Ratings1
Average rating3
It took me a long time to finish this.
I am a minor civil war buff. I couldn't get into this book. The pacing is slow.
The story is interesting, but the narrative prose gives the same information later quoted in a primary source.
Notably, I didn't give up on the book. It was worth reading and have a reminder about the history of white supremacy that continues today, the atrocities and the white washing, the post-war selling out of the poor south and the Lost Cause.
I actually started this book in high school after seeing the author come on the daily show with Jon Stewart. At that time civil war history didn't interest me like it does now. A shame because I wish I had started this book fresh in the present. I finished up the last third today which I could have done them but I must have thought it dull.
Interesting that the author notes the screenplay for this book came first and only then did they develop this into a book. That's very cool.
The bit of reconstruction was the best part. Every time I read about how bad this era was it really captures the damage that was done when Lincoln was assassinated.
Andrew Jackson probably the worst president ever set back the country for centuries by allowing the democrats to run wild over the south.