2 comments about The Fighting McCooks - America's Famous Fighting Family.

1. The Whalens have done a remarkable job digging through what must have been significant research to bring the tale of the "Fighting McCooks" to the page.
   The book is filled with detailed accounts about the campaigns of each of the McCook sons going to war for the Union army. They capture the individual struggles and ambitions of the family members vividly and personalize the stories to not only better understand the McCooks, but the larger struggle of the war and all the associated players of the era.
   It's as lush as any well-written historical fiction novel and then amazing to know that the account is actually true. The details of the stories are fascinating and I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting a more intimate and personalized narrative of events of that great national conflict.



2. Three brothers with fourteen sons, all members of the upper middle-class, based in Ohio watch the American Civil War descend like a dark cloud. None of them questioned the need to "Save the Union". All of them activity participated in the saving, some as members of the military and some as civilian volunteers. In the process, they became famous as "The Fighting McCooks". Most readers of Civil War history are familiar with the name and know the outline of the story. However, many of us cannot tie the McCooks together or identify where they fought and died. Reading this book will be a revelation as you pull the stories together and build a full picture of their contributions.
   
   The family members start as Stephen Douglas Democrats, who not liking slavery are willing to accept it to avoid war. The families' politics is one of the strongest minor story lines in the book. They are very well connected and willing to use those connections if they feel it is necessary. By 1860, more than one McCook works for the Republican Party and one has become an Abolitionist. Lincoln's election, secession and war find one McCook drilling at the White House to protect Lincoln from an expected attack of Southerners. This is April 1861 and Washington is cut off from the United States as Maryland decides what to do. In 1865, four members of the family are dead, several have their health ruined and the Union is saved.
   
   The Whalen's produced a unique format by placing the McCooks into a history of the war. As the war unfolds, we meet a family member or renew a friendship with one. This keeps the reader firmly in step with the events of the war, while family participation and problems continually play out. We do a minimal amount of backtracking getting to see the families' story as the war progresses. This took some thought and effort but the result is very rewarding. One of the nicest items is a map of Civil War America at the end of most chapters. Each part of the story updates the map, showing where the McCook was during this phase of the war. The last of these map, on page 346, catalogues the contribution this family made in a very visual and easy to grasp manner.
   
   This is a rousing story of heroic deeds and the authors are able to do it right. The prose is very heroic, intelligent and readable without being awe struck. This is a "warts n all" book, making them all the braver for being human. The authors manage to convey the unique personalities of the seventeen men, while always presenting them as one family. That family was always ready to spring to the defense of a member, pull a string and accept an enemy of one as an enemy of all. Lincoln, Hays, Grant, Garfield, Stanton, Sherman and Vallandigham people this book. One or more of the McCooks was partners with, worked for, talked to, liked or disliked all of these men and a host of others. This was a partisan time and this is a partisan book. The authors accept the stories that favor or damn these men, depending on how the McCooks feel about them. This may cause a reviewer to question some of the book's history, which I feel is incorrect. While modern historians do not agree with many of the stories present as fact, the McCooks accepted them and believed them to be true. The authors remain true to their subject by accepting these stories as the family did.
   
   Physically this is a very good-looking book. Illustrations are in the right place and add to the story. I will mention the on-going map showing the movement of the McCooks again. This map seems to become part of the story an important visual reference all by itself. Another unique item is a bookmark. Each book contains a Red, White & Blue tasseled, laminated bookmark with portraits of the seventeen McCooks. This is just another indication of the thought and effort that went into this book.

No comments about The Life of J.E.B. Stuart.

1 comments about Escape Betwixt Two Suns: A True Tale of the Underground Railroads in Illinois (Shawnee Books).

1. With great anticipation, I have awaited the release of this book. Pirtle recounts the true story of Susan "Sukey" Richardson's escape to freedom using the Underground Railroad. Through letters that had been hidden away for more than a century, Pirtle weaves us in and out of the life of one of Sukey's most sympathetic supporters, William Hayes. Through this non-fiction account we learn of the hardships all Americans faced during the mid-19th century. We're told of Sukey, her master, and those brave men and women who risked their lives, reputations, and personal finances to help others make their way to freedom. Equally fascinating is the courtroom drama between Sukey's master and those who allegedly helped the young woman in her run to freedom.

