North Against South

Published in 1887, North Against South is Jules Verne's great American novel. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, it is a story of family, slavery, and redemption in the wild landscapes of Florida.

James Burbank, a planter in northern Florida, is a just man: he has freed his slaves and actively opposes the institution of slavery. But the Civil War is tearing the nation apart, and Florida is a Confederate state. The dreaded Texar, leader of a pro-slavery militia, fans the flames of hatred against Burbank. He kidnaps Burbank's daughter Alice and hides her in the swamps of the St. Johns River.

Gilbert Burbank, James's son and a Union officer, returns from the front to save his sister. What follows is a breathless chase through the Florida bayous — those mysterious swamps where every tree and every current can hide a trap or a refuge. Texar, elusive and seemingly protected by an almost supernatural power, always stays one step ahead.

The novel is also a powerful indictment of slavery. Verne portrays his Black characters with humanity and depth, especially Zermah, a faithful enslaved woman, and her daughter Diana. Amid the violence of war, it is the struggle for human dignity that ultimately prevails. North Against South is Verne's Western: a tale of horseback rides, gunfights, swamps, and the eternal question of freedom for all.