Born Blind

Born Blind is a novel about what should have happened in the United States in 1860, or any time prior to July 21, 1861, the date the Civil War truly began with the first Battle of Bull Run.

In this book, Jackson Riddle has staged an alternative battle for the soul of the Nation - one fought in the Supreme Court chamber in Washington rather than in the cotton and wheat fields of the country's heartland. The inherent limitations of the Constitution, and the flaws of the men who interpret it, are dramatically exposed in this legal struggle over the future of the Union.

The story traces three generations of the Scott family who engage not only their own slaves, but historical leaders such as First Lady Sarah Polk and Supreme Court Justice John Catron, in the struggle to bring the Nation's antebellum conflict to a constitutional - and peaceful - resolution.

By convincing Tennessee to sue for the right to secede, Jerald Scott and his blind slave Gamaliel lead the fight to uphold the rule of law. The process challenges the legacy of some of our Nation's most revered leaders.

Jackson Riddle lives and writes in Texas and New Mexico. Born Blind is his fourth book.