The Amalgamation Polka

The Amalgamation Polka (2006) is the fourth novel by the writer Stephen Wright. It is set during the time of the American Civil War. The plot concerns the story of Liberty Fish and his travels after joining the Union army.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

The Amalgamation Polka
First edition
AuthorStephen Wright
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreWar
PublisherAlfred A. Knopf
Publication date
2006
Media typePrint
Pages323
ISBN9780679451174

The New York Times compared the story to the obvious Heart of Darkness, but also said, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a better bet (on the plot). Most of the people Liberty meets (and not just in the South) are what the Cheshire Cat would call 'mad,' from a shaggy hermit to the Georgia farmer who secedes from the Confederacy by reclaiming his little plot of land in the name of the Union."

Liberty Fish is the son of two passionate abolitionists but whose grandparents were cruel slave-owners. The plot follows him from his birth to young adulthood, his enlistment in the Union army, and his quest to find his grandparents who he blames for the despair his mother feels. The tone has hints of dark humor and at times can be heavily surreal.

References
  1. Parini, Jay (December 30, 2006). "Review: The Amalgamation Polka by Stephen Wright". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  2. "Review of The Amalgamation Polka". Kirkus Reviews. November 5, 2005.
  3. "Starred review of The Amalgamation Polka'". Publishers Weekly.
  4. Brace, Marianne (January 8, 2007). "Review of The Amalgamation Polka". The Independent. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  5. Miller, Laura (February 19, 2006). "The Union Unhinged". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  6. O'Hehir, Andrew (March 22, 2006). "The Amalgamation Polka". Salon. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  7. Herrick, Jim (July 19, 2007). "The Amalgamation Polka by Stephen Wright". New Humanist. Retrieved September 19, 2020.


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