Book Synopsis
The American Civil War (even the way it is written: always capital “C,” capital “W”) sits isolated in a pristine crystal dome of American history, separate from all other events. There are certain ways to write about it that make it acceptable to Civil War scholars and their audiences, and these rules must be observed else the offending material will be relegated to the isle of broken essays.
These essays were written over the course of perhaps twenty years, a period of my harrying of long-suffering professors, Civil War Round Table members, and other unfortunates who have tolerated my distinct view of the 1861-65 conflict. I hope you will enjoy them because they should challenge what you may think of the American Civil War, its place in world history, and how it is indeed tied to the rest of the world.