   If you're a US history enthusiast, a fan of Illinois history, an Underground Railroad aficionado, a Civil War buff, or just a casual reader who's interested in a captivating story...you'll be sure to enjoy this tome. I highly recommend it.

   And...if you're interested in other stories related to Southern Illinois history, I urge you to try to get hold of Pirtle's other two books: "Shining Moments" and "Where Illinois Began: A Pictorial History of Randolph County."

2 comments about A Full Blown Yankee of the Iron Brigade: Service with the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers.

1. It's sometimes tough finding memoirs or diary accounts that don't get involved in writing battle history on a larger scale that doesn't have anything to with the person writing it. Rufus Dawes heavily battle tormented years in the hard fighting Iron Brigade only covers his involvment and the affairs of the Iron Brigade which I found refreshing to read. Rufus Dawes has wrote down a lot in his diary and also wrote many letters home which are presented very well throughout this book. Most of his diary writings mention the date and the events which occurred. Dawes manages to define daily life activity in the camp and soldier actions. What makes this book exciting is his detail for writing about his involvement at major battles such as Antietam, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor and more! Rarely receiving a single scratch, Dawes manages to live to write about his military life as other officers around him eventually become discharged while a majority die. He gets descriptive at times which captures the chaos and confusion of battle. His writings also talk a lot about the Iron Brigade and it's a great reference for those trying to understand how hard fighting this group of soldiers were. Unlike some recollections or memoirs, Dawes writes very well and makes this book easy to follow and read. At times Dawes was very detailed and explains many army movements and his thoughts about approaching battle and surviving the aftermath. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the Civil War and especially for those looking to learn about the Iron Brigade.



2. Rufus Dawes writes of his service as an officer of the Iron Brigade's 6th Wisconsin Volunteers from it's formation until his resignation in 1864. Dawes was continuously present in the field almost every day from the day he enlisted, and wrote to his wife even several times a week, yet the book fills a mere 318 pages. His work is based primarily on this large collection of letters his wife had kept throughout the war.
   
   His retrospective reminiscences are interjected only to give us the larger context, and sometimes he quotes the Official Army Reports when helpful. Not only is Dawes a good writer, but because he rose to command the 6th Wisconsin Regiment, he was cognizant of both the big picture and the immediate details of soldier life.
   
   Dawes is an eloquent and sensitive writer. Through Dawes' letters we can feel the stresses and tensions of army life. As a junior officer, Dawes notes his concerns over the seniority among Captains in the Regiment as his primary concern. By 1864, this has shifted to the simple desire to spend time away from the incessant bullets, death and discomforts of war. Dawes' passages on the 1864 Campaign really expresses how different the war became and how really weary the veterans had become. Dawes himself, an exuberant and optimistic spirit always, had become truly weary of war by 1864.
   
   To have tramped with Dawes all over Virginia, to Antietam and Gettysburg and through the Wilderness is an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend this book for the general reader. Of all the first person accounts I have read by Iron Brigade soldiers, this is the easiest to read and follow, and is richly rewarding.

5 comments about The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln.

1. ...because that's all this erroneous piece of trash is. I'm not homophobic. I am against people trying to cash in on the name of a legendary historic figure simply to cause controversy, and thereby gain some extra dollars.
   
   Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Tom Cruise and others can sue the tabloids when they twist stories. Lincoln's dead. He can't.
   
   Just remember that.



2. What is it that propels peopel to reinterpret history? This book is so chock full of speculative flim flam. It is written by a person who is applying 21st century culture to 19th century culture. It was not uncommon for men to share quarters 200 years ago and ...GUESS WHAT? Not be gay.
   
   The irrational claim this author makes is based on this one single premise:
   
   "OOOH two men shared a room...they MUST have had gay sex!"
   In the military I slept in very close quarters to other men, and NOT ONCE did I have any inclination of homosexual conduct. What is wrong with leftists? Why must everything be centered around sex? Is there anything else to life for them, than fleshly gratification? Good grief.
   Lincoln had a close friend and shared a bedroom with him. AND? Does that AUTOMATICALLY mean he was gay? Cmon people!
   Can you not see the obvious fallacy? It is a false conclusion. It is a desperate attempt by the left to twist history into something that suits them. Its taking a *REPUBLICAN* president and trying to make him into a liberal!
   
