lewis hamiltin is down in sixth. more on the website and 5 live. have more throughout the evening. next on bbc news it's meet the author. (end titles next) the persistence of the civil war in american culture is remarkable, but maybe not surprising. kevin powers is the latest writer to take a story of slavery from days of conflict in the 18605 and pick up its threads in virginia 90 years later, when an old man tries to chase his origins. a shout in the ruins is his second book. his first, the yellow birds, set against the background of the iraq war, having been a much admired novel from the pen of a former soldier. in this one, his theme is america's long struggle with race. welcome. you were born late in the 20th century, but any reader coming to this book will be made aware again of how close the civil war is, even to americans of your age. absolutely, and particularly if you grew up where i did in richmond, virginia or points south. capital of the confederacy. indeed, yeah. its presence is still quite immediately felt. of course, the landmarks a

lewis hamiltin is down in sixth.