Member: bookwoman909

Thanks for suggestion. I add soon. Good to meet you here.

posted by JeffRiveraAuthor at 5:09 am (EST) on Apr 25, 2009

Isn't this a great site! I have another one for you if you have books you no longer want. Paperbackswap.com. You swap books and only pay s/h when you send a book to someone. You receive a book free. My page is at http://leafseeker.paperbackswap.com

Off to get caught up on my bookshelf!

posted by leafseeker at 6:24 pm (EST) on Jan 18, 2009

Hello bookwoman909,

Thanks for your kind comments. I'm really not much of an authority on anything, but I have done some reading on the civil war, and there is much more that I would like to read. There is one important factor to keep in mind about civil war history, and that is there is an immense body of books out there. There is way too much to keep up with, and so you'll have to pick and choose from topics that interest you. I have a couple of recommendations based on your note.

1. Choose a great writer. I'd try Bruce Catton. Though he wrote 45 years ago, his Army of the Potomac trilogy is a great narrative of the war in the east. He had a wonderful narrative style, and it will inspire you to read more-maybe focus your interests too.
2. African Americans in the Civil War has become an important topic. It's not one I know a lot about, however, there are a couple of books you might consider. One is Joseph Glatthaar's ground breaking book "Forged in Battle" on the relationships between white officers and black troops. Another is "Like Men of War" on African American regiments in the Civil War, by Noah Andre Trudeau (another excellent stylist.) If you're looking for something different, about slavery, here are a couple of more. "Roll Jordan Roll: The World the Slaves Made," by Eugene Genovese is still considered extremely important-but not an easy read. You might also try the novel by Edward P.Jones "The Known World" which is awesome and from a somewhat different perspective.
3. For books on the causes--that's a tough one. I have a little book by Rozwenc from Amerst College called "Causes of the American Civil War" that examines all the theories of why the war came from the 1860's to the 1960's. Good stuff and you get to travel the gamut of explanations, but dry and scholarly. Two other books that I have especially enjoyed are collections of essays by Connelly "God and General Longstreet", and William C. Davis's "The Cause Lost." They both take a look at the war from the Southern perspective-offering explanations, not so much apologies and excuses. Davis is particularly notable because he fesses up that the south fought the war to protect slavery.

I don't know if this helps, but I certainly wish you luck in your explorations--and I think that ultimately that's half the fun.

Kevin

posted by ksmyth at 11:06 am (EST) on Apr 12, 2008

Hello Bookwoman909,

I like your friend's site; www.photoswithwords.com.
I've bookmarked it and plan to visit when I have some time to spend.
Thanks in advance.

Peace,
"Guided by the Ancestors"
http://geder.wordpress.com

posted by Geder at 11:37 pm (EST) on Oct 10, 2007

Hello empressemma,

How can I find out more about "Free People of Color Edgefield District, South Carolina" by Tinya Browder-Taylor?
Better yet, how can I obtain a copy?

I'm researching Hancocks, Scotts, Currys and others in that district.

Thanks in advance.

George Geder

Peace,
"Guided by the Ancestors"
http://geder.wordpress.com

posted by Geder at 1:56 am (EST) on Feb 5, 2007