Reviews
"Enlightening....deep, rich, and complex….Levine has left no stone unturned to tell this story." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "A lucid grassroots history of the Civil War that declines the strict use of great battles and Big Men as its fulcrum, opting instead for the people. That the book remains gripping throughout, and that Levine is still able to tease out the complexity of his wide cast of characters is a testament to his talents. In the tradition of James McPherson, Levine has produced a book that is both a work of history and literature." --Ta-Nehisi Coates "The transformative impact of the Civil War on the American South often gets lost in popular understanding of the conflict. Levine masterfully recaptures an era of unsurpassed drama and importance, illuminating the experiences of southern men and women-white and black, free and enslaved, civilians and soldiers-with a sure grasp of the historical sources and a deft literary touch." --Gary W. Gallagher, author of The Confederate War "Eloquent and illuminating...A brilliant and provocative analysis of the way in which slaves and non-elite whites transformed the conflict into a second American Revolution." --Douglas R. Egerton, author of Year of Meteors "This book limns the relationship between slavery and the rise and fall of the Confederacy more clearly and starkly than any other study. General readers and seasoned scholars alike will find new information and insights in this eye-opening account." --James M. McPherson "Levine's engrossing story chronicles the collapse of a doomed republic-the Confederate States of America-built on the unstable sands of delusion, cruelty, and folly." --Adam Goodheart, author of 1861: The Civil War Awakening "More poignantly than any book before, The Fall of the House of Dixie shows how deeply intertwined the Confederacy was with slavery, and how the destruction of both made possible a 'second American Revolution' as far-reaching as the first. This is about as close as we can get to grasping the idea of the Civil War as the pivot of American history." --David W. Blight, author of American Oracle "The idea that Southern secession was unconnected to the defense of slavery has a surprising hold on the popular historical imagination, North and South. Levine's demolition of such a misapprehension profoundly succeeds as both argument and drama." --David Roediger, coauthor of The Production of Difference "Thorough, convincing, and, in a word, brilliant. Our understanding of this central event in American history will never be the same." --Marcus Rediker, author of The Slave Ship "With this book, Levine confirms his standing among the leading Civil War historians of our time." --James Oakes, author of Freedom National "[ The Fall of the House of Dixie ] will delight and disturb-and provide much needed clarity as Americans take a fresh look at the meaning of the Civil War." --Ronald C. White, Jr., author of A. Lincoln "The story of a war waged off the battlefield, a war of politics and ideology that transformed both Southern and Northern culture unfolds brilliantly in the able hands of this fine historian." --Carol Berkin, author of Revolutionary Mothers "With his characteristic judiciousness and crystalline prose....[Levine] has, in short, written another modern classic." --Elizabeth R. Varon, author of Disunion "A fantastic piece of history...with new evidence that surprises and entertains." --Scott Gac, author of Singing for Freedom, "Levine's engrossing story chronicles the collapse of a doomed republic the Confederate States of America built on the unstable sands of delusion, cruelty, and folly." --ADAM GOODHEART, author of 1861: The Civil War Awakening "This book limns the relationship between slavery and the rise and fall of the Confederacy more clearly and starkly than any other study. General readers and seasoned scholars alike will find new information and insights in this eye-opening account." --JAMES M. MCPHERSON, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom "Bruce Levine brings us into the homes of the southern masters, vividly tracing the origins of the 'slaveholders rebellion' and its dramatic wartime collapse. With this book, Levine confirms his standing among the leading Civil War historians of our time." --JAMES OAKES, author of The Radical and the Republican "In this engrossing account of the Civil War, Bruce Levine narrates a war waged off the battlefield, a war of politics and ideology that transformed both Southern and Northern culture. As Levine traces the destruction of the House of Dixie, the tragedy of missed opportunities and terrible choices unfolds brilliantly in the able hands of this fine historian." --CAROL BERKIN, author of A Brilliant