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Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War Paperback – February 22, 1999

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,904 ratings

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent takes us on an explosive adventure into the soul of the unvanquished South, where Civil War reenactors, battlefield visitors, and fans of history resurrect the ghosts of the Lost Cause through ritual and remembrance.  

"The freshest book about divisiveness in America that I have read in some time. This splendid commemoration of the war and its legacy ... is an eyes–open, humorously no–nonsense survey of complicated Americans." —
The New York Times Book Review

For all who remain intrigued by the legacy of the Civil War—reenactors, battlefield visitors, Confederate descendants and other Southerners, history fans, students of current racial conflicts, and more—this ten-state adventure is part travelogue, part social commentary and always good-humored. 
 
When prize-winning war correspondent Tony Horwitz leaves the battlefields of Bosnia and the Middle East for a peaceful corner of the Blue Ridge Mountains, he thinks he's put war zones behind him. But awakened one morning by the crackle of musket fire, Horwitz starts filing front-line dispatches again this time from a war close to home, and to his own heart.

Propelled by his boyhood passion for the Civil War, Horwitz embarks on a search for places and people still held in thrall by America's greatest conflict. In Virginia, Horwitz joins a band of 'hardcore' reenactors who crash-diet to achieve the hollow-eyed look of starved Confederates; in Kentucky, he witnesses Klan rallies and calls for race war sparked by the killing of a white man who brandishes a rebel flag; at Andersonville, he finds that the prison's commander, executed as a war criminal, is now exalted as a martyr and hero; and in the book's climax, Horwitz takes a marathon trek from Antietam to Gettysburg to Appomattox in the company of Robert Lee Hodge, an eccentric pilgrim who dubs their odyssey the 'Civil Wargasm.'

Written with Horwitz's signature blend of humor, history, and hard-nosed journalism, Confederates in the Attic brings alive old battlefields and the new 'classrooms, courts, country bars' where the past and the present collide, often in explosive ways.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The freshest book about divisiveness in America that I have read in some time. This splendid commemoration of the war and its legacy ... is an eyes–open, humorously no–nonsense survey of complicated Americans." —Roy Blount Jr., New York Times Book Review

"In this sparkling book Horwitz explores some of our culture's myths with the irreverent glee of a small boy hurling snowballs at a beaver hat.... An important contribution to understanding how echoes of the Civil War have never stopped." —
USA Today

Horwitz's chronicle of his odyssey through the nether and ethereal worlds of Confederatemania is by turns amusing, chilling, poignant, and always fascinating. He has found the Lost Cause and lived to tell the tale a wonderfully piquant tale of hard-core reenactors, Scarlett O'Hara look-alikes, and people who reshape Civil War history to suit the way they wish it had come out. If you want to know why the war isn't over yet in the South, read
Confederates in the Attic to find out." —James McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom

From the Back Cover

When prize-winning war correspondent Tony Horwitz leaves the battlefields of Bosnia and the Middle East for a peaceful corner of the Blue Ridge Mountains, he thinks he's put war zones behind him. But awakened one morning by the crackle of musket fire, Horwitz starts filing front-line dispatches again this time from a war close to home, and to his own heart.
Propelled by his boyhood passion for the Civil War, Horwitz embarks on a search for places and people still held in thrall by America's greatest conflict. The result is an adventure into the soul of the unvanquished South, where the ghosts of the Lost Cause are resurrected through ritual and remembrance.
In Virginia, Horwitz joins a band of 'hardcore' reenactors who crash-diet to achieve the hollow-eyed look of starved Confederates; in Kentucky, he witnesses Klan rallies and calls for race war sparked by the killing of a white man who brandishes a rebel flag; at Andersonville, he finds that the prison's commander, executed as a war criminal, is now exalted as a martyr and hero; and in the book's climax, Horwitz takes a marathon trek from Antietam to Gettysburg to Appomattox in the company of Robert Lee Hodge, an eccentric pilgrim who dubs their odyssey the 'Civil Wargasm.'
Written with Horwitz's signature blend of humor, history, and hard-nosed journalism, Confederates in the Attic brings alive old battlefields and new ones 'classrooms, courts, country bars' where the past and the present collide, often in explosive ways. Poignant and picaresque, haunting and hilarious, it speaks to anyone who has ever felt drawn to the mythic South and to the dark romance of the Civil War.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage (February 22, 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 067975833X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0679758334
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 years and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.1 x 0.89 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,904 ratings

About the author

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Tony Horwitz
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Tony is a native of Washington, D.C., and a graduate of Brown University and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. He spent a decade overseas as a foreign correspondent, mainly covering wars and conflicts for The Wall Street Journal. After returning to the U.S., he won the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting and wrote for The New Yorker before becoming a full-time author.

