Saturday, January 16, 2010

Confederates in the Attic


I am reading a great book right now and thought I would share. It is Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches From the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz. Horwitz traveled throughout ten southern states to try and answer the question of why the Civil War is still so pervasive and present in southern memory. He jumps from huge issues surrounding the Confederate flag and race to seemingly silly side notes about a day in the life of a "hardcore" Civil War reenactor. Horwitz's prose is seamless, witty, and, at times, very upsetting. Being a good southerner myself, obviously, I was very upset with the recent story of a young white man being hailed as a "Confederate hero" after he was shot by an African American man in his pick up truck with a sprawling Confederate flag sticking up from the tool box. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, a lesson this book illustrates nicely, but this is my blog so it's my opinion:) This kid was no Confederate hero! From witness accounts it sounds like he was being an a-hole to a group of African American kids and things got out of hand. It's situations like this, the behavior of all parties involved, that makes us Southerners seem like morons! Anyway, that little bit hit home and really affected me. Any book that can rouse emotion in me like that, either positive or negative, is something to pay attention to.

This book has me questioning many of my notions about what it means to be a Southerner in general and a southern woman in particular. Yes, my ancestor fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. One of them was shot out of a tree by a Yankee...just ask my grandpa, he'll tell you all about it! I am fairly certain though that I can remember and honor my forbears without joining the Daughters of the Confederacy or dressing up like Scarlet O'hara an attending Civil War reenactments. Although, I think we all know I would dress up like Scarlet every day of the week if I could, but for other reasons:) Why did my grandparents all, without exception, find it necessary to "kid with" my husband from Boston before we got married with quips like "I guess we'll let a Yankee in our family." And why did my grandpa find it necessary to tell my husband the story of his grandpa getting shot out of a tree by Yankees every time he saw him? Just to make sure my Yankee wasn't here in Alabama as a spy? Warning me not to climb trees around my husband because we all know what Yankees do to Southerners in trees?

Lots to think about in this book. I give it two well-manicured thumbs up and think y'all should read it and let me know what you thought!

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