How to Dodge a Cannonball

by Dennard Dayle

How to Dodge a Cannonball is a razor-sharp satire that dives into the heart of the Civil War, hilariously questioning the essence of the fight, not just for territory, but for the soul of America.

How to Dodge a Cannonball is funnier than the Civil War should ever be. It follows Anders, a teenage idealist who enlists and reenlists to shape the American Future—as soon as he figures out what that is, who it includes, and why everyone wants him to die for it. Escaping his violently insane mother is a bonus.

Anders finds honor as a proud Union flag twirler—until he’s captured. Then he tries life as a diehard Confederate—until fate asks him to die hard for the Confederacy at Gettysburg. Barely alive, Anders limps into a Black Union regiment in a stolen uniform. While visibly white, he claims to be an octoroon, and they claim to believe him. Only then does his life get truly strange.

His new brothers are even stranger, including a science-fiction playwright, a Haitian double agent, and a former slave feuding with God. Despite his best efforts, Anders starts seeing the war through their eyes, sparking ill-timed questions about who gets to be American or exploit the theater of war. Dennard Dayle’s satire spares no one as doomed charges, draft riots, gleeful arms dealers, and native suppression campaigns test everyone’s definition of loyalty.

Uproariously funny and revelatory, How to Dodge a Cannonball asks if America is worth fighting for. And then answers loudly. Read it while it’s still legal.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Satire, Audiobook, Civil War, War

336 pages, Hardcover

First published June 17, 2025

Reviews

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

you never know when you might need that advice

(review to come / thanks to the publisher for the arc)

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not since Sam Lipsyte have I read a book this sharp and funny. The cover compares Dennard Dayle to Colson Whitehead and James McBride, which fits, but I’d also throw in Heller, Vonnegut, & Twain.

The story follows Anders, a white Confederate flag twirler and spy who eventually winds up embedded in a Black Union regiment. He’s both bumbling and wise, often wrong and strangely right. The cast of characters is unforgettable, especially Gleason, a Black playwright, who’s one of the most interesting and well-drawn characters I’ve read in a long time. His vision of America is so pure and hopeful in spite of the many hypocrisies and cruelties.

Some of the most powerful parts of this novel are its illuminations of overlooked history, like the New York City Draft Riots of 1863. Dayle uses Twain-like absurdity to pull the reader into this chaotic, racially charged moment, exposing class resentment and the North’s fragile support for the fight against slavery.

Dayle’s prose is deceptively dense. It demands a slower read, not because it’s confusing, but because each sentence is loaded with rhythm, humor, and profound wisdom.

As I finished the book, I came across a review by Mat Johnson in The New York Times Book Review:

“Here is an author capturing, with clarity, our current moment by flashing us back to the past… How to Dodge a Cannonball is often laugh-out-loud funny as it roasts America’s hypocrisies… It takes an author of rare and exceptional talent to deliver such a knockout punch. Which is why How to Dodge a Cannonball establishes Dennard Dayle as a new heavyweight in town.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Thanks to Goodreads and Holt for review copy.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to Dodge a Cannon Ball is satirical, and is laugh out loud funny in many points of the book if you’re clever enough to be in on the joke. It also feels like a confusing fever dream that’s incredibly hard to follow if you try to focus on anything but the satire. The book follows Anders, a white flag twirler descended from a long line of flag twirlers who always choose the wrong side of the war to twirl for. Determined to avoid the fate of his ancestors, Anders defects from the Confederate Army and joins the Union. Since in his own way, Anders doesn’t see color, the uniform he steals belongs to a dead Black man, so he joins a Black regiment and tells everyone he’s an octoroon. This is the sane part of the story. The relationships he forms while a part of this regiment are sincere and reflect the nature of the person’s character and not the color of his skin, but the plot gets nutty, including a trip to New York City, where Anders’ commanding officer puts on a play, and then a trip out west to put down unruly Indians on behalf of cooperative Indians that ends up with everyone committing treason and ending up in the kingdom of West Hanover, or the third and best America. As readers try to untangle the neurons in their brain from that, they can delight in the ever opportunist Slade Jefferson and the ever evolving Petey. And twirling. Lots of twirling. I enjoyed the sly humor but the storyline gave me a headache. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Linda Galella · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone.


Fleeing his abusive mother, white, 15 year old Anders, declares himself an octoroon and joins the negro army. This flag twirling, intelligence soldier actually began in the Union army but after being captured was quick to change allegiance and now serves the Southern Freedom. Building a life, friends and family along with commentary about the Civil War from those serving in Anders’ squad is the bulk of this story.

