Seven Myths of the Civil War

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"Readers of this book who thought they knew a lot about the U.S. Civil War will discover that much of what they 'knew' is wrong. For readers whose previous knowledge is sketchy but whose desire to learn is strong, the separation of myth from reality is an important step toward mastering the subject. The essays will generate lively discussion and new insights."James M. McPherson, Professor Emeritus, Princeton University

Reviews

"Wesley Moody's clear, engaging book tackles enduring Civil War myths with grace, candor, and persuasive evidence. By exploring a wide range of subjects including the war's causes, soldiers, leaders, prisons, and battlefields, this volume's group of talented historians accomplishes more than myth busting. Each scholar reveals deeper, more satisfying stories hidden beneath Civil War fallacies and falsehoods. As a result, Civil War students and enthusiasts will find more than facts in this compelling book; they'll encounter the complexities of real war, the long shadows of memory, and the hard work that historians conduct to illuminate the past." Jason Phillips, Eberly Professor of Civil War History, West Virginia University
"I never imagined that my Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest , first published in 2003, would prove to be so enduring a format for helping students of all kinds to rethink key moments in human history. It is therefore a great honor to see that the book has now inspired Hackett Publishing Company's "Myths of History" series, expertly and effectively edited by Alfred J. Andrea and Andrew Holt." Matthew Restall, Pennsylvania State University
" Seven Myths of the Civil War is well-written, engaging, accessible, and of very sound scholarship. In this volume some of the premier scholars in the field of Civil War history weigh in and root out the causes, courses, and continuing consequences of these persistent mythologies in ways that are at once both easily accessible and necessarily nuanced. I plan to use this collection of essays as a centerpiece of my next Civil War-themed course. I'll use it to introduce the prevailing myths regarding the Civil War Era, then point up the ways in which the historical record can be seen to utterly debunk those myths." James Hill Welborn III, Georgia College & State University
"Moody and his team of scholars have accomplished their goal of identifying and dispelling key myths of the American Civil War, or at least of spurring students of the Civil War to not take past interpretations for granted. All seven essays in Seven Myths of the Civil War are valuable examinations of the myths they set out to correct. The book is recommended reading to anyone who wants to learn more about these topics, whether they think they will agree or disagree with the authors' arguments." Justin Vance, College of Western Idaho, in The Journal of Southern History

Author Bio

Wesley Moody is Professor of History, Florida State College at Jacksonville.