Bonfire is a superb popular history that will appeal to specialists and buffs alike...that puts the military events in a larger social and political context, and it has the added virtue of being an exciting and engaging read."
―Parameters, The US Army's Senior Professional Journal
"Marc Wortman's book...is more than a story of the battle for that city – it is a morality tale and a microcosm of the Civil War.... Throughout the book Wortman follows a number of leading families and citizens of Atlanta, tracing their steps, relaying their words, and revealing their fates. He captures their hopes and fears, their ideals and ambitions, with clarity and sympathy."
―Akron Law Cafe
"Of the many books published about William Tecumseh Sherman's immolation of Atlanta, The Bonfire may be the most readable and, in its own way, the most jaunty."
―The Journal of American History
