Historical · Literary
Cold Mountain
A wounded Confederate soldier deserts and begins a long walk home across the Appalachian mountains, driven by memory of a woman he barely knew. At the farm, she is trying to survive alone with a tough drifter's help.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 1997
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Medium
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you like slow, lyrical American historical fiction about a journey home from war.
Skip this if you want much speed; the prose lingers on landscape, and the lovers spend nearly the whole book apart.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about Cold Mountain
- What is Cold Mountain about?
- A wounded Confederate soldier deserts and begins a long walk home across the Appalachian mountains, driven by memory of a woman he barely knew. At the farm, she is trying to survive alone with a tough drifter's help.
- Who should read Cold Mountain?
- Read it if you like slow, lyrical American historical fiction about a journey home from war. Skip it if you want much speed; the prose lingers on landscape, and the lovers spend nearly the whole book apart.
- How long and how fast is Cold Mountain?
- It is a slow-paced, medium read, first published in 1997.
- Does Cold Mountain have content warnings?
- Content we flag: War, Violence, Death.
- Can I borrow Cold Mountain for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Cold Mountain; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after Cold Mountain?
- Readers who liked it often move on to A Farewell to Arms, Gone with the Wind, Lonesome Dove.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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Because you might love it
If you loved Cold Mountain
-
A Farewell to Arms
Another war novel that sets a doomed love story against a deserter's flight.
-
Gone with the Wind
Another look at the Civil War South and women left at home, in a far more dramatic and romantic mood.
-
Lonesome Dove A larger and funnier American journey with a similar love of landscape and endurance.
Historical
