Confederates in the Attic

Rating:
Summary: If you read only one Civil War Book
Review: What a fresh approach to a very complex subject that obviously is very relevant to many of us from the South. His objectiveness was matched by the sensitivity he seems to have for both sides of the conflict. I appreciated the fact that he did not seem to take himself overly seriously and was respectful of everyone he met. Even if you think you have no interest in the Civil War, this book will captivate you until you put it down.

Rating:
Summary: Why is it the losers that can't forget?
Review: My ancestors were living in Portugal and England in the 1860's so I can't feel any personal involvement, but I guess as Americans we're all still haunted by the ghosts of the war. I loved this book for its cogent writing, humor and insight into the present as much as for its history. Also made me think about how, all over the world, it's the losers who seem obsessed with their history. When you think of how attached the Serbs, Scots and Irish are to battles lost 500 years ago, the Sons and Daughters of the Confederacy take on a new perspective.

Rating:
Summary: History is bunk - Henry Ford
Review: I can't say enough great things about this book. It was both funny and touching and sad. At times I wanted Horwitz to challenge some of the views his interviewees held, but I realize that his objectivity (though somewhat lopsided at times) was valuable.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent analysis of the South
Review: I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book. Throughout its pages, Tony Horwitz takes us along on his nearly spiritual journey into the American South. The book is both even-handed and eye-opening in its treatment of contemporary Southern views on the Civil War. From the race fights in North Carolina to the "Yankee Rebels" in Fitzgerald, GA, we are confronted with the many faces of the South. This book is a must read for all teachers of modern Southern history.

Rating:
Summary: Why is the Civil War such a contentious issue in the South?
Review: Tony Horwitz begins his journey by getting to know hardcore Civil War reenactors, or "living historians" as they preferred. At the end of the process, he illuminates some rather disturbing issues to explain the fascination and hold the Confederacy has on much of the South. Recommended for those who would like enlightenment on the War Between the States and its legacy, and for those who thought they had a good understanding of it.

Rating:
Summary: much better than expected
Review: As a consevative white male with a heavy interest in the American Civil War and history in general, and as one who finds revisitionist history distasteful in the least, I was hesitant to purchase this book., I thought,"Ok, here comes another The south was racist-the war was about slavery only-it's offensive to display the Confederate battleflag-(etc etc.) diatribe from a liberal author. To my surprise, I found this book very even handed, humorous without being condescending, and just plain interesting. Despite having studied the war for more than 15 years, I can say that this book taught me a lot I didn't know and was hard to put down. While the author did seem to ask or some back to racial relations repeatedly, it just showed me that many of the characters he met really aren't concerned with those issues - they seemed somewhat irrelevant. Besides, on a broader social context, the racial issues brought up were fair. I found Rob Hodge a riot, and I think if anything this book will encourage people to become reenactors rather than ridicule them. Mr Horwitz's writing style was impressive, constantly comparing his own views with those whom he meets. His prose was fresh and easy to read, and was laden with witty quips. I was especially impressed with his comparisons of the white self-taught children learning about the Confederacy and the all black class he ran across whose attitude was it was His-story. He felt neither was seeing things straight. Its refreshing to see an author these days unafraid to say so.

Rating:
Summary: More sociology than history...
Review: but entertaining and somewhat revelatory regardless of whether you're more interested in history or psychology. Somewhat sympathetic towards the bizarre Southern subculture which refuses to believe that (a) they lost, and (b) we're much better off that they did.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent reading, especially for Civil War buffs
Review: Although the book seems to be weighed a little heavy (okay, way heavy!) on the side of showing the seedier and more eccentric side of the modern-day South, it is very easy and entertaining reading. Horowitz' approach is different from the vast majority of Civil War books on the market, being from the standpoint of some modern-day Southerners still clinging to their ideas of what they perceive the great Southern Cause to have been. Whether it be an interview with the KKK, white supremists, Shelby Foote, or hard-core re-enacters, none of the characters fail to interest, no matter how off-beat, or misguided, some of these subjects may be. Even though it's a little preachy and at times light on actual Civil War story this is a highly recommended read, even for those who are not Civil War enthusiasts.

Rating:
Summary: History is never dead, it isn't even past. --Wm.Faulkner
Review: This is a book that students of the Civil War and especially history teachers should read. Tony Horwitz has done what just about every student of history would like to do: travel across the Old South, following the armies, visiting the battlefields, and even joining "re-enactors." But this is much more than a nostalgic visit. Horwitz asks questions of himself and those that were willing to talk with him and discovers many disturbing, even frightening things about our nation. History teachers will cringe, weep, laugh, (and perhaps change professions) as they read of his conversations with the myriad persona who talked with him during his sojourn. Perhaps, most disturbing is the concluding chapters where he discovers that not only has the war not solved any problems, it has left a legacy of a fractured nation based on race, section, ideology, and political lines. I recommend this book most highly. As a teacher -- who happens to be teaching the CW at present -- it is sobering and refreshing, a reminder that (as Faulkner said), the past is, indeed, never dead.

Rating:
Summary: Way down south....
Review: I spent five years of my childhood in Georgia, right next to Kennesaw Mountain in Marietta. My father, a US History teacher, was eager to teach me all about the history of our new home...most of which had something or other to do with the "Civil War". Coming from California, it was certainly a unique experience for us to live and learn in the Southern US. Horwitz does not exaggerate his account at all...things really are different there. I found his book a fascinating revisit to Dixie. It brought back memories of classmates calling me a "yankee" and people weeping at various battlefield sites. Dad and I used to spend time digging in our backyard for minie balls and belt buckles. This book is a wonderful introduction the beautiful, eccentric and often dangerous culture of our Southern neighbors. But be sure to go and visit and see for yourself!