   Hows this for the left? Lincoln advocated PRAYER in school. Next thing you know, the left will be trying to twist that around.



3. Most art, literature and history is studied from the straight, white, male perspective. If a famous man professed his undying devotion to a woman and slept with her for years, SWM academic theory would presume the couple was sexually involved and use that as proof of heterosexuality. C.A. Tripp simply looks at the facts of Lincoln's intimate life from the position of a queer theory scholar. Interpreting findings from a queer point of view takes this book beyond the genre of biography and helps us understand how all historical theory about any minority has been skewed to fit a mainstream mold, disregarding history as it most probably was.



4. The world of Lincoln scholarship can be highly contentious, but controversy about this book relates to Tripp's use of evidence, not the topic he examines. My own specialty is Lincoln's pre-presidential life. Determining what happened in those years can involve surmise and supposition. I don't fault Tripp for lacking unobtainable proof. Even outright speculation can freshen thought.
   
   I am concerned, however, by Tripp seizing a kernel of evidence, extrapolating from it, and pronouncing the resultant structure to be proof of his contention. For example, he finds a unique statement from Bill Greene noting that Lincoln had well-developed thighs. Tripp then turns to the Duncan and Nichols biography of Mentor Graham, a source I consider so unreliable that I have never dared cite it as authority for anything. Relying on an undependable source and a single comment from Greene, Tripp claims to prove a homosexual relationship between Greene and Lincoln.
   
   Tripp extrapolates further and argues that because Greene became embarrassed when Lincoln introduced him to Secretary of State Seward as Lincoln's grammar teacher, that meant Greene was uneasy about his old homosexual relationship with Lincoln. Tripp considers and rejects the possibility that Greene said little during the meeting because he didn't want to reveal his poor grasp of grammar to Seward, thereby belying Lincoln's praise and humiliating himself. I find the possibility that Tripp rejects to be more plausible than the one he embraces.
   
   Another type of reasoning is illustrated by Tripp arguing for a homosexual relationship between Lincoln and Joshua Speed because (in part) when Lincoln moved into their sleeping quarters, Speed failed to say anything about his admiration of a Lincoln speech. Tripp here assumes that because Speed failed to mention this in his account of his conversation with Lincoln, that absence means no conversation about the speech occurred. Lincoln and Speed may have talked about many things that Speed didn't mention (weather, crops, politics). Tripp seems to think that if an account doesn't say something happened, then it didn't happen. That's invalid reasoning.
   
   Regarding Lincoln and Speed being bed mates, neither man was secretive about the arrangement, and some men Lincoln slept with had definite heterosexual orientation. Public comment about a politician's sex life was rare in that era, but I have seen examples in Illinois newspapers. If anyone had thought the Lincoln-Speed sleeping arrangement could be portrayed as homosexual, I think political opponents would have raised the issue regardless of whether they believed it.
   
   We can speculate all day about Lincoln's place on the sexual continuum between heterosexual and homosexual, and speculate reasonably, but speculation isn't proof. Still, the topic is worthy. For me, the big disappointment in Tripp's book was in finding him wrong again and again about things I know about. If it had been the other way around I would probably have found the book exciting rather than frustrating.



5. Let me state the obvious. Each of us is a product of our time - of all the people and events we encounter, and the values of the societies we live in. So was Lincoln. So was Tripp. Current Gay and Queer identities are 20th cent constructs and could not have been embraced by Lincoln, nor does Tripp claim this to have been the case. Nor does Tripp present a view that all Gay people will see as politically acceptable - his work helped build the current identity but he was, himself, a product of another era. However, as Robert Aldrich and others have demonstrated, homosexuality is as ancient as humanity and exists in many forms across societies. Tripp gives a good portrait of a remarkable man coping with homosexual urges in an emerging nation. Tenuous though some of his arguments may be, his critics are, in many cases subject to the academic biases of reliance on surviving documentation (often ignoring context and the nature of covert behaviour), lack understanding of the experience of being in a hidden minority and even, in a few cases, rely on arguments that make Tripp's weakest sound strong. The truth is that here is meticulously well researched book that presents a convincing arguement but shows evidence of the author not having survived to do the last few re-writes that would have bought it up to his usual high standard.

