One Must Tell the Bees

25 Oct 2021

by J Lawrence Matthews QUICK REVIEW – 4.5 STARS This is a unique story and the best of those I have been asked to review. Characters and style were largely…

Cavalry During the Civil War

24 Mar 201924 Mar 2019

QUICK REVIEW - 3 stars. This is a short review for a short book that is a general introduction to Civil War cavalry. There were a few useful details but…

Unvanquished: How Confederate Women Survived the Civil War

15 Mar 2019

Quick Review - 2 1/2 stars. Some nice original sources but not sufficient context, poorly organized, and biased. But since it is free to kindle unlimited and prime reading if…

Bound to the Fire

9 Jan 20199 Jan 2019

Bound to the Fire by Kelly Fanto Deetz Quick Review - 3.5 stars - This book has a unique topic, is well researched, but the academic writing style detracts and…

Varina

13 Nov 201815 Mar 2019

Quick Review - 4.5 stars - This is a very compelling novel with a unique style, a well-developed character, and accurate history with the blanks skillfully filled in. But...enough with the metaphors…

She Rode With The Generals

25 Jun 201825 Jun 2018

I'm pleased to have a guest post by fellow historical fiction author JJ Knights. His forthcoming novel is based on the true story of Emma Edmonds, a woman who fought…

Civil War & Reconstruction Lectures

1 Jun 20185 Jun 2018

Quick Review - 5 Huge Stars - Besides being one of the foremost Civil War historians, David Blight is a gifted lecturer who will keep you interested and entertained for…

Lincoln in the Bardo

23 Apr 201823 Apr 2018

Quick Review - 3.5 stars This is one of the most creative stories I have ever read. Main characters were well developed with the exception of Willy Lincoln. Style was…

The Beguiled – Book + Bonus Movie Reviews

14 Apr 201815 Mar 2019

This is a review for the book, not the newly released movie or the old Clint Eastwood version (but reviews for those appear below), or the original book from the…

Lincoln Podcast

30 Mar 20189 Apr 2018

In browsing iTunes I came upon this podcast series by the Huntington Library, which has one of the best Civil War collections outside the National Archives. The 14 lectures, recorded between…

Women Soldiers

21 Mar 20183 May 2018

There are over 400 documented cases of women who fought as men during the Civil War. This little book tells their story in great detail. Quick Review - 4 stars…

Women of the Slaveholding South

12 Mar 20189 Apr 2018

This book takes an in-depth look at what life was like for middle and upper class white women of the South during the Civil War. Quick review - 5 HUGE STARS!…