All in Book Review

The Americanologist Book Review: Unexpected Finds and Murphy's Law

The Americanologist Book Review: Unexpected Finds and Murphy's Law

Rex Childers
Book Review, Lamont's War, Civil War, 82ndOVI

One of the unique human traits we share is the need to assign meaning to our lives. Among the many ways this occurs are the attachments we place on not only relationships with people, but to ideas, places, experiences, and objects that can transport us across time. As a public historian, I consider the preservation of archival material and artifacts a crucial duty in not only preserving the memory and history of the nation, but also a sacred bridge that helps us to make and interpret meanings by connecting us to deep reservoirs of knowledge and community.

The Americanologist November Book Review: Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America, by Garry Wills, Simon & Schuster: NY, 1992.

The Americanologist November Book Review: Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America, by Garry Wills, Simon & Schuster: NY, 1992.

Rex Childers
Book Review, 82ndOVI

Lincoln merged the classic requirements of Greek oration, the Divine Providence of Transcendentalists, and the strategic method of a trial lawyer to lay out his own version of Immanuel Kant’s “Categorical Imperative” for the United States of the future. Hidden in a five-minute speech were the phrases that swept away 80 years of constitutional avoidance of the sin of slavery, repeated statutory compromises which muddled and delayed the conflict until only massive destruction would begin the atonement – requiring the total abolition of slavery as a condition for peace.

While Lincoln praises the men of Gettysburg, the XI and XII Corps rescues the union at Chattanooga

While Lincoln praises the men of Gettysburg, the XI and XII Corps rescues the union at Chattanooga

Rex Childers
82ndOVI, Civil War, Lamont's War, Book Review

Just four days after Lincoln spoke on November 19, 1863, of the “brave men, living and dead, who struggled here” - including Hooker’s men from the east, now in Chattanooga - the Union moved against Orchard Knob, a steep hill overlooking the eastern side of Chattanooga, where a small force of rebels with an artillery battery were entrenched forward of Missionary Ridge. 14,000 federals attacked the hill in parade formation, and the 600 defenders were overwhelmed in minutes.

Jailing John Henry- Reconstruction, Unequal Justice, and Mythmaking: A review of Scott Nelson's "Steel Drivin' Man"

Jailing John Henry- Reconstruction, Unequal Justice, and Mythmaking: A review of Scott Nelson's "Steel Drivin' Man"

Rex Childers
Culture, Politics, Book Review

In Scott Reynolds Nelson’s Steel Drivin’ Man: John Henry, the Untold Story of an American Legend, the problematic period known as “Reconstruction” in the gap between 1865 and 1876 in American history is treated to an examination that is both personal and mythic in its telling. The reason I selected the work is that the story Nelson crafts is very relevant to us today – when the terms “systemic racism” and “social justice” fill the headlines surrounding a larger number of issues in our society, it might be helpful to use the past as a reference to test these claims. If we want to understand America today, a glimpse into the record of history and its efforts, successes or failures in making social change possible is the natural place to start.