HOW TO DODGE A CANNONBALL is highly satirical, often literary and erudite for reasons that confounded me, so much so, that I often found it difficult to read. It reached well beyond the educated, black, theater loving character. There were some moments of humor and political double entendres to mine but it was work to do so. There’s regular use of racial “no-no’s” for white folks and the white equivalent, (ofay), that I’d never heard before, plus a full complement of expletives.

It’s difficult for me to enjoy novels when there isn’t at least one character to follow who experiences some kind of growth or change that is worth the time invested in reading the book. Unfortunately, these characters fell flat for me. I can empathize with their story and horrible treatment by white men historically but specifically within this story, they make little overall progress📚

Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

(This is where my husband sadly shakes his head at me.) This book missed me. Me, not a majority of the world and definitely not my husband. Just me. I enjoy satire and I enjoy history. but somehow sometimes the combination doesn't work for me and that was the case here. I felt like I was reading the thoughts of a drunken Mel Brooks as he wild pitched his next great blockbuster. Which, in all fairness, my husband would love and I would go in to the other room to read. On an objective basis, I can see the attraction of the story. Poor Anders is trying to improve himself and help those around him. His character was great! Always thinking he is going to find something better on the other side, literally, he switches allegiances during the Civil War twice. But when the plot goes west, it lost me. Was this an event in history that I never learned about? Or was it some fever dream whipped topping to the odd sundae that was this book? This book wasn't for me, but if you are a Mel Brooks fan, this might be the literary gem you are looking for!

Thanks to Henry Holt & Co for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absurd and brilliant - Just when I thought I'd tire of the dialogue and direction, the author flipped the story (whether to other characters, a play within the story, a letter written to another in the story, a diary entry, newspaper article, etc). I kept my heart light, because some of the topics can be dark (finding humor in trauma, and an inner dialogue in which I wasn't sure if I should be laughing or crying). The ending was abrupt, and I wish it had wrapped up a little differently, but I was fascinated by the storyline, development of characters, jabs at history, and dry humor. I've never read anything by this author (Dayle) and am hooked in his style (if you've ever read anything by Christopher Moore, I would say this story is a bit like his style: brilliant, humorous and also absurd, thus the need to keep your heart light while reading). I wasn't sure if I hated or admired the main character, Anders, and grew to like him more and more as the story drew on. Please give this story a try! I think if you go into it with casual enjoyment and an open mind for structure, you'll be pleasantly surprised. 4/5 stars for me, and thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Henry Holt & Company) for the ARC.
A few favorite words I loved:
- "The new information settled into Anders's mind, with a refreshing lack of trauma. For once, the madness came without pain. He could cope with a world that made little sense, as long as it wasn't actively antagonistic."
- "Less is worse than free. Free is a gift. Less is submission. I'm tired of submitting."
- "I've been lying a bit lately, and worried it'd mess up my truth."

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Somewhere between 3 & 4 ⭐️s

A satirical novel with shades of fantasy that takes place during the American Civil War. The main character, Anders, grew up in Illinois, one of few whites in a free black town called Liberty Valley. At 15, he enlists in the Union army as a flag-twirler, mainly to get away from his abusive mother. After getting captured, he 'sees the light' and fights for the Confederate Army under Lee. When most of his fellow soldiers die during Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg, Anders takes a dead black Union soldier's uniform and joins their regiment, claiming he is an octoroon. There he meets Gleason, his corporal who is a playwright and philosopher. When their regiment is sent to NYC to quell a draft riot, Gleason gets the chance to put on his play about the New American Future.

Lots and lots of even crazier things happen to Anders and his fellow soldiers until at one point, he wonders if he didn't die at Gettysburg. "It made as much sense as anything else." True that!

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new novel via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Electra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a book you either love or hate. It's a satire, but the wit is tack sharp. You can't skim because every line is gold and you want to be sure you catch everything. The writing is a lot like John Scalzi, who is another of my favorites. The audiobook narrator did an AMAZING job. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGallery for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

some genuine laugh out louds, but the plot was all over the place. zoning out for even a couple seconds left me totally lost

[Roxas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very darkly funny and honest. What a wild ride. Great book.

[Michelle Kimber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually give this a 3.5 star rating.

I found this story well written. At times funny and irreverent, this novel speaks of differences between people and how that narrative can be different. I enjoyed the characters and found the pacing steady.

[Sabrina Maisel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A confusing and amusing civil war satire.

[Nicole Overmoyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company in exchange for an honest review.

