What Caused the Civil War?: Reflections on the South and Southern History

This is a must read for anyone interested in the Civil War & the south.

The title of the book is misleading, as it is not devoted to causes of the civil war. It is instead a collection of interesting and thought-provoking essays on various topics relating to Southern history. Ayers' writing is measured and thoughtful, and each essay is well-written; if only all historians had such easy-to-read prose styles. The book is easy and quick to read, and will undoubtedly set you off exploring new avenues of Southern history. It has encouraged me to read more of the works of Mr Ayers and of C. Vann Woodward.

A few years ago I read Ayers' book, "In the Presence of Mine Enemies," and was deeply impressed by his learned refusal to bow to the prevailing orthodoxy of what this war was about. "What Caused the Civil War?" takes up that theme again, though in more compressed essays. In the one on "Worrying " about the War, Ayers takes us off the grand boulevard of easy explanation, and shows us the little side roads, crooked lanes and byways that we hadn't glimpsed before. Some of the reviewers complain that the title is misleading. It is, but only if you're looking for a ready-to-wear answer. If you're looking for something more intricate, that gets you actually thinking and appreciating how difficult the question really is, you could do far, far worse. Judged by that standard, the book earns 5 stars.

Historian Edward Ayers explores the South past and present in essays that blend his personal relationship to the South with a history of its culture and concerns. Don't expect a military history alone in WHAT CAUSED THE CIVIL WAR? REFLECTIONS ON THE SOUTH AND SOUTHERN HISTORY: chapters explore sentiments about the South both within and outside of it, argue its biggest problems are misconceptions held on all sides, and provide an excellent survey. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

If you read it you will come away with insights on Reconstruction and the impossible century plus arrogance of our Northern friends. Dr. Ayers touches on some verboten topics, way out of the mainstream of standard knee jerk explanations for the Civil War. He doesn't hit you over the head with it, but it's there. As for the admittedly tedious essay on his digital endeavors, don't read it if you aren't interested in computers. Historians in the future will read it and understand Dr. Ayers as one of the pioneers in digitizing historical source documents. (PS - For what it is worth, my name is Ned Foster. My wife Lynn, who has the log-in/password info., has nothing to do with this short post).