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Summary: Not your typical Civil War Book
Review: This is a highly entertaining romp of a book. It is a must for Civil War buffs, especially those, like myself, who enjoy tramping around on battlefields, cemetaries, etc. Tony Horwitz combines facts, trivia, and humor as he describes his foray into the Confederacy. I enjoyed every word and was sorry to get to the end of the book.P.S. The chapter on Civil Wargasm is not to be missed!
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Summary: The Civil War "Rages" On...
Review: The bloody battles of the civil war ended in April of 1865... but the Civil War still "rages on" in various forms all over the south to this very day. Find that hard to believe..? Well, you won't after you read this incredible book. The author takes us on a journey into the world of the Civil War aficionado. From the description of the grease stained wool uniform he puts on so that he can sleep in an open field in freezing weather with other Civil War reinactors.. to the strange, but real life characters he encounters along the way as he travels throughout the many towns and battlefields of the South... this book kept me turning the pages and laughing out loud at one misadventure after another. The author goes in search of what little --might-- be left of the confederacy in the modern era and finds out it is alive and well in many interesting... disturbing, but mostly harmless forms. This is a instant classic for Civil War buffs and regular folk as well. For Americans, no matter what side your ancestors were fighting on... read this book! You'll learn a few things and probably be surprised a few times as well.
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Summary: Confederates In the Attic is a "Must Read"
Review: While Tony Horwitz's exploration of the South in his book "Confederates in the Attic" may not be a scholarly treatment of the war between the states, it is certainly worthwhile in heightening one's awareness of the continuing obsession of some Southerners with the "lost cause." I would especially recommend the book to African-Americans as a way of recognizing some of the lingering signs of the Confederacy in the South as well as among Northerner sympathizers (re-enactors). Finally, I would recommend to Mr. Horwitz that if he pursues this Confederate history, he should also include some African-American Civil War re-enactors such as the 1st U.S. Mississippi Colored Infantry Regiment.
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Summary: The continuing legacy of the Civil War
Review: I don't feel that the people profiled in this book represent negative stereotypes of southerners as many other reviewers seem to think. What I see are proud people with a strong sense of history and a determinedly individualistic outlook. In a world where 1998 is considered ancient history, this is something to honor. It is true that Horowitz focuses a bit too much on the race issue, but as this is a part of it--like it or not--it is understandable.
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Summary: Confederates in the Attic
Review: Excellent book! The author takes a rather troubling at times look at the wall that still divides North and South even today inthe 21st century. His vivid word pictures paint an endearing portrait in the mind of the characters that he meets along his journies throughout the Old South. Recommended!
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Summary: All about the American psyche
Review: The book is unique and funny and presents an interesting perspective on the psychology of American culture. I was delighted to respond to my 2 young sons' questions about what "in the attic" means in the title of this book. Horwitz does a fine job describing how Americans still have memories in their "attics" about the Civil War after 135 years. I was born in Yankee territory but lived in VA and NC. Indeed there is a difference in the degree of residual emotions about the war, esp. in those places where the battles were fought. In Massuchusetts, the only reenactors I ever see are those reliving the American Revolution.
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Summary: Going to places most Civil War buffs don't even think about.
Review: Ranging from the quirky to the serious, Horwitz captures the various levels of influence that the Civil War has had on the modern American South. From race-related violence in Kentucky to the obsessive quest for accuracy of a small group of civil war reenactors Horwitz takes the reader on a fascinating journey into the American South.
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Summary: A Civil Wargasm
Review: "Confederates in the Attic," ranks with H.G. Bissenger's "Friday Night Lights" as one of the best pieces of "Americana" writing in the 1990s. Like Bissenger, Horwitz uses a familiar subject, Civil War remeberance, as a canvas on which to paint his verbal portraits of what's happening in (particularly rural) America. He does this with writing that is at times funny, moving and tragic. Horwitz deserves a purple heart for accompanying "harcore" reenactor Robert Lee Hodge (pictured on the book's cover) on his crazy one week 1000 mile rememberance quest called, fittingly, "The Civil Wargasm." Anyone with an interest in the Civil War should read this masterful book for thought provoking insight as to why the war continues to fascinate and haunt many Americans.
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Summary: A gateway for new and old Civil War buffs
Review: I have read Confederates in the Attic twice now and I would not hesitate to read it again. It's modern America with a Civil War backdrop, and Horowitz deals with the topic in an even-handed and sometimes humorous manner. From Montgomery to Charleston, from Manassas to Shiloh, Horowitz meets the people who are still talking about the war and the issues that linger 135 years after Appomattox. He tackles controversies over the Confederate flag in South Carolina, the Confederate monuments in Richmond, and speaks to many people with different attitudes towards the Civil War. The chapter "The Civil Wargasm" where Horowitz goes on a Virginia Civil War tour with Confederate "hard-core" reenactor Robert Lee Hodge is worth the price of this book. Since I read this book the first time I have developed a great interest in the Civil War, books by Shelby Foote, Bruce Catton and James McPherson in particular. I highly recommend this book.
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Summary: A Unique Perspective
Review: Tony Horwitz's approach in bridging the Civil War era to modern times provides an insight to American society that is hidden to most of us. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, which gave very interesting facts and perspectives on events during the Civil War (humorously, at times). Horwitz also illustrated the ways in which our society has progressed since the Civil War period and in what ways in remains much the same. If you're interested in the surrounding facts around the Civil War, you'll enjoy this book. Even if you're not interested in the Civil War, the questions it raises about our "modern" society will intrigue many.
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