Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory

by David W. Blight
Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory cover
Good Books rating 4.25
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  • ID: 9458
  • Added: 2025-12-24
  • Updated: 2025-12-24
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
Launiusr's Blog · 2015-09-02
compelling 4.50

The book is praised for its stunning analysis of how a specific master narrative about the Civil War was constructed. The reviewer finds the book's exploration of memory and its impact on national identity particularly compelling.

Launiusr's blog review of 'Race and Reunion' highlights the book's stunning analysis of how a specific master narrative about the Civil War was constructed. They appreciate the book's exploration of memory and its impact on national identity, finding it particularly compelling. The reviewer notes that Blight's work provides a nuanced understanding of the period, emphasizing the tragic costs to race relations and the nation's reunion. They also highlight the book's thorough examination of the politics of memory and its lasting effects, providing a thoughtful and insightful read.

Quick quotes

    David Blight's Race and Reunion is a stunning analysis of the manner in which a specific master narrative about the Civil War was constructed.

    The book provides a nuanced understanding of the period, emphasizing the tragic costs to race relations and the nation's reunion.

    Blight's work offers a thoughtful and insightful exploration of the politics of memory and its lasting effects.

Civil War Monitor · 2012-01-16
insightful 4.25

The book laments the lack of serious national introspection following the Civil War, highlighting a sentimental sectional reunion instead. The reviewer finds the analysis compelling and insightful.

The Civil War Monitor's review of 'Race and Reunion' emphasizes the book's critique of the lack of serious national introspection following the Civil War. They note that Blight's work highlights a sentimental sectional reunion that overshadowed deeper reflections on the war's impact. The reviewer finds the analysis compelling and insightful, appreciating the book's exploration of the politics of memory and its lasting effects on race relations. They also highlight the book's thorough examination of how the war was remembered and misremembered, providing a nuanced understanding of the period.

Quick quotes

    Blight lamented that rather than any serious, national introspection, the Civil War resulted in a sentimental sectional reunion.

    The book provides a compelling tale of the politics of memory, of how a nation healed from civil war.

    Blight's sweeping narrative of triumph and tragedy, romance and realism, is a compelling tale.

Johns Hopkins University Press · BE Baker · 2002-01-01
thought-provoking 4.00

The book takes us back a century to a time when the nation was debating the same questions about the Civil War. The reviewer appreciates the scholarly depth and the focus on how the war was remembered and misremembered.

BE Baker's review of 'Race and Reunion' delves into the intricate ways the Civil War was remembered and misremembered in American history. They highlight how the book takes us back to a time when the nation was grappling with similar questions, offering a scholarly depth that is both insightful and thought-provoking. The reviewer appreciates the focus on the politics of memory and how it shaped the national narrative. They also note the book's thorough examination of the tragic costs to race relations and the nation's reunion, providing a nuanced understanding of the period.

Quick quotes

    David W. Blight's Race and Reunion takes us back a century to a time when the nation was debating these same questions for the first time.

    The book offers an exhaustive treatment of the way the US remembered and misremembered the Civil War and Reconstruction.

    Blight's work reveals the tragic costs to race relations and America's national reunion.

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