The Civil War: The South (History Firsthand) - Softcover

Gr. 10-12. The History Firsthand series presents excerpts from period documents, organized under broad subject headings and introduced by a paragraph of background. Each book includes a few black-and-white illustrations. The Civil War covers secession, early victories, military service, the home front, turning points, and the end of the Confederacy. Letters, journals, and memoirs are major sources for the excerpts. For those who acknowledge that the victors have written the history books, here's an opportunity to provide a bit of balance for library collections. Sixties Coun terculture offers writings from famous figures of the period--among them, Betty Friedan, Abbie Hoffman, Timothy Leary, John Lennon, and Malcolm X. There are also firsthand accounts documenting events such as campus revolts and peace marches. Baby boomers may choke on a few of the editor's generalizations ("They [boomers] grew up in a decade that belonged to the young, where their every whim and desire was indulged"), but the overview is interesting reading, and some of the excerpts are excellent. A few selections include language that may be objectionable, though a more sanitized approach would not accurately represent the era. Carolyn Phelan
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"The contributions in the eclectic mix come from individuals such as Eleanor Roosevelt, actress June Havoc, and hobo Box-Car Bertha, with each person's perspective taking readers directly into the experience through details and eye-opening observations."
-- Booklist (May 2001) (Booklist 20010515)

"Following a thorough introduction that provides novice historians with background information, this series entry uses primary-source documents organized in a coherent chronology. With its important documents, this work will help budding historians and researchers make sense of a complex time."
-- School Library Journal (July 2002) (School Library Journal 20020701)

"These are in keeping with the aim of the series, to personalize history and, in this way, make it more meaningful."
-- School Library Journal (May 2002) (School Library Journal 20020501)

"The History Firsthand series presents excerpts from period documents, organized under broad subject heading and introduced by a paragraph of background. Each book includes a few black-and-white illustrations."
-- Booklist (Febraury 2001) (Booklist 20010215)