Sony Cuts Ties with “To Appomattox”; Backdoor Pilot and Other Changes Planned

As we all know, the production company for the still-in-limbo To Appomattox miniseries project, Sony, has recently severed ties with them after years of holding the rights got absolutely nowhere. There are a good number of people following this massive Civil War project who feel they are being misled by the people in charge, but after speaking to a source close to the situation, the individual was very clear that peoples’ anger should be directed at the company who “held them hostage”, not the other way around. This was not a deflection of my questions, but a rather comprehensive explanation of all that has been going on over the last five years, and I believe it to be true—if I didn’t, I would not be writing this. It was a lot to digest, but I am of the opinion that the producers of To Appomattox and their cast and crew still have the utmost enthusiasm in the project, and that it certainly is not dead. There are a few concerns that need to be looked at, but overall, I do think they are now moving in the right direction.

Book Review: “A World Lit Only by Fire”, by William Manchester

Wanting to both learn more about the Middle Ages and Renaissance, as well as take a short break from Civil War and WWII studies, I picked up William Manchester’s A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance (Back Bay Books; 1992) at a recent book sale. Having a bad habit of starting books, getting engrossed and breezing through the first half, before getting preoccupied with something else and never completing it, I was not sure if I would ever end up reading this. However, one day, as I pondered something to do in my free time, I just decided to flip it open and read a random page, which had to do with the Inquisition, therefore it intrigued me (anything involving Church corruption is more often than not going to alert and keep my attention). I started reading it that day, and I do not think I have ever been so into a historical narrative, not from any other subject. This book had me in its grip the entire time and would not let go until I was finished. I will be quick to say that this is the best narrative I have ever read, hands down.

Popular Quebec Actor Francois Arnaud Lands Role in “Copperhead”

Thanks to a reader who just sent me this article from a French-Canadian news outlet, it appears that the very popular actor Francois Arnaud from Quebec has also landed a role in Copperhead. The complete cast list has not yet been furnished, as work on their IMDB page is still ongoing, so you can expect little updates like this until it happens. The website notes that Arnaud has become very well-known to English-speaking audiences due to his lead role in the highly acclaimed television series The Borgias. Another cast-member, Agustus Prew, has also worked on that show, while actress Lucy Boynton has starred in a British version, simply named Borgia. Along with Jason Patric who has appeared in The Alamo and Angus Macfadyen in Braveheart, it is nice to see so many actors who have experiences playing historical figures. Arnaud will be portraying a character named Warner Pitts, so hopefully, he will be able to get the American accent down-pat.