Coates’ Civil War
As some of you are aware, over the last several months we’ve had long, intricate discussions of the Civil War and the Civil War period over at Ta-Nehisi Coates’ blog at The Atlantic. These have dealt with diverse subjects, from current-events issues like the Virginia Confederate History Month debacle last spring, to an ongoing group-read of MacPherson’s Battle Cry of Freedom. It’s a discussion that I’ve had the chance to contribute to in a small way, and it’s helped to both challenge and clarify my own thinking about the war and its continuing legacy.
Now, one of the regulars there who goes by the handle Absurdbeats has assembled a compliation of Civil War related posts from Coates’ place, going back over two years. Both the posts themselves and the discussions that follow are often both fascinating and illuminating. I’m also adding this listing in the links at right.
Happy reading, folks.
Dead Confederates, A Civil War Era Blog 
Well-done. You motivated me to do likewise.
It’s my one brush with greatness. I’m milking it for all it’s worth. ;-P
I don’t know where else to tell you this but I just finished Reading the Man upon your recommendation. To read the book and then to read the 1 and 2-star reviews on Amazon is a revelation. Ms. Pryor clearly has a great admiration for her subject, but her subject is a flesh and blood human being, not a marble statue. I grew up in Texas and have lived in a couple of towns with Robert E. Lee High Schools, but I find people much more interesting than statues.
Thanks. It is a remarkable book, and I’m glad your reaction to it was similar to mine.
As for the one- and two-star reviews on Amazon, if they’re the ones I read, they don’t ever address the book’s content on its own merit; they’re just really, really offended that she wrote it, and that it’s been very well received as both an academic and (to some degree) popular success.
Sorry I’m so late with the gratitude, Mr. Hall, but I do thank you. Finally.
Oh, and finally added you to my blogroll. Long overdue.
You’ve done a great service by compiling those posts.
And thanks for the props on my guest postings!