Lyrical, eloquent, alive... those are the three best words to describe the style of Dennard Dayle's writing in How to Dodge a Cannonball.

This novel is simply stunning.

I haven't laughed this much at a novel in a very long time, and that the setting for it is the American Civil War makes it even better because that isn't a historical event you'd associated with laughter. But Dayle's novel is meant as satire so the humor is intended. And it lands with perfect balance in the story of Anders, a white teenager who joins the Union Army to be a flag twirler for General George McClellan, then defects to the Confederate Army to be a flag twirler for General Robert E. Lee, before defecting again to be an octoroon among a Black regiment in the Union Army.

Much of the novel reads almost, but not strictly, as Anders' stream-of-consciousness and the things that run through his head, the thoughts and observations he has on himself, the people around him, and America at-large during the Civil War are witty, lyrical, honest, endearing, and important.

It's hard to explain the ways it's so good, definitely the best book I've read so far this year and no doubt in the running to be the best of the year, because it is so good. Dennard Dayle really says it all perfectly. He makes the story come alive off the page in a way not many authors can do.

So if you like satire novels, historical fiction, commentaries on the human condition, and novelized looks at what makes America and what matters to America... you should read this book.

Obviously because it involves the Civil War, any trigger warnings would have to include war imagery and Civil War-era language involving slavery and the n- word. But all of it is given the attention and respect it deserves in the context of history and the story, and none of it is used gratuitously.

I'm going to give it a couple months and read this book again...

[Shirleynature · Rating 4 out of 5]

With many brilliant one-liners and a plot to encourage reflections of what if our history were different, fans of Percival Everett and satire will enjoy this unique historical fiction. And especially worthwhile reading for every fan of Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu for the comparable element Dayle has labeled "speculative dramaturgy".

[Dillon Allen-Perez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anders is a hapless white teen volunteering as a flag twirler for the U.S. Civil War's Union Army. He’s doing this to dodge his abusive mother. Then, he dodges one deadly battle, playing dead in the mud & escaping to join an all-Black squad of soldiers. He claims to be an octoroon: one-eighth Black. Perhaps he’s more lucky than hapless—he keeps finding ways to survive.

Full of characters race swapping, gender swapping, writing plays within the novel, & engaging in other slapstick spy absurdities, Dayle’s satirical comedy How to Dodge a Cannonball would make Shakespeare himself unsure where to look.

With a great concept & title, the execution disappoints. Stylistically, this novel fails at achieving a language believable to the time. Worse, no single character has a distinct voice. The author’s voice—that generally comes across as trying to be clever—invades each line. There should be more action description to break up all the dialogue that bleeds together.

Though the plot was losing me more & more the further I read, I have to say: it has a pretty good ending.


[I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review]

[Alli Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absurdist, uncomfortable hilarity. It gives Catch-22, South Park, and oddly enough Forrest Gump? Plus Key and Peele and What We Do in the Shadows. This bad boy’s got it all- gratuitous swearing, a flag twirl-off with bloody consequences, and a mid-book interruption to feature a “futuristic” play. Anders is a dumb-dumb who I was both annoyed by and rooting for. I would have loved more of the character of Petey/Polly/etc. Overall, as long as you stay in the headspace of satire-done-so-wrong-it-feels-right, this book will be a hit for you!

[Rob · Rating 1 out of 5]

" How to Dodge A Cannonball is a razor sharp satire that dives into the heart of the Civil War, hilariously questioning the essence of the fight, not just for territory, but for the soul of America.

What a ridiculous statement. First off the Civil War was nothing but funny and to try to build a satire around it that doesn't work just comes off hideous.

Anders finds honor as a proud Union flag twirler - until he gets captured. Then he tries life as a diehard Confederate. Barely alive, Anders limps into a black Union regiment in a stolen uniform.While visibly white,he claims to be an octoroon, and they claim to believe him. Only then does his life get truly strange.

I'm still waiting to laugh but the book has ended. Pure garbage.

[Yahaira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted arc

With everything in the news lately (or ever?) my brain has been craving something light and funny. Who knew a civil war satire would be the move? Ok maybe Dayle just tricked me into thinking this was light, but it's definitely hilarious. A white kid from Illinois joins the Union army, as a flag twirler, defects to the Confederates, and defects back to the Union to end up in a Black regiment by claiming he's an octoroon. Absurdity and hilarity ensues. Guys, there's a flag twirling face off!!

