Rating: 
Summary: incomplete version of famous diary
Review: (...)certainly I always thought "Diary from Dixie" was the real thing but I discovered while reading "Mary Chesnut's Civil War" (edited by C. Vann Woodward, Yale University 1981) that, in the first place, the material that is exerpted in "Diary from Dixie" was actually written by Mary Chesnut between 1881-1884, nearly 20 years after the Civil War ended. Secondly, "Diary from Dixie" (which was published 15 years after Chesnut died) was put together and edited by two other women who were under contract to their publishing company to produce a heavily abridged, selectively-edited volume of about 130,000 words in length (Chesnut's 1880's "Diary" is more than three times that in length). Woodward maintains that the editors were "concerned that Chesnut passages out of line with the current Southern version of the Confederate legend be deleted. Mrs. Witherspoon's death is mentioned, for example, but with no hint that her slaves had anything to do with it."Mary Chesnut is so interesting that it only makes sense to read her work as she intended it to be read and for that you need "Mary Chesnut's Civil War." Out-of-print now but also worth reading is "The Private Mary Chesnut: the Unpublished Civil War Diaries" (Oxford University 1984) which is the actual journal text that Chesnut wrote during the war (and on which she based her 1880's "Diary"). Note, however, that this book only covers the entries made during 1861 and 1865 (the original journals for 1862, 1863 and 1864 have not survived).
Rating: 
Summary: The Civil War from the female perspective.
Review: At times, the outdated prose gets a little difficult to wade through, but overall this is a fascinating account of life during this turbulent time in our history. Another reviewer mentioned "The Private Mary Chesnut: Unpublished Civil War Diaries", which seems to be Mrs. Chesnut's actual diaries kept during the war and offer a much more vivid picture. I wasn't aware that "Diary From Dixie" was a rewrite until now. I did enjoy it immensely (when I'd look up from reading it seemed odd that it was 1999 and not 1865!) and look forward to also reading the previously unpublished version.
Rating:
Summary: The Civil War from the female perspective.
Review: At times, the outdated prose gets a little difficult to wade through, but overall this is a fascinating account of life during this turbulent time in our history. Another reviewer mentioned "The Private Mary Chesnut: Unpublished Civil War Diaries", which seems to be Mrs. Chesnut's actual diaries kept during the war and offer a much more vivid picture. I wasn't aware that "Diary From Dixie" was a rewrite until now. I did enjoy it immensely (when I'd look up from reading it seemed odd that it was 1999 and not 1865!) and look forward to also reading the previously unpublished version.
Rating: 
Summary: Correction please
Review: Dear Amazon, Please change the spelling of Chesnut to reflect only one "T" in the last name. Thank you. BC
Rating:
Summary: A Civilian's Look at the War
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely, and its tales of Antebellum southern manners being put to test by the war. Mary's insights and daily activies shed light on things I had never really considered, and highlighted the extreme poverty the South faced during and after the war. It wasn't hard reading, and I always appreciate pictures being included in a biography.
Rating:
Summary: A Civilian's Look at the War
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely, and its tales of Antebellum southern manners being put to test by the war. Mary's insights and daily activies shed light on things I had never really considered, and highlighted the extreme poverty the South faced during and after the war. It wasn't hard reading, and I always appreciate pictures being included in a biography.
Rating:
Summary: ...........
Review: I know this may sound crazy, but i am infact the great(times 3) granddaughter of mary boykin chestnut. When my grandfather told me this when i was younger (I am 16 now) I became very interested in learning about her and her husband and in trying to learn more i decided to read the diary in which mary had written. I found it very moving and in some cases disturbing. Before reading her diary ( My grandpap has one of the first copies of it) I could have cared less about the civil war or any war for that matter, but after reading it I gained a new found respect for everything that people in those days had to go through and I think that my grandmother gave people of today a great idea of what the war was like and how people were. I am very proud to say that I am of of the civil wars most influential women.
Rating:
Summary: Life (apparently heavily edited) under the Confederacy
Review: I was unaware, until I read the previous reviewer's remarks, of the fact that this was a heavily edited version of Chestnut's Journals, of which broad and more forthright passages had been deleted. Certainly, more liveliness is needed here to keep one's rapt attention. But, of course, this is a fault inherent in journals as a genre, such as those of Samuel Pepys for instance, every day can not be a page out of The Three Musketeers. Chestnut, as has been noted, is both cultured and independently minded, debunking the myths of Southern ignorance and complacency, especially among women. This alone makes the book an interesting read. Nevertheless, one grows weary after a while, slogging along to the pathetic outcome that we know awaits the trials under which this woman bears up so bravely.-What interested me the most was that, at times, there are sparks of poetic insight that could have sprung straight from Faulkner or even Proust, such as "Of all our sorrows, memory is the worst." p.102 or "Time works its wonders like enchantment." p.141 One ponders what would have been the outcome had Ms. Chestnut turned her hand to novels or poetry!-I only gave the book 4 stars because of the expurgation of the journals and the slogging reading at times. But I'm going to check out the texts mentioned by the previous reviewer and hopefully return with an extra star tacked on to my reviews.
Rating:
Summary: Life (apparently heavily edited) under the Confederacy
Review: I was unaware, until I read the previous reviewer's remarks, of the fact that this was a heavily edited version of Chestnut's Journals, of which broad and more forthright passages had been deleted. Certainly, more liveliness is needed here to keep one's rapt attention. But, of course, this is a fault inherent in journals as a genre, such as those of Samuel Pepys for instance, every day can not be a page out of The Three Musketeers. Chestnut, as has been noted, is both cultured and independently minded, debunking the myths of Southern ignorance and complacency, especially among women. This alone makes the book an interesting read. Nevertheless, one grows weary after a while, slogging along to the pathetic outcome that we know awaits the trials under which this woman bears up so bravely.-What interested me the most was that, at times, there are sparks of poetic insight that could have sprung straight from Faulkner or even Proust, such as "Of all our sorrows, memory is the worst." p.102 or "Time works its wonders like enchantment." p.141 One ponders what would have been the outcome had Ms. Chestnut turned her hand to novels or poetry!-I only gave the book 4 stars because of the expurgation of the journals and the slogging reading at times. But I'm going to check out the texts mentioned by the previous reviewer and hopefully return with an extra star tacked on to my reviews.
Rating:
Summary: Intimate account of war's effects on the homefront
Review: The keeper of this diary writes in an intimate and honest manner about herself and those around her, and about Southern hopes for victory or at least peaceful co-existence. The diary entries draw you in to her world. You feel like you are chatting with her in the parlor or at her desk as she relates the events of the day, what famous figures she dined or went riding with, etc. Very enjoyable and poignant to read. This was a brave woman who did her best under consistently deteriorating circumstances. I found her comments about her marriage particularly surprising and honest given the standards and social mores of the time. Her husband seems emotionally remote and she chides him for being so. Definitely not given to "hero worshipping," the author gives her honest opinions - good and bad - of just about everyone around her. I recommend this book, even if you aren't a Civil War buff.
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