2 comments about The Temptation: Edgar Tolson and the Genesis of Twentieth-Century Folk Art.

1. Ms. Julia S. Ardey has put together an extraordinary work -- filled with stories and pictures of a poor Kentucky man who whittled stuff to which other folks took a liking. My grandfather Edgar Tolson will always remain an elusive character both in life and in death hard to explain and to understand. As all great artists he was not one dimensional. Ms. Ardey did a fine job of grasping enough bits and pieces of his life, through the eyes and hearts of those who knew him, to give a reasonable representation of who Edgar Tolson was and why he whittled. Ms. Ardey interviewed scores of people and personalities who all have their own opinion of Edgar Tolson the Man and Edgar Tolson the Woodcarver and the times in which he lived. Ms. Ardey managed a remarkable feat in compling those interviews into an a very good work. She included many pictures that give insight into an artisan and his art. Many pictures capture Edgar's soul in his eyes -- others show a family life of just real folks who just have a Daddy that whittles in the living room and lets the shavings fall to floor. As a granddaugther of Edgar Tolson, beloved Kentucky woodcarver, I am very pleased with the work Julia S. Ardery managed to put together on his life and extraordinary talent. With a family as large as he had I am sure that this book will be debated into generations, however, it is a real good starting point at which to kick off the debate of fact or fiction. The papaw I knew was a wonderful minister; he loved his God, knew his bible and had a passion for sharing the Biblical Truths of his God with others through his work. He managed to reach the very far corners of the earth with his renditions of Adam & Eve in Garden of Eden, Their Fall, and Noah's Ark among a few--how many ministers can stake that claim. He carved what was upon his heart to carve. He was discovered by others who marketed it to a world who craved his carvings and what they represented to them. I am so pleased that Ms. Ardery managed to compile so much ! of his life and work into this book. It makes for really good reading and gives the reader the opportunity to linger with story and photo's of Edgar Tolson and his artwork long enough to gain an understanding of why so many are so drawn to it, him and living upon this earth. Thank you Ms. Ardery for a job well done.



2. Whether you are a fan of Edgar Tolson's work or of woodcarving in general, this is an essential book to have if you are interested in folk art of the 20th century. The thorough research done on Edgar Tolson is fascinating and through his art and career the world of 20th century folk art is examined. From key folk art collectors to various museums and institutions, the 20th century folk art movement was created and sold to the buying public. By the time the "important" artists were established all of the "important" early work was already in the hands of a few collectors and the museums. It's no accident that Tolson's work ended up in a prestigious Whitney Biennial and his artwork sky-rocketed in price. The same with Howard Finster. By the time his work was presented as being important to the general public, a narrow group of collectors and critics had already hoarded the first few thousand of his numbered pieces which the critics then deemed as the most important of his career. And the story continues to this day with collectors / critics buying early key works, then recommending them to the general folk art buyers. This book is perhaps the best analysis of why and how a folk artist becomes "important" in the 20th century. It may or may not sour your view on 20th century folk art but is a great read either way. As with all art or decorative objects, if you just buy what you like and ignore the critics, you'll be happy. Who's to say 10, 20 or 50 years from now if anyone will even care about "20th century folk art."

1 comments about The Mysterious Private Thompson: The Double Life of Sarah Emma Edmonds, Civil War Soldier.

1. "The Mysterious Private Thompson" is a first-rate, riveting book about a woman who ran away from home to avoid an arranged marriage and disguised herself as a man to make her way in the world. She first became a successful traveling book salesman and then, astoundingly, served as a Civil War soldier for two years. Not only is the story fascinating as to how someone could maintain a disguise so effectively for so long a period of time, but the story's historical context is so carefully researched and deftly conveyed that you are almost unaware that this is a history book as well as a human interest story. I learned more in this book about the Battles of Bull Run, the Peninsula Campaign, the Battle of Fredericksburg, plus Generals McClellan and Burnside, than I had in all my years of school. Laura Gansler is a brilliant, gifted writer and I highly recommend this book.