How To Dodge just hit every right note for me. The wit is sharp, the pacing is 🤌🏻
The book travels from Gettysburg, to NYC during the draft riots, and eventually west to Nevada without ever feeling rushed or overstuffed. I can't think of one character that felt one note or out of place. Anders is smart but naive (understatement) and is pretty much getting a speed run on his education. He knows how to reflect back other characters’ personalities which, I think, makes everyone realize how crazy the situation they're in is. Gleason, the commanding officer, is a playwright of “scientific theater” or spec-fic who has hopes and dreams of a Black America. Knowing how reality differs from his dreams adds tragedy to this novel.

This book definitely has some heft to it. What does it mean to fight for your freedom? Is pursuing art in the middle of strife worth it, does it even make sense, or is the answer that it’s always necessary? Making sense of the true absurdity, fighting in a war where in the end you’re still hated, still disrespected, is the heart of the novel. It’s hard to imagine that even the best flag twirling could rally the troops. And yet, we're laughing through it all. That's part of the genius of this book- even when we're reading about slavery, race, gender, capitalism and war profiting, there's never a heavy handed approach.

THIS is how you comment on where we are today in the US. For me at least, this ended on a beautiful note that still had hope, or better said, a fighting spirit for this country.

[Autumn Ridenour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anders comes from a long (his dad and grandpa) line of military flag twirlers and he is dedicated to his craft! He's not always the smartest or the quickest, but he does have a good heart and moments of true wisdom and insight. His instinct for self-preservation has served him well, even if he's had to switch sides three times during the American Civil War (Union, then Confederate, then back to the Union). AND there's a flag twirl-off!! GUYS! A. FLAG. TWIRL-OFF. 😂🤣 Irreverent, sharp, uncomfortably funny satire that is, at it's heart, brutally honest and heartbreaking. The naivety of Anders, the idealism of Gleason, the adaptability of Petey/Polly/Porter, and a list of supporting characters endear themselves to your heart and I was invested. The narrator does a wonderful job of putting you in Anders' head and seeing the world in his sheltered and often off-kilter way. Would've been a solid 5⭐️ for me, but I felt the ending was rushed and I wanted to know the fates of everyone I had followed. I will definitely be reading more of the author's work.

[mackenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

is now a bad time to admit i have an actual cannonball from the civil war

[Tim Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absurd and brilliant! Just when I thought I might tire of the dialogue and direction, the author flipped the script—introducing new characters, a play within the story, letters exchanged, diary entries, newspaper articles, you name it. I kept my spirits buoyant, even when the themes turned dark, balancing humor with trauma and an inner monologue that left me unsure whether to laugh or cry.

The ending felt a bit abrupt, and I wish it had tied things up differently, but the storyline, character development, critiques of history, and dry humor kept me intrigued. This is my first time reading anything by Dayle, and I’m now captivated by his style. If you’ve enjoyed Christopher Moore's work, you might find this story resonates similarly: brilliant, humorous, and delightfully absurd—making it essential to keep an open heart while reading.

I grappled with my feelings toward the main character, Anders. At first, I was unsure whether I liked or disliked him, but he slowly grew on me as the narrative progressed. I highly recommend giving this story a shot! If you approach it with a laid-back attitude and are open to its unique structure, I think you'll find it surprisingly enjoyable. I’d rate it 4 out of 5 stars, and a big thank you to goodreads to giving the ARC

Here are a few favorite lines that stood out for me:
- "The new information settled into Anders's mind, with a refreshing lack of trauma. For once, the madness came without pain. He could cope with a world that made little sense, as long as it wasn't actively antagonistic."
- "Less is worse than free. Free is a gift. Less is submission. I'm tired of submitting."
- "I've been lying a bit lately, and worried it'd mess up my truth."

[Ellie G · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually enjoy books with somewhat convoluted narratives, eclectic characters, and zany plotlines. The summary for "How to Dodge a Cannonball" hypes it up so much I went in expecting a wild (but ingenious) ride.

I did not like this! If you asked me to give a summary of what this Story is About, I swear I couldn't. It's a novel that's more bizarre and off-putting than is good for it, and I am honestly a little baffled it's being called an "instant classic." While I admire the point the author attempts to make about the futility and inherent stupidity of American patriotism, I thought it was poorly executed, weirdly characterized, and generally flat.

The only reason I could see myself returning to this story is if Taika Waititi makes a movie (which, actually, he should--this is 100% that vibe).

