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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
informative
slow-paced
informative
Some myths are far more persistent than they should be. One of these particularly virulent myths concerns the cause of the American Civil War, and its main effects. Many would claim that the war was fought for state's rights, or economics, or because the north was aggressive. The truth of the matter is much simpler, and is a conclusion that actual historians have long ago reached: the Civil War was caused by slavery. Bruce Levine's The Fall of the House of Dixie is a fine entry into the study of the social conditions of the South that contributed to secession and the ultimate failure of that cause.
The primary focus of Levine's work is slavery and the issues of race and class that it included. Levine repeatedly uses the metaphor of the House of Dixie, with the house representing the lifestyle of the rich planter class. As the book moves along, then, and the foundation weakens, Levine clearly illuminates the faults of the southern system.
Levine does not dominate the text with his words, but with the words of the participants. A quick glance at the extensive bibliography and end notes makes it abundantly clear that he knows his subject. Sources from the north and south, from black and white, women and men, rich and poor, are given clear voice. The character of the speaker, their role in Civil War society, and why their words matter are always clear and easy to grasp. Indeed, the book is not a difficult read, but is filled with as much information as can be packed in.
A reader expecting and extensive focus upon Southern politics or the military will probably be a bit disappointed. While military matters are discussed, they are not the main focus. Politics is addressed as necessary, and leaves no holes in the narrative, but it should be clear that the book is not a political history, but rather a history of Southern culture. Politics is thus important as it relates to southern society.
One disappointment of the book, perhaps the only one really, is the book's rapid conclusion. Levine covers only the Civil War years, with the narrative largely concluding with the surrender of the last Confederate armies. While he does briefly address some issues of Reconstruction or post-bellum America, these are confined to the epilogue.
I have often felt that dividing American history into pre- and post-1865 leaves the story half told, with the South in complete disarray, the freedmen with rights, and a Union united. Within twelve years, the South would attempt to reassert much of the pre-war system, the freedmen would be abandoned by the North, and the Union continues to be imperfect in many ways. By not addressing the issues that continue immediately after the war, Levine continues this sharp divide in the study of history. It also weakens some of the arguments of Levine's books, in that many southerners took steps to attempt to rebuild the House of Dixie, or at least something approximating it.
This failure aside, Levine's work is comprehensive and well presented. Few people would waste their time by reading this book, and many would benefit greatly by having their incorrect perceptions straightened out. Levine himself seems a talented author and researcher, and has left me hungry for more of his books.
The primary focus of Levine's work is slavery and the issues of race and class that it included. Levine repeatedly uses the metaphor of the House of Dixie, with the house representing the lifestyle of the rich planter class. As the book moves along, then, and the foundation weakens, Levine clearly illuminates the faults of the southern system.
Levine does not dominate the text with his words, but with the words of the participants. A quick glance at the extensive bibliography and end notes makes it abundantly clear that he knows his subject. Sources from the north and south, from black and white, women and men, rich and poor, are given clear voice. The character of the speaker, their role in Civil War society, and why their words matter are always clear and easy to grasp. Indeed, the book is not a difficult read, but is filled with as much information as can be packed in.
A reader expecting and extensive focus upon Southern politics or the military will probably be a bit disappointed. While military matters are discussed, they are not the main focus. Politics is addressed as necessary, and leaves no holes in the narrative, but it should be clear that the book is not a political history, but rather a history of Southern culture. Politics is thus important as it relates to southern society.
One disappointment of the book, perhaps the only one really, is the book's rapid conclusion. Levine covers only the Civil War years, with the narrative largely concluding with the surrender of the last Confederate armies. While he does briefly address some issues of Reconstruction or post-bellum America, these are confined to the epilogue.
I have often felt that dividing American history into pre- and post-1865 leaves the story half told, with the South in complete disarray, the freedmen with rights, and a Union united. Within twelve years, the South would attempt to reassert much of the pre-war system, the freedmen would be abandoned by the North, and the Union continues to be imperfect in many ways. By not addressing the issues that continue immediately after the war, Levine continues this sharp divide in the study of history. It also weakens some of the arguments of Levine's books, in that many southerners took steps to attempt to rebuild the House of Dixie, or at least something approximating it.
This failure aside, Levine's work is comprehensive and well presented. Few people would waste their time by reading this book, and many would benefit greatly by having their incorrect perceptions straightened out. Levine himself seems a talented author and researcher, and has left me hungry for more of his books.
informative
medium-paced
This was a gripping read, I ran through it. Clear writing that uses primary sources adeptly to create a well-structured narrative about the unimaginable ways the Civil War altered the south. Understanding exactly how it all unraveled for slaveholders provided me perspective considering the myth of the “lost cause,” too. Highly recommend.
So the subtitle of this book is "the civil war and the social revolution that transformed the south". Please note the words social revolution. This book started great, it had good infromation, I enjoyed the writing style and I liked the comparisons he drew between the South and Edgar Allen Poe's the fall of the house of Usher, it was a fitting and pretty metaphore. However this book failed to live up to it's title. The majority of it was a war history. Battles here, political movements there, it concenrned itself with the big players, with Generals and state officials. That's not what I wanted. I wanted a history of people, that's what I'm interested in and I feel somewhat decieved by the title. That broguht it down considerably and I wouldn't have read it if I had known what it was. But I will praise his writing style for being both very informative and highly readable.
informative
medium-paced
Brilliant social and psychological analysis of the affects of the Emancipation Proclamation and America Civil War in general on the South. Levine's use of first person sources (diarists, newspaper editorials, correspondence) plus is evocative writing style, bring this period of history alive in ways I've never experienced (and I'm a Civil War junkie!)
A book with a happy ending, -ish.
This book follows the demise of the loathsome Confederacy. Looking at how their society was organized, they never had a chance. (Of course the Union did have McClellan so that helped them survive longer than they should have.) Of course this book should be required reading for all who think the Confederacy was about states rights. The only right they were concerned about was buy and selling people's babies. And then beating and killing those babies when they didn't do what they were told. This book lays out the evidence. It also shows how southern culture was incapable of working together. The who secessionist movement was based on people who could not play well with others splitting up and going their separate ways. So when it came time to work together, they argued and bickered and trampled the rights of their "citizens." Clearly, there is no reason to show pride in the Confederacy.
But this is not to say the South was filled with bad people. Many left the South to join the Union. Many tried to stop those rich slave owners who wanted the poor to fight their war so that they could enslave others. These are the people whom the South should honor, not people like Lee, who after the war went on about how he was really against slavery the whole time.
Oh yeah, the book, I liked it. I recommend.
This book follows the demise of the loathsome Confederacy. Looking at how their society was organized, they never had a chance. (Of course the Union did have McClellan so that helped them survive longer than they should have.) Of course this book should be required reading for all who think the Confederacy was about states rights. The only right they were concerned about was buy and selling people's babies. And then beating and killing those babies when they didn't do what they were told. This book lays out the evidence. It also shows how southern culture was incapable of working together. The who secessionist movement was based on people who could not play well with others splitting up and going their separate ways. So when it came time to work together, they argued and bickered and trampled the rights of their "citizens." Clearly, there is no reason to show pride in the Confederacy.
But this is not to say the South was filled with bad people. Many left the South to join the Union. Many tried to stop those rich slave owners who wanted the poor to fight their war so that they could enslave others. These are the people whom the South should honor, not people like Lee, who after the war went on about how he was really against slavery the whole time.
Oh yeah, the book, I liked it. I recommend.
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective