It’s by David Goldfield, and subtitled “How the Civil War Created a Nation”. I haven’t read any of his prior books, but he focuses on the history of “The South”. He’s a competent historian and a good writer.
This particular volume seems to be a combination of his prior writings and some new material to emphasize a point. He starts with an overview of some interesting points in American culture before the war, tracks those ideas through the war, the Reconstruction, and then more modern ideas. There is a thankfully brief description of the happenings during the war, highlighting the events that match his themes.
His main theme is Evangelistic religious ideas and how they influenced the culture leading up to the war, the war itself, and the aftermath. He relies a lot on the writings of Harriet Beecher Stowe and her family, and the poetry of Walt Whitman. Frederick Douglass plays an important role off to the side of the main stage.
I can see where he wanted to emphasize Evangelical religion in the lead-up to the war, but found his arguments a little thin as the actual war was conducted, and when it comes to the complete insanity of Reconstruction I think he adds to the confusion of this era, not lessens it.
I’ve read a lot on that era from the Northern perspective, but was alerted that I should look for more from the Southern perspective. I enjoyed the time I spent in the “The South” last winter and detected that there was a big difference between what I was seeing and the culture that I grew up with. Goldfield’s book explains some tiny part of that difference I felt, but by no means all. No doubr his other books would be most valuable in understanding this region.
If you want to know more about Southern history, I’d recommend his other books. If you are into the Civil War look elsewhere. If you are interested in how American Evangelicalism influences our culture, this is the book to read.
I warned you I’d be writing about books I read…..