3 comments about Bluegrass Confederate: The Headquarters Diary Of Edward O. Guerrant.

1. Excellent diary with lots of good information. Editors did a poor job as town names such as Jonesburg Tennessee should be Jonesbough, and a couple others that never existed or are badly mis-spelled. It is sad these errors had to get into the book. Otherwise an excellent read.



2. Though not devoid of some human interest value, this is not an especially useful source for the historian. Guerrant saw little action, and writes scantily about what he did see. I can't imagine that most of his sojourns in West Virginia and Kentucky will be of interest to most scholars; there is an account of the Battle of Saltville, but that's about it. Eloquent, not to say melodramatic, jeremiads on the weather make up a good deal of the text.

   On the other hand, Guerrant was the kind of diarist who thinks that posterity may read his diary someday, and he writes with verve and emotion -- multiple exclamation points, parenthetical clever remarks, and so on. After hundreds of pages -- for a Civil War diary this is exceedingly long -- that gets old, but he undeniably has his moments.




3. This amounts to nearly 700 pages of transcribed diaries from an officer who saw very little action except in Southwest Virginia, East Tennessee and two campaigns in Kentucky. I echo the previous review by saying that this book is more for a specialist in those campaigns rather than for the general reader of the Civil War. What is as interesting is Guerrant's retelling of all the rumors he hears about the conduct of the war. He keeps hope alive that the Confederacy is winning until he learns of the surrender of Lee's army, in fact does not believe any northern sources and tries to accept every southern source. He also wears religious blinders, feeling that the South will win because God is on it's side. As a good Christian he is fignting for freedom and Southern rights (whatever they are, he doesn't say), but is not troubled by fellow Confederates murdering Black soldiers over a two day period after the first battle of Saltville. His enemies are Yankee Vandals and Niggers, not human beings and certainly not people like himself.

   I am troubled about the quality of the editing. William C. Davis gets top billing, but there are so many errors in the footnotes, plus trivia footnoted and important information left unfootnoted, that I wonder how much of this Davis really read. Much of the editing is frankly done by an amateur and is not corrected. This is not what I expect from LSU Press for my fifty bucks. In the chapter notes for early 1863 the editor says Guerrant was looking forward to seeing his friends and family because he had not been home in a year. Yet, he had returned as part of the Confederate invasion in the fall of 1862 and did see friends and some family (he had failed to see his father.) Makes me wonder who really read the material. How about Grant's victory at Missionnary Ridge allowing the Federals to occupy Chattanooga? I thought that they were there already. Several footnotes refer to Federal soldiers as Yankees (I guess the 21st century still needs to catch up in some areas: this on a day when several "Yankee" soldiers have died in Iraq.) Given the competence of the editors and the price I say caveat emptor.

1 comments about In the Footsteps of Stonewall Jackson (In the Footsteps Of...).

1. In The Footsteps Of Stonewall Jackson by Civil War Re-enactor and history buff Clint Johnson is a unique character study of the famous Civil War general Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, one of the most pivotal military strategists and leaders in history. Following the trail of Jackson's life from the church where he was baptized to the museum that holds the stuffed hide of his war horse to the grave of the Confederate officer who ordered the volley that fatally wounded Jackson, In The Footsteps Of Stonewall Jackson is a singularly impressive tour de force as enjoyable for armchair travelers as it is for tourists who want to actively seek out more about this fascinating man's life and the role he played in America's bloodiest conflict.

5 comments about Civil War Women: Their Quilts, Their Roles, Activities for Re-Enactors.

1. I want to meet Barbara Brackman, the author of this beautifully put together quilting/history volume. So many books for reenactors are one dimensional, but Civil War Women is multimedia like in its approach. Each chapter tells the story of a real Civil War era woman to give you a feel for historical setting. Then she presents a historically inspired quilt that she feels would be the type of quilt that woman could have quilted. There are directions for these quilts which are mostly appliqued. Then she offers a suggested activity for a lady reenactor. The color plates in this volume are clear and breathtaking and there are many black and white historical photos that I found instructional. I learned many new things, such as an explanation for the bloomer reform dress, that caused me to consider impersonations that I had not thought about before. I have heard some local ladies criticize the author's selection of quilts as being too Union--but I personally found their designs refreshing and a nice alternative to Baltimore album quilts. The quilts that are my favorites are: Tobacco Worm, Seven Sisters and Democrat Rose. I enjoyed reading about Lucy Stone and her "poodle" husband. I am currently musing over the reenactor activity suggestions. The womens' rights orator and the letter writer both seem creative and do-able impressions that could be accomplished by a single reenactor. I really believe that this volume would be a great candidate for a companion CD that could have some video how to's and print outs of quilt patterns.



