Rating: 
Summary: Very Good Book!!
Review: I truely enjoyed reading this book! It opened my eyes to a lot of things that are still going on about the Civil War. I highly recomend for any Civil War buff.
Rating:
Summary: Stonewall and Slaves; trying to understand all sides.
Review: This book should be placed alongside Edward Ball's SLAVES IN THE FAMILY and used as a basis for study of some of the lingering effects of the Civil War. Horwitz does an excellent job of letting his characters speak for themselves; he lets us see into their hearts by hearing what they say. Some readers may be horrified, others amused, others proud that someone is saying what they believe to be true. To read these books together is to get a good sense of the racial divisions in this country. I only wish that either author had been able to offer solutions. I, like Horwitz, have been immersed in the War since childhood. Family members were active in the Confederacy; one {sadly } wrote the Dred Scott decision. But I admire the heroes on both sides of the War, enjoy visiting the battlefields and take Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain as my particular favorite. How do I reconcile my interest in the War with my belief in Civil Rights? Only by letting Horwitz, Ball and others like them teach me about what has happened SINCE the war and show me viewpoints other than my own.
Rating: 
Summary: A interesting book about the Civil War
Review: Worth a read. Very entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: A KIWI IN THE ATTIC !
Review: As a youngster growing up in a country that was increasingly being influenced by American culture, information on the Civil War seemed almost nonexistent. Ironically, my only real memory was of blue and gray toy soldiers that my friend and I used to play with as little children. My first meaningful contact was the documentary by Ken Burns, and this held me spellbound for weeks. I was stunned at the depth and breadth of the war and its impact on the US, and felt certain that it must have been one of the defining moments in US history. I was half way through reading Shelby Foote's Narrative of the War when 'Confederates' arrived on the bookshelves here, so it was an obvious choice. I found it to be a first class read, probably provoking more questions than it could (or should attempt) to answer. As a person of Scots descent I was able to develop some empathy with the Southern view on independence and self-determination (check out the Highland Clearances). However, other aspects of Northern and Southern opinion and reality left me shaking my head. While I could understand the wish of relatives of those who fought to honour and remember those who fell, I came away from the book wondering if re-enactments were the most appropriate method for achieving this end ( I went away and looked up Lincoln's Gettysberg Address, and felt saddened at the thought of 'hardcores' and 'farbs' and wondered what the original men and women would have thought of this) Tony Horwitz tackles some issues in a way that I am sure will not please all readers, but nevertheless broaches topics that need to be aired and debated. As a reader all that I sought from the book was a greater level of understanding of the war and its impact on American society, as it seemed to me that the Civil War was one of the most complex and important events in human history. This book should be viewed as perhaps the beginning of the beginning of a modern understanding of the war and its effects, rather than any definitve statement on either North or South, now or then. In reading this book I was reminded of the old adage 'Where you stand depends on where you sit.' This obviously still holds true to an extent regarding the Civil War, and those who write or read about it. 'Confederates in the Attic' is a fascinating and challenging book and I recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: This book captures your attention right away keeps you there
Review: Having spent the last three years in North Carolina after living in Wisconsin all my life, this book captured my attention having traveled in some of the same places as Tony Horwitz. I don't think Mr Horwitz set out to do scholarly research on the war but instead grabs bits and pieces of the struggle for many to place the Civil War in it's proper context in American history. This book at times really made me laugh and at other times really frightened and troubled me. The troubling aspects are the huge racial divides that still exist so many years after the war and seem to be widening. While living in Charlotte NC, I saw very little of the world that Mr Horwitz explored but I didn't look for it. This is one disappointment of mine having lived in the South for three years and not using the opportunity to visit more battlefields and understand the overall conflict. This book however does rekindle a desire to take the time to do more research on the war. It's a good book and one that will make you think. Some may not like what he says but I think he hits the nail on the head more often than not. He also is not above personal feelings and biases that add to the complexity of the book.
Rating:
Summary: A must read for any one who has moved South from the North.
Review: The book is one that you won't want to put down. I grew up in NYC, but have spent the last three years living in Atlanta, then moving to Macon (GA). Atlanta gives you an idea of the South, but Macon is the Old South in a lot of ways. Therefore, the book really hit home because I live amongst a population that in many ways resemble the people Mr. Horwitz encountered on his trips, namely people who feel that the Civil War never ended, but is merely at "halftime." The Georgia chapters, dealing with Gone With the Wind, and the prison camp @ Andersonville are right on, and very educational. The town of Andersonville's celebration of the commandants birthday every year goes to show that not everyone has the same view of our country's history. Some southerners still see Cmdr. Wirtz as a hero, while most of us realize that he was nothing more than a careless murderer of POW's. While reading of Mr. Horwitz's journey, you will feel like you are with him, especially if you have ever visited the battlefields of the war. His description of decendants visiting the spots their ancestors defended or attacked during the battle's is chilling, and his writing is similar to Michael Shaara's narritive in "The Killer Angels." He makes you feel like you are there with him. Read the book, its more than worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: North or South?
Review: The fact that many of the people who have reviewed this book feel the need to mention their birthplace when writing about the Civil War is a perfect illustration of why Horwitz wrote this book and why it is so important. Sure he is biased, but have you ever read a book that wasn't? At least Horwitz admits his biases and attempts (successfully) to confront such an enormous issue.
Rating: 
Summary: He didn't get it
Review: I don't think that Mr. Horwitz was able to truly understand the people he was interacting with. My sense of the book is that he came close to the true feelings of many Southerners, but didn't dig deep enough, which made the book at times offensive. Still, he made the effort, which is more than most people do.
Rating: 
Summary: Biased, poorly researched.
Review: This book could have been a good read if the author had been concerned with presenting a fair open-minded study. Mr. Horwitz seems to have a bias against the South and all things Southern. I regret that I spent money on this.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and thought provoking
Review: Horowitz has created a memorable work. This is a thought provoking, poignant and humorous account. This book really makes you think. An extraordinary weaving of the past and the present. Superb!!!
| 