[Aaron Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher-HOLT and won through good reads-in exchange for an honest review. Really enjoyed this book. Great comedy. The first line of the first chapter was definitely an attention grabber and some of the absurdities throughout the book were hilarious. One of my favorites was the flag battle for honor when the main character is supposed to assassinate the other person. I also enjoyed how the setting authentically felt like it was occurring during Civil War times. Great read highly recommend.

[Kristen Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, a debut novel comes in like a wrecking ball or, in this case, a cannon ball.

Dennard Dayle’s How to Dodge a Cannonball is a dazzling act of satire, a novel that skewers the contradictions of America’s Civil War with the same irreverent energy that Joseph Heller brought to World War II in Catch-22. Like Heller, Dayle understands that war is best revealed through absurdity—that the hypocrisies of race, power, and allegiance are often most sharply exposed when pushed to comic extremes.

At the center of the novel is Anders, a teenager so earnest yet hapless that he ricochets from one allegiance to another within chapters: Union loyalist one page, Confederate recruit the next, before tumbling into a Black regiment by claiming to be octoroon. Much like Yossarian in Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, Anders keeps scrambling to survive inside a system that makes no sense. The result is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking. You laugh at the chaos while wincing in horror at the madness of the larger conflict.

Dayle populates Anders’ journey with characters as outlandish as they are incisive. Probably none more so than Tobias Gleason, the speculative playwright fighting for an imagined “American Future.” Through these figures, the novel reveals the Civil War not as a solemn march toward freedom but as a burlesque of human absurdity.

What makes How to Dodge a Cannonball so extraordinary is the way Dayle balances slapstick and substance through Anders’s almost childlike-innocence. His prose is lively, inventive, and unrelenting in its wit, but the comedy is always tethered to a deeper reckoning with history. If Catch-22 taught us that military bureaucracy could be as lethal as it was illogical, Dayle shows that the American Civil War was not only a battlefield of armies but a theatre of absurd identities—where race, freedom, and allegiance are twisted into surreal performances.

In the end, How to Dodge a Cannonball is both hilarious and haunting, a Civil War novel that entertains as it unsettles. Sometimes it’s hilarious. Sometimes it's uncomfortable. For readers who cherish the biting comedy of Catch-22, Dayle’s novel is its long-lost cousin—armed not with bombers but with bayonets, banners, and cannonballs. Strap in, because this dark comedy is a chaotic, hilarious, and unforgettable ride.

[Bill Philibin · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.75 Stars)

This was one of those books that makes you think... and maybe your internal story makes you like the book better than you would if you only based it on the writing. I don't know if that makes sense or not. But as I was reading this story, I found myself thinking about American history, and how truly messed up it is when it comes to people treating people ... well, like people.

This is a satirical look at race in America, about exceptional people compared to American exceptionalism, and about double-standards, among other things.

One thing is for sure, either the author likes to use superfluous words, or maybe just archaic words that have fallen out of favor in the modern vernacular and have become obscure. What I mean to say is to have a dictionary handy, and use it because the words you'll need to look up are usually crucial plot elements and integral to the story arc.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I have to admit that I like his collection of short stories slightly better, but this was a solid story with great dialog and interesting concepts. I read the audiobook version and thought the narrator did a great job.

One thing you might want to remember, especially if you are "listening" to this book. The use of racist language is common and unabashed. We are talking the "hard-r" here.

[Jane]

I wouldn't use "hilarious" or "uproaringly funny". I think the story is SILLY! I liked the first part where Anders, a flag-twirler, defects from the Confederate army to the Yankees and declares himself an octoroon, joining a Black squad. Then the story gets more and more bizarre. I didn't understand the satire, but sometimes I chuckled at an occasional humorous remark, sentence, or phrase. I forced myself to finish the whole book, trying to puzzle out the meaning of the title, which I never figured out. I thank LibraryThing for an ARC.

[Elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting and odd book. Basically, it's a satirical historical fiction about the Civil War.

It wasn't my favorite read, but it was different from anything I've read before. So, I kept coming back for more.

Young readers be aware: There was a moderate amount of foul language and a ton of racial slurs that were, unfortunately, accurate to the time period.

[Patti Whitfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was put off by the start of Dodge. It seemed a sophmoric tale of an uninformed youth getting by during wartime. It turned, however, into a witty, biting satire about finding your way in America. White, black, slave, free, educated or deliberately hiding behind youth's obliviousness, it's a tale of finding your "identity " in a land soiled by it's original sins and built on a mixed message of freedom built by bondage.

[Judy Bettencourt]

DNF

[Jim Kownacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny tale of the civil war. Dialogue is fantastic. I found it a good read, even though I'm and ofay.