Antique Store Finds

Sunday afternoon, while out and about, my wife and I stopped in at one of our favorite antique malls in eastern North Carolina. I have occasionally found odds and ends of interest to me there, and on this trip I stumbled across two minor gems that seem very timely given recent events.

First, I picked up an autographed hardcover copy of Confederates in the Attic at the very reasonable price of $5.00. Now, I've had a paperback copy of this book for almost 20 years, but I never pass up the opportunity to replace paperback with hardcover if the book in question is in good shape and the price is right. This book was both, and the author's autograph made it even better.

Though I haven't read the book in years, I think it is still very relevant to today's ongoing debate over Confederate iconography.

The second find was more interesting still. I found a copy of the inaugural issue of the journal Southern Cultures. While I normally would not buy a random issue of a journal, the lead article in this one was an article by Catherine Bishir entitled "Landmarks of Power: Building a Southern Past, 1855-1915". If you click the link, this article is available to read free online, something that was done in the wake of the Charlottesville violence last summer. Given the recent debates here in North Carolina, this article surely provides important context.

I always joke with my wife that I should not go to antique stores with her because I am the one who always ends up spending money. However, I would say that the dollars spent on Sunday were well worth it.