Solution "The idea that Southern secession was unconnected to the defense of slavery holds a surprising hold on the popular historical imagination, North and South. Levine's demolition of such a misapprehension profoundly succeeds as both argument and drama. No recent account better describes the stakes of the Civil War for planters and for slaves. None more compellingly shows how the defense of slavery unraveled." --DAVID ROEDIGER, author of Wages of Whiteness "Bruce Levine's treatment of the revolutionary dynamics and consequences of the Civil War is thorough, convincing, and, in a word, brilliant. Our understanding of this central event in American history will never be the same." --MARCUS REDIKER, author of The Slave Ship "With his characteristic judiciousness and crystalline prose, Levine exposes the searing irony at the heart of the Confederate experience: slaveholders' resort to war spelled the doom of slavery. Moreover, Levine's keen analysis of the North's evolving war aims brings into sharp focus what the Union victory, enduringly, achieved. He has, in short, written another modern classic." --ELIZABETH R. VARON, author of Disunion!, Advance praise for The Fall of the House of Dixie "The transformative impact of the Civil War on the American South often gets lost in popular understanding of the conflict. Levine masterfully recaptures an era of unsurpassed drama and importance, illuminating the experiences of southern men and women-white and black, free and enslaved, civilians and soldiers-with a sure grasp of the historical sources and a deft literary touch."-Gary W. Gallagher, author of The Confederate War "Eloquent and illuminating . . . Shifting away from traditional accounts that emphasize generals and campaigns, Levine instead offers a brilliant and provocative analysis of the way in which slaves and non-elite whites transformed the conflict into a second American Revolution."-Douglas R. Egerton, author of Year of Meteors "More poignantly than any book before, The Fall of the House of Dixie shows how deeply intertwined the Confederacy was with slavery, and how the destruction of both made possible a 'second American Revolution' as far-reaching as the first. This is about as close as we can get to grasping the idea of the Civil War as the pivot of American history."-David W. Blight, author of American Oracle "This book limns the relationship between slavery and the rise and fall of the Confederacy more clearly and starkly than any other study. General readers and seasoned scholars alike will find new information and insights in this eye-opening account."-James M. McPherson "Levine's engrossing story chronicles the collapse of a doomed republic-the Confederate States of America-built on the unstable sands of delusion, cruelty, and folly."-Adam Goodheart, author of 1861: The Civil War Awakening "The idea that Southern secession was unconnected to the defense of slavery has a surprising hold on the popular historical imagination, North and South. Levine's demolition of such a misapprehension profoundly succeeds as both argument and drama."-David Roediger, coauthor of The Production of Difference "Thorough, convincing, and, in a word, brilliant. Our understanding of this central event in American history will never be the same."-Marcus Rediker, author of The Slave Ship "With this book, Levine confirms his standing among the leading Civil War historians of our time."-James Oakes, author of Freedom National "[ The Fall of the House of Dixie ] will delight and disturb-and provide much needed clarity as Americans take a fresh look at the meaning of the Civil War."-Ronald C. White, Jr., author of A. Lincoln "The story of a war waged off the battlefield, a war of politics and ideology that transformed both Southern and Northern culture unfolds brilliantly in the able hands of this fine historian."-Carol Berkin, author of Revolutionary Mothers, "A gripping, lucid grassroots history of the Civil War that declines the strict use of great battles and Big Men as its fulcrum, opting instead for the people . . . In the tradition of James McPherson, Levine has produced a book that is a work of both history and literature." -Ta-Nehisi Coates, author of The Beautiful Struggle "Levine illuminates the experiences of southern men and women-white and black, free and enslaved, civilians and soldiers-with a sure grasp of the historical sources and a deft literary touch. He masterfully recaptures an era of unsurpassed drama and importance." -Gary W. Gallagher, author of The Confederate War "More poignantly than any book before, The Fall of the House of Dixie shows how deeply intertwined the Confederacy was with slavery, and how the destruction of both made possible a 'second American revolution' as