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Reviewed by Stephen Christopher for Readers' Favorite
It’s 1872 in Limestone Cove, Tennessee. Twelve-year-old Ezekiel Gouge watches his Uncle Zeke make sour mash whiskey, and despite his father’s protests, dreams of one day operating a legal whiskey still. Over the course of 67 years, Ezekial marries Panthia, has 13 children with her, and battles governments and the church, which all try to prevent him from achieving his dream. While the struggles appear monumental at times, as a family, they attempt to rise above them all. Can they do it? Can Ezekial create a lasting legacy for his family, and if so, at what cost? Read Whiskey & Ashes by Honey Gouge Casey to find out.
The early 1900s were a turbulent time for the alcohol industry, and Whiskey & Ashes is an excellent opportunity to see it from the perspective of those in the midst of it all. The most wonderful aspect of this book, though, is that the author, Honey Gouge Casey, is Ezekiel Gouge’s great-great-granddaughter, so this is her family’s true story. Right away, I knew this was going to be part family saga, part history lesson, and I was right on both counts. While whiskey is at the core of the story, the underlying foundation of family values and profound love for and belief in each other is what Whiskey & Ashes is really about. Despite all the subplots of government bureaucracy and church protests, it was the family stories that stirred my emotions the most—have a box of tissues handy. Novels like these remind us of what our forefathers did for us to have the freedom we have today. Whiskey & Ashes is for lovers of family sagas based on real historical characters. I recommend reading it with a glass of whiskey by your side, as I did.
