The Amalgamation Polka

The Amalgamation Polka (2006) is the fourth novel by the writer Stephen Wright. It is set during the time of the American Civil War. The plot concerns the story of Liberty Fish and his travels after joining the Union army. The title refers to a 19th-century lithograph showing a social gathering in which the participants, unusually for the time, are both white and black. It is captioned “This blending of the two races by amalgamation is just what is needed for the perfection of both.”