Tag Archives: American Civil War

Away Down South

Posted on May 31, 2014 by smellincoffee

Away Down South: A History of Southern Identity © 2007 James C. Cobb 416 pages             What does it mean to be southern, beyond a fondness for turnip greens and cornbread?  The answer is an evolving one, as the South’s … Continue reading →

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The Yellowhammer War

Posted on April 18, 2014 by smellincoffee

The Yellowhammer War: The Civil War and Reconstruction in Alabama© 2013 ed. Kenneth NoeUniversity of Alabama press320 pages First home of the Confederacy’s government, and site of some of its final battles, Alabama’s involvement in the Civil War was intense … Continue reading →

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Fire on the Waters

Posted on April 15, 2014 by smellincoffee

Fire on the Waters© David Poyer 2003448 pages When Eli Eaker volunteered his services to the USS Owanee, his chief intention was to get away from his domineering father and an arranged marriage to his beautiful but sisterly cousin Araminta. … Continue reading →

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Confederates in the Attic

Posted on April 3, 2014 by smellincoffee

Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War© 1999 Tony Hortwitz432 pages           For most of the United States, the Civil War is like any other entry in the history books, of interest but not very consequential. . … Continue reading →

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A reading from "Confederates in the Attic"

Posted on March 31, 2014 by smellincoffee

Awakening the next morning in a $27 room at Salisbury’s EconLodge, I recognized the appeal of dwelling on the South’s past rather than its present. Stepping from my room into the motel parking lot, I gazed out a low-slung horseshoe … Continue reading →

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This week the library: NaNoWriMo, Sharpe, and histories

Posted on November 26, 2013 by smellincoffee

We’re in the last week of National Novel Writing Month, and I can cheerfully report that I am not woefully behind, having faithfully plugged away almost every night. If I can make up for a couple of missed days, I should … Continue reading →

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A Chain of Thunder

Posted on May 25, 2013 by smellincoffee

A Chain of Thunder© 2013 Jeff Shaara ‘Twas at the Seige of Vicksburg,Of Vicksburg, of Vicksburg,‘Twas at the Seige of Vicksburg,When the Parrott shells were whistlin’ through the air… July 4th, 1863 was an unfortunate day for the Confederate States … Continue reading →

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Selma

Posted on February 25, 2013 by smellincoffee

Selma: A Novel of the Civil War© 2008 Val McGee396 pages On the cover: Sturdivant Hall, a local home-turned-museum. Today, Selma, Alabama is a small town on the Alabama river, largely forgotten save for its role in the Civil Rights … Continue reading →

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The Bloody Ground

Posted on February 12, 2013 by smellincoffee

The Bloody Ground© 2001 Bernard Cornwell398 pages In the fall of 1862, Robert E. Lee took the initiative after a string of triumphs over the bungling Union army and launched an attack into the north, aiming to bloody the Federal army’s nose … Continue reading →

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This week at the library: Little Ice Age, and Bernard Cornwell

Posted on January 23, 2013 by smellincoffee

Last night I finished Battleflag, third in the Nathaniel Starbuck series. Seeing as I just finished and commented on Copperhead, posting extensive thoughts on Battleflag seemed redundant. Nate is still the son of a Boston abolitionist preacher fighting for the south … Continue reading →

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