Nothing New

That's correct; there is literally nothing much new to report, which is why I've neglected the blog for over a week. Also on the topic of nothing new, I just finished reading Jack Larkin's The Reshaping of Everyday Life, 1790-1840. It was very well done, but certainly nothing I didn't already know. But, from time to time, its good to brush up on areas of history that we study very little. So I'm on to something new (literally). I just received this book last week from History Book Club. It is shorter than I realized, so should be a quick read. I'll be reading The Scratch of a Pen: 1763 and the Transformation of North America by Colin G. Calloway. I haven't read anything on the French & Indian War, as we call it, in quite a while and this promises to be something more than simple military history. Once I finish this, I will probably return to my usual fare of Civil War and American Revolution oriented studies.

Interesting Few Days

On Saturday we had a great time at Fort Fisher's 144th anniversary program. It was crystal clear, but cold, and the visitor turnout was tremendous. Had a good day firing the artillery as you can see in the photo below, taken by Mattie McMurray.

Sunday was a great sports day. The Pens shut out the Rangers 3-0 and the Steelers are headed to the Super Bowl. After all of this, the holiday on Monday felt more like a Sunday.

Today is just strange. We're supposed to be having truckloads of snow dumped on us, but so far, its been just enough to dust the trees a bit. Maybe we'll get more later, but this is looking like a bust at this point and I'm wondering if I should have gone to the office. Oh well, better safe than sorry. I'll just lounge around and read my book all day.

Reading Something Slightly Different

If you take a look at the "What I'm Currently Reading" section on the right hand side of the blog page, you will see something very different - a book that is not in the military history genre. I had to take a break from that kind of stuff for a little while and absorb a lot of what I've read over the past month. So, to give my brain a break, I'm reading Jack Larkin's The Reshaping of Everyday Life: 1790-1840. Yes, that's right, I'm reading a bit of "the new social history"..........that was a joke, people! I am not so antiquated and old-fashioned in my way of thinking; I just like saying "the new social history." It just sounds cool, you know. I remember when I was in grad school (1996-99), everytime I heard someone use that term I thought to myself, "damn, its been around for about 30 years now; when will it no longer be new?" So here's my hat tip to (say it with me one more time) "the new social history."

My Brain Hurts....

....and this is why. Undoubtedly some of you are familiar with Marc Kruman's book, Parties and Politics in North Carolina, 1836-1865. I've been reading the section of the book that deals with the years 1844-1850. I'm trying to explain differences between North Carolina Whigs and Democrats over issues such as the organization of the Oregon Territory, annexation of Texas, Mexican War, and the territories acquired as a result of that war, in relation to the defense of slavery and southern rights. Oh yeah, and I have to write it in such a way that 8th graders can understand it! That's why my brain hurts. Anybody have any suggestions?

Interesting Post on Civil War Librarian

Take a look at this post from the blog Civil War Librarian about a reproduction Civil War era coffee wagon. I would love to see this at an event. What a great idea! I wonder how much they charge for a cup?

New Book Forthcoming

I know I've mentioned this book previously, but I was reminded of it again when I caught this post on Past In The Present. And if you haven't looked at Michael Lynch's blog you should!

Earl Hess' Take on the Rifle Musket

I just finished reading one of the most talked-about books in the Civil War genre over the last few months, The Rifle Musket in Civil War Combat by Earl J. Hess. The author's purpose is to break the traditional interpretation of the effects of the rifle musket on Civil War battles. Through anecdotal evidence and statistical analysis, he makes a solid case that the rifle musket did not have the tremendous effect attributed to it in the standard traditional interpretation. He also examines the practices of skirmishing and sniping in the Civil War and how the development of better weapons contributed to these two practices. I think the book is a must read for anyone interested in the strict military history of the conflict. There were chapters that I found difficult to plow through, as Hess has overloaded the book with examples, comparisons, and statistics. The tremendous amount of detail certainly solidifies his point, but at times I found it tedious. In fact, one could skip over Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 9 without missing the point of the book. Obviously, those were the chapters that bogged me down, personally. However, even without those four chapters the author's argument is made perfectly clear and well-supported. The bibliography is also extremely useful for tracking down contemporary sources, particularly drill manuals, treatises on the use of rifles, etc. I will recommend this book to all staff members at our Civil War sites in NC. It very well could change the way they interpret the weapon.

Off Topic - Football Post

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was selected AP Defensive Player of the Year. This guy is a monster, and quite possibly the best Steelers linebacker since Mike Merriweather. There have been a lot of very good ones since then, but Harrison is awesome. It's nice to see him getting the credit he deserves.

Another Book Down and the End of the Holiday Break

Today is the final day of my holiday break, which was longer this year (15 days) than it has been recently. Tomorrow I head back to the office and later this week I will also start spring semester classes at the colleges where I teach. So the nose is headed back to the old grindstone, and soon!

This morning I managed to complete my second book in the past week, The Drillmaster of Valley Forge by Paul Lockhart. While I don't feel qualified to evaluate this book within the context of Rev War historiography, I feel very comfortable recommending this book to anyone interested in the topic. As with the Gus Fox biography, this book is very well-written, places it's subject within the context of events, and is readable and enjoyable. The author definitely is a defender of Steuben, and writes passionately to that end. Next on the reading list is The Rifle Musket in Civil War Combat by Earl Hess. I am really looking forward to this book, which has already garnered much critical acclaim. Of course, since it's back to work this week, the reading pace will probably be much slower.