2. Where was Barbara Brackman when I was studying history in school? She has brought real women of history into our living rooms, introducing us to the most intimate of their thoughts and actions during the Civil War, each unique in her own role. But she doesn't stop there. For Civil War reenactors, she goes on to build on the historical facts to suggest activities in order to walk in these women's footsteps. And for quilters, she provides patterns of quilts of the era. This book is a must for anyone learning about women's roles in the Civil War, for Civil War reenactors, for quilters fond of old patterns, and generally for almost any history buff. Brackman has successfully spanned the line between quilter and historian in a way that her peers and even Brackman herself have not done before.



3. This book contains 9 projects adapted from period quilts. These are linked rather whimsically to 9 women of the period. There is no evidence that the women profiled actually made quilts like these or, in fact, ever made any quilts at all. Ms. Brackman has used a little creative journalism, what the TV people like to call the docu-drama approach, to connect nine women who represent particular types and quilts that women like them were making. If your love is for historical trivia, about women or the Civil War period, you will likely find this book fascinating. Each chapter ends with a series of activities which could be used by re-enactors or by history teachers. There are numerous etchings and photographs of the period.  



4. For those interested in learning more about the various roles that women played in the Civil War, this book is a terrific starting point. For those interested in ideas of civilian living history activities, this book has some great ideas for women Civil War reenactors who want to do more than sit under the tent fly until their man returns from battle. For those interested in making a quilt inspired by old-fashioned patterns, this book contains some beautiful projects and good instructions. For those interested in faithfully recreating historically accurate quilts, this book is not for you.

   After reading Barbara Brackman's wonderful "Quilts from the Civil War," I anxiously awaited "Civil War Women"--expecting another book on recreating historic quilts. Ultimately, I appreciated "Civil War Women" for what it was--a book containing interesting stories about the lives of women abolitionists, newspaper reporters, spies, plantation wives, nurses, government clerks, refugees and soldiers' wives. In the book's nine chapters, Brackman focuses on describing the life of one women from each group, and then discusses others in these roles. Numerous photographs and engravings help take the reader back to the 1860s.

   I especially loved the suggested activities for reenactors: a quilting bee, giving a stump speech, collecting signatures for an album quilt, smuggling contraband, staging a bazaar, to name a few. Brackman reprints a speech given by Amelia Bloomer and excerpts diaries discussing quilting bees and fairs, which help to provide primary sources for these activities. Even those not involved in living history might be inspired to try some of these activities for a different old-fashioned party.

   For a book with a quilt on its cover that primarily has been marketed in quilt shops, however, the paucity of original quilts was disappointing. Of the 30-some quilts depicted in "Civil War Women," only a quarter are originals. And although Brackman describes the project quilts as being inspired by originals, in many cases, she does not depict the originals so that the quilter interested in authenticity can determine where accuracy left off and inspiration took over. Unlike the reproduction quilts in "Quilts of the Civil War," which many times appeared very similar to the originals, these quilts just don't quite look like other historic quilts that I have seen from the period.

   Had this book not clearly targeted reenactors, I would not complain about the quilts. But for those involved in living history for the sake of public education rather than because they like "theme camping," authenticity is important, and the suggestion that reenactors can create good reproduction quilts by relying merely on this book does a disservice.




5. For an excellent review of this book, please see that of seasidewanderer (below). I agree wholeheartedly with his/her comments. The suggested activities for civilian women at living history events are creative and refreshing. However, I was disappointed with the quilting projects. Most are "inspired" by quilts of the Civil War era, but the finished projects look nothing like the originals. Original quilts are so beautiful with handwork, but this is not reflected with the modern applique used on the book's projects.