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joshuamadl's review against another edition
5.0
Truly fascinating. This book highlights the complexity of reconstruction and solidifies for me the idea that our country today is largely shaped by how the country healed from the civil war - for good and for bad.
cplanas's review against another edition
4.0
This is a beautiful book, that epitomizes the Reconstruction in just 130 pages. It's full of quotes from the direct protagonists: Andrew Johnson, Charles Sumner, Ulysses S. Grant: they manage to bring the reader closer to the actual period.
Most importantly, its theme gives "Reconstruction: A Concise History" a strong poetic flavor. This is not a history of dynasties, kings, and queens; it's a history of (defeated) human rights, a struggle that continues today. It's a memento of the vulnerability of progress: reactionary forces can move back the hands of the clock. After the Civil War the Union was rebuilt, keeping federalism intact; slavery was abolished. Unfortunately, equality for all races was utterly defeated in the post-war. "We were eight years in power", and yet, it was not enough.
Most importantly, its theme gives "Reconstruction: A Concise History" a strong poetic flavor. This is not a history of dynasties, kings, and queens; it's a history of (defeated) human rights, a struggle that continues today. It's a memento of the vulnerability of progress: reactionary forces can move back the hands of the clock. After the Civil War the Union was rebuilt, keeping federalism intact; slavery was abolished. Unfortunately, equality for all races was utterly defeated in the post-war. "We were eight years in power", and yet, it was not enough.
alexoc4's review against another edition
5.0
Truly excellent. Very concise, and I learned quite a bit. I really wish more books would be like this, there was absolutely no fat in the narrative. I am looking forward to reading more books by Guelzo in the future.
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