His latest book, “The Patriot Threat” is set for official release on March 31.Yet it is his “The Lincoln Myth” from last year, that caught this reporter’s eye at the library.
“I like things that have been lost and forgotten,” said Berry. He took some time to chat by phone from his home in historic St. Augustine. With a southern drawl, he explained that he is originally from Georgia. A love of history comes naturally. For most of his 18 books, some aspect of history is the inspiration behind the story. “The Patriot Threat” is the 10th in the Cotton Malone series. He gets much of his material from history while traveling or doing research.
With “The Lincoln Myth” it was while he was taking a tour of Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, that he heard the tour guide tell of the arrangement between President Abraham Lincoln and Brigham Young leader of the then newly formed Church of Latter Day Saints or better known as The Mormons. “I realized as the tour guide was speaking, that there is a novel in there,” he said.
“I treated the subject with respect. I did not deal with the religion of Mormonism, said Berry. I focused only on the Mormon’s role (through Brigham Young) in the Civil War.”
The agreement was basically for the church and its Utah territory to stay out of the Civil War and to keep the lines of communication open between the burgeoning West and the rest of the nation, especially Washington, DC. While Lincoln did not support plural marriage and in fact was against it, he focused more on the Civil War than on any anti-poligamy legislation, singed. Mormons were moving westward and Lincoln needed as many allies as he could find.
In an opinion piece in the NY Times from 2011, the link between the Lincoln and The Mormons is discussed. It is true he did not agree with the new religion. Lincoln did extensive study. “Fortified by his reading, Lincoln came to a great decision. And that decision was to do nothing.”
Berry told the Huffington Post that it is believed that Lincoln read the Book of Mormon.
This unusual alliance helped the cause. The lines of communication, (telegraph, etc) were kept in tact “What many people don’t know is that Lincoln was not fighting to save ‘the union” but was fighting to build one,” said Berry. “Lincoln had no real legal authority to end slavery. Yet the myth was formed in order to keep the legend of Lincoln going.”
Berry pointed out that despite the reality of the truth and Lincoln’s short-comings, “it does not diminish his greatness,” he said. Lincoln did many things to sustain and build a nation. The novel explains these myths. “It took a year for the novel to gestate and take form in my brain,” Berry said. Since its debut in May of 2014 “The Lincoln Myth” like the other novels in his Cotton Malone series has received rave reviews.
“I did not encounter any resistance in my research, Barry said. In fact, I have received some very nice responses from Mormons. Many of whom did not know about the agreement between Brigham Young and Lincoln.” Berry also pointed out that after Lincoln died persecution resumed with the U.S. Congress denouncing polygamy.
But once the LDS Church stopped the practice of polygamy, “Mormonism became the quintessential American religion.” “I say this, Barry added, because it was founded in America by Americans and whether you believe its claims or not, it’s focus of religious fervor is rooted in America. Once it officially renounced polygamy, it has been a steady build every since. Mormonism is prosperous, patriotic and pious.” And, while it is among the most prolific of religious sects/denominations, it is also among the most generous and philanthropic.
Like “The Lincoln Myth” Berry’s about-to-be-released ‘The Patriot Threat’ has Cotton Molone on the trail of the origins of the 16th Amendment, dealing with Income Tax. “It is a 24-hour adventure Cotton is set upon and it is something I think readers will be intrigued by.” Just in time for tax season, Berry noted that the US Government gets 92 percent of its revenue from income taxes. The history behind income tax which was instituted in 1913 will interest and fascinate many. Especially as many devoted readers of the Berry novels know, he takes historical fact, mixes in some insightful speculation and spins out a page-turning thriller.
“‘The Patriot Threat’ is one of the leanest-meanist Steve has ever written,” said Hector DeJean, Associate Director of Publicity for Minotaur Books. DeJean mentioned that ‘The Patriot Threat’ has an intense point of view with multiple female characters – one of which is the daughter of the villian ” “We are happy to have Steve on our roster of novelists,” he said. “‘Patriot Threat’ is his first book with us and we are happy to say there will be more.”
“What impressed us most about Steve, said DeJean was his ability to pour out story lines and ideas, each idea he presented to us was better than the last.” Berry is currently working on a book due out in 2017. “And, in that Cotton Malone story, said Berry, it will be revealed how Cotton got his name.”
Actually in real life Berry credits the name for the Malone character to a writer’s group he attended regularly. “As I was trying to figure out what would be a fitting first name for my Malone character, a woman from my writer’s group said she liked the name ‘Cotton Malone’ specifically because he is from the south. He is a Georgia Boy,” said Berry. “Where one is from is very close to a person, said Berry. He is very honored and proud to be from the South. It has many traditions, and since Berry is from the South, it is from there that the Malone character emirates.
Even if history inspires him, Berry said that over all he writes mostly to entertain. Pick up any one of the Malone series and you will be entertained and fascinated by it. “You don’t have to read any of the Malone series in any particular order. They can stand alone, without the reader being confused. Each is a complete and full story.
‘The Patriot Threat’ will be released on March 31. To learn more about it and the author Steve Berry, visit his web site.