far-reaching as the first." -David W. Blight, author of American Oracle "This book limns the relationship between slavery and the rise and fall of the Confederacy more clearly and starkly than any other study. General readers and seasoned scholars alike will find new information and insights in this eye-opening account." -James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom "Levine's engrossing story chronicles the collapse of a doomed republic-the Confederate States of America-built on the unstable sands of delusion, cruelty, and folly." -Adam Goodheart, author of 1861: The Civil War Awakening "In this splendidly colorful account, the author compares the old South's disintegration to 'The Fall of the House of Usher,' where microscopic cracks in the mansion's foundation gradually widen until the building implodes. . . . A sensitive, informed rendering of the wrenching reformation of the South [told] with the ease and authority borne of decades of study." -Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Enlightening . . . a deep, rich, and complex analysis." -Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Masterful....Levine's employment of testimonies by slaveholders, slaves, and pro-Union Southerners is effective and often poignant." -- Booklist "Bruce Levine vividly traces the origins of the 'slaveholders' rebellion' and its dramatic wartime collapse. With this book, he confirms his standing among the leading Civil War historians of our time."-James Oakes, author of Freedom National "Eloquent and illuminating . . . Shifting away from traditional accounts that emphasize generals and campaigns, Levine instead offers a brilliant and provocative analysis of the way in which slaves and non-elite whites transformed the conflict into a second American Revolution."-Douglas R. Egerton, author of Year of Meteors "The idea that Southern secession was unconnected to the defense of slavery has a surprising hold on the popular historical imagination, North and South. Levine's demolition of such a misapprehension profoundly succeeds as both argument and drama."-David Roediger, coauthor of The Production of Difference "Thorough, convincing, and, in a word, brilliant. Our understanding of this central event in American history will never be the same."-Marcus Rediker, author of The Slave Ship "[ The Fall of the House of Dixie ] will delight and disturb-and provide much needed clarity as Americans take a fresh look at the meaning of the Civil War."-Ronald C. White, Jr., author of A. Lincoln "The story of a war waged off the battlefield, a war of politics and ideology that transformed both Southern and Northern culture unfolds brilliantly in the able hands of this fine historian."-Carol Berkin, author of Revolutionary Mothers, Advance praise for The Fall of the House of Dixie "A gripping, lucid grassroots history of the Civil War that declines the strict use of great battles and Big Men as its fulcrum, opting instead for the people . . . In the tradition of James McPherson, Levine has produced a book that is a work of both history and literature."-Ta-Nehisi Coates "Levine illuminates the experiences of southern men and women-white and black, free and enslaved, civilians and soldiers-with a sure grasp of the historical sources and a deft literary touch. He masterfully recaptures an era of unsurpassed drama and importance."-Gary W. Gallagher, author of The Confederate War "More poignantly than any book before, The Fall of the House of Dixie shows how deeply intertwined the Confederacy was with slavery, and how the destruction of both made possible a 'second American revolution' as far-reaching as the first."-David W. Blight, author of American Oracle "This book limns the relationship between slavery and the rise and fall of the Confederacy more clearly and starkly than any other study. General readers and seasoned scholars alike will find new information and insights in this eye-opening account."-James M. McPherson, author of War on the Waters "Levine's engrossing story chronicles the collapse of a doomed republic-the Confederate States of America-built on the unstable sands of delusion, cruelty, and folly."-Adam Goodheart, author of 1861: The Civil War Awakening "In this splendidly colorful account, the author compares the old South's disintegration to 'The Fall of the House of Usher,' where microscopic cracks in the mansion's foundation gradually widen until the building implodes. . . . A sensitive, informed rendering of the wrenching reformation of the South [told] with the ease and authority borne of decades of study." -Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Enlightening . . . a deep, rich, and complex analysis." -Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Bruce Levine vividly traces the origins of the 'slaveholders' rebellion' and its dramatic wartime collapse. With this book, he confirms his standing among the leading Civil War historians of our time."