I finished the last few pages of Michael Shaara’s celebrated Civil War novel, The Killer Angels, Sunday morning. The cold November rain gave me a feeble excuse to skip church and stay with Col. Joshua Chamberlain’s 20th Maine as the Rebs made a last desperate charge up Cemetery Hill. It’s a terrifying story, covering the three-day-long battle at Gettsyburg, the battle that turned the tide, though it would be nearly two more years of horrible war before Appomattox and the defeat of the Confederacy.

The story is told through the eyes of the officers on both sides, men who’d been comrades in the Regular Army. But on the first three days of July 1863 they find themselves leading opposing armies in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, one on high ground – Little Round Top and Cemetery Ridge, – the other in the peach orchard and wheat fields below. We’ve heard how the Civil War turned brother against brother, tore families apart forever; in Killer Angels we learn how lifelong friendships are sundered as Southerners made the life-changing decision to support secession and in effect, leave their country, to leave the United States.

It’s not the kind of book I’d normally pick up. These days I want to read about a good character, probably a woman, threading her way through the everyday dramas of family life. Instead, here there isn’t a single female character, though there are references to wives and mothers back home; these are men wrestling with the moral issues of a civil war.

Robert E. Lee, with a failing heart, heartbroken as well at the decision to leave the Army of the Potomac and assume command of the Confederate Army, choosing his homeland, Virginia, over his country.

Joshua Chamberlain, a professor of rhetoric at Bowdoin College, has always wanted to be a soldier. He signs up with the 20th Maine Infantry Regiment and finds himself leading his men in a bayonet charge down from rocky Little Round Top.

So here we are, some 156 years later, divided once again. Not divided by geography, but by politics. And for many families, facing the dreaded Thanksgiving dinner with the relatives. Not to make light of it, as none of it is frivolous, but too many of us (remember brother against brother) find ourselves on opposite sides of the political divide.

What is it about Thanksgiving? Well, many of us travel miles to be able to sit around the table with our near and dear, the parents, the grandparents, the cousins, aunts and uncles who formed our earliest beliefs. For young people, Thanksgiving weekend may be the first time home after leaving for college. Our kids come back full of new ideas, new revelations developed away from the influence of home.

I’ve not forgotten something my Aunt Eileen said at the end of a particularly tense Thanksgiving in the late 1960s. Vietnam was ramping up, and my brother and I, yes, home from college, were armed with all the arguments against U.S. involvement. She heard us out, then said forcefully: “None of that matters; my country, right or wrong!” There’d be no arguing with Aunt Eileen.

And for those of us who have been paying attention to our country’s politics, these are tense times as well. Two weeks of impeachment hearings kept many of us glued to the TV, constantly checking updates on phones and ipads throughout the days.

I, for one, have always been a fan of Congressional hearings, starting in the 1950s when I spent a summer watching the Kefauver hearings. I have no idea what they were about, just that 12-year-old me thought the lawyer heading them up was awful cute. Years later I realized that cute lawyer was Bobby Kennedy.

Nobody’s cute this time around, no matter which side you’re on. How did we become so divided, where each side is so sure theirs is the right one? There seem to be no shades of gray – you’re either for him-I-won’t name or you’re not. You either believe the voices coming from our institutions or you don’t. But these days, people are choosing which institutions to believe. Which media outlets. Which politicians. Even which scientists. What could be scarier than putting into doubt the very certainties our democracy, our country, our existence as citizens are built on?

All of this will make for a most fraught Thanksgiving dinner in many homes. I’d rather concentrate on Main Street, Camden, this Friday, the day after dinner. Take a few minutes to check it out. Kids excitedly greeting each other, home from college, back from wherever they’ve moved to. Chances are, politics will be the last thing on their minds.

Basketball at Hope

Drive over to Hope Elementary School this Tuesday, Nov. 26 to watch the LCS boys and girls teams take on the Hope teams starting at 3:45 p.m.

Streetlights at the Beach

Last week a crew was busy installing new LED, downward facing streetlights at the Beach, the result of much research by the street lighting committee aka the Energy Committee.

Bob Olson, a member of that group wrote: “This is a really good thing for the town to do. LEDs will use a lot less electricity, cutting the town's electric bill. And I know from seeing the downlighting fixtures along Rt. 1 in Camden's business area that fixtures like this put a lot more light where it's needed while reducing glare and preventing light from going upward where it doesn't do any good and makes it harder to see the stars at night.

A more poetic comment came from a long-time Beach neighbor: “Thank you, thank you many times over to each of you Angels on the Street Lighting Com. who worked so hard to make this happen. Avian and aquatic life of the sky and all Penobscot Bay thanks you. The glare from the old light was so penetrating and intrusive I imagine even the International Space Station has noticed the calm that has settled over our beautiful little harbor.

“The difference between the harsh brightness of the old lights and and this lovely new illumination is amazing and so lovely. The smaller size and design of the lamp presents a kind of sassy class to the traveler passing through Rte 1 that offers just the right impression of what our community is all about. Seems to suggest: "Let's stop here, rest and enjoy the beauty ..."

Take a ride down to the Beach after dark and see the difference!

Condolences

A moving, musical celebration of Ron Moran’s life was held Saturday at the Community Building. Ron’s been a big part of our local musical scene, and his friends and family honored him that day.

Shop Locally

Thanksgiving always marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, Black Friday and all that. Want to find gifts right here in Lincolnville? Here are all the places you can do that:

Dot’s, Atlantic Highway: table linens, wine, specialty foods

Green Tree Coffee, Atlantic Highway: teas, coffees, chocolates, brewing gear of all kinds

Viking, Atlantic Highway: tools!

Maine Artisans, Beach: handmade items too numerous to mention

Lincolnville Fine Arts and Antiques, Beach: paintings, sculptures, rugs, ship models, unusual and quirky finds of all kinds

Sleepy Hollow Rag Rugs, Beach Road: rugs, jewelry, handknit hats, local history books, Advent calendars

Western Auto, Beach Road: automotive gadgets, stocking stuffers

Ducktrap Woodworking, Ducktrap Road: decoys, bird carvings, half models, boat plans

Cellardoor Winery, Youngtown Road: wine, glassware, and more!

Windsor Chairs, Atlantic Highway: beautiful handmade furniture

Lincolnville General Store: specialty foods, stocking stuffers, wine, locally made items

Van derVen Studio, Main Street: pottery, sculpture

ANK Ceramics and Meghan Flynn, next to Boat Club: pottery

Red Cottage, Main Street: everything for the home!

Elizabeth Hand’s newest novel “Curious Toys” available on Amazon!

Did I leave anyone out? Please let me know!

And regarding Liz’s new book, Curious Toys the book has received raves from the NY Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and Library Journal, and was on Oprah Magazine’s Must Read list as well as Real Simple Magazine's list of best books. Our own Lincolnville library has a copy, too.

Everyone ought to get a book for Christmas don’t you think? That’s always my favorite present.