-James Oakes, author of Freedom National "Eloquent and illuminating . . . Shifting away from traditional accounts that emphasize generals and campaigns, Levine instead offers a brilliant and provocative analysis of the way in which slaves and non-elite whites transformed the conflict into a second American Revolution."-Douglas R. Egerton, author of Year of Meteors "The idea that Southern secession was unconnected to the defense of slavery has a surprising hold on the popular historical imagination, North and South. Levine's demolition of such a misapprehension profoundly succeeds as both argument and drama."-David Roediger, coauthor of The Production of Difference "Thorough, convincing, and, in a word, brilliant. Our understanding of this central event in American history will never be the same."-Marcus Rediker, author of The Slave Ship "[ The Fall of the House of Dixie ] will delight and disturb-and provide much needed clarity as Americans take a fresh look at the meaning of the Civil War."-Ronald C. White, Jr., author of A. Lincoln "The story of a war waged off the battlefield, a war of politics and ideology that transformed both Southern and Northern culture unfolds brilliantly in the able hands of this fine historian."-Carol Berkin, author of Revolutionary Mothers, "This book limns the relationship between slavery and the rise and fall of the Confederacy more clearly and starkly than any other study. General readers and seasoned scholars alike will find new information and insights in this eye-opening account." --JAMES M. MCPHERSON, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom "Levine's engrossing story chronicles the collapse of a doomed republic the Confederate States of America built on the unstable sands of delusion, cruelty, and folly." --ADAM GOODHEART, author of 1861: The Civil War Awakening "Bruce Levine takes readers back into the turbulent world of the mid-19th century, illuminating the experiences of southern men and women--white and black, free and enslaved, civilians and soldiers--with a sure grasp of the historical sources and a deft literary touch. He masterfully recaptures an era of unsurpassed drama and importance ." --GARY W. GALLAGHER, author of The Confederate War "In this eloquent and illuminating study, Bruce Levine reveals how a slaveholding minority destroyed their plantation world through the self-inflicted wound of secession and war. Shifting away from traditional accounts that emphasize generals and campaigns, Levine instead offers a brilliant and provocative analysis of the way in which slaves and non-elite whites transformed the conflict into a second American Revolution." --DOUGLAS R. EGERTON, author of Year of Meteors "In this engrossing account of the Civil War, Bruce Levine narrates a war waged off the battlefield, a war of politics and ideology that transformed both Southern and Northern culture. As Levine traces the destruction of the House of Dixie, the tragedy of missed opportunities and terrible choices unfolds brilliantly in the able hands of this fine historian ." --CAROL BERKIN, author of A Brilliant Solution "Bruce Levine brings us into the homes of the southern masters, vividly tracing the origins of the 'slaveholders rebellion' and its dramatic wartime collapse. With this book, Levine confirms his standing among the leading Civil War historians of our time ." --JAMES OAKES, author of The Radical and the Republican "With his characteristic judiciousness and crystalline prose , Levine exposes the searing irony at the heart of the Confederate experience: slaveholders' resort to war spelled the doom of slavery. Moreover, Levine's keen analysis of the North's evolving war aims brings into sharp focus what the Union victory, enduringly, achieved. He has, in short, written another modern classic ." --ELIZABETH R. VARON, author of Disunion! "The idea that Southern secession was unconnected to the defense of slavery holds a surprising hold on the popular historical imagination, North and South. Levine's demolition of such a misapprehension profoundly succeeds as both argument and drama . No recent account better describes the stakes of the Civil War for planters and for slaves. None more compellingly shows how the defense of slavery unraveled." --DAVID ROEDIGER, author of Wages of Whiteness "Bruce Levine's treatment of the revolutionary dynamics and consequences of the Civil War is thorough, convincing, and, in a word, brilliant. Our understanding of this central event in American history will never be the same ." --MARCUS REDIKER, author of The Slave Ship