His books include the national and New York Times bestsellers, Confederates in the Attic, Blue Latitudes, Baghdad Without a Map and A Voyage Long and Strange. Midnight Rising, was named a New York Times Notable Book of 2011; one of the year’s ten best books by Library Journal; and won the 2012 William Henry Seward Award for Excellence in Civil War Biography. His latest, BOOM, is his first ebook, about a journey through the tar sands and along the route of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Tony has also been a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, and a visiting scholar at the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University. He lives with his wife, Geraldine Brooks, and their sons, Nathaniel and Bizu, on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,904 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book insightful and informative about the South. They describe it as an enjoyable, entertaining read with good writing quality. Readers appreciate the humor and humorous characters encountered by the author. The travel story is described as fascinating and well-written. The style is described as zesty and charming.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

163 customers mention "Insight"163 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and well-written. They say it makes history meaningful and instructive about a part of the country and ways of life that Westerners knew. The book provides an eye-opening account at a part of American history that we still live, providing plenty of facts about the War and a comparative record of distinct perspectives.

"Both eye opening and fun at same time. I enjoy reading this a lot." Read more

"...I think his efforts reveal interesting and informative things and people, but overall, there are stretches in the book that drag on and on with..." Read more

"...just as compelling, and the book is, perhaps, even more poignant in it's observations, given the current climate...." Read more

"...He also talks with dozens of people (both Civil War experts and simple folk) about such topics as slavery, The Daughters of the Confederacy, the..." Read more

124 customers mention "Readability"124 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor and find it entertaining. They describe it as a great read for anyone interested in learning more about the topic.

"Both eye opening and fun at same time. I enjoy reading this a lot." Read more

"Had to order a copy for myself, it's such a great read. I went with used, came quickly & in really nice shape...." Read more

"...the book in about two days, back in 1996 or '97- it was a terrific read. I loaned it to someone, and never got it back...." Read more

"...The most enjoyable parts of the book involve Horwitz tagging along with some hardcore re-enactors...." Read more

74 customers mention "Writing quality"71 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book. They find it well-written, poignant, and flowing like a travelogue. The author does a good job walking the reader through the major battles in the Civil War with crisp summaries of achievements. The book skillfully weaves wonderful stories skillfully around its theme of the War between the States.

"...- A Long Strange Story,” a later work, is comparatively fabulous, a flowing read and although it is another prolonged road trip, riding along with..." Read more

"...The funny stuff is just as funny, the narrative just as compelling, and the book is, perhaps, even more poignant in it's observations, given the..." Read more

"...It's a fascinating book and Horwitz tells a great story...brilliant writer with incredible observation skills...." Read more

"...Dozens of wonderful stories skillfully woven around his theme of the undying War Between the States and its lingering affects on whites and blacks..." Read more

41 customers mention "Humor"38 positive3 negative

Customers find the book humorous and insightful. They say it's funny, whimsical, and a nice read.

"...The funny stuff is just as funny, the narrative just as compelling, and the book is, perhaps, even more poignant in it's observations, given the..." Read more

"...state and they are informative, disturbing, poignant, and often downright hysterical...." Read more

"...I thoroughly enjoyed Tony Horwitz’s book. It is both whimsical and insightful. It holds a mirror up to the American nation and its southern states...." Read more

"...It’s humorous, surprising, and really tells how ridiculous the whole thing is." Read more

40 customers mention "Travel story"33 positive7 negative

Customers find the travel story engaging and informative. They describe it as a personal journey through the South, with an interesting mix of history, humor, honesty, anger, and prejudice. The real encounters described in the book hold their attention throughout.

"...It’s humorous, surprising, and really tells how ridiculous the whole thing is." Read more

"...Or if you like a good travel story or astoundingly great character sketches...." Read more

"...The book itself is a terrific read! Tony Horwitz writes with flair, imagination and wit, but in this book, he also presents a serious and sometimes..." Read more

"...It is a virtual travelogue of the South with respect to the Civil War and its modern effects...." Read more

20 customers mention "Style"17 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the book's style. They find it entertaining, charming, and humorous. The author provides a well-balanced look at the South's memory of the Civil War and its aftermath. Readers appreciate the visually accurate descriptions and historical vignettes. Overall, they describe the book as cool and enjoyable to read.

"...I went with used, came quickly & in really nice shape. Every Tony Horwitz book I've read has been great!" Read more

"This book really depicts the south with a very zesty style. Tony Horwitz is brilliant!" Read more

"...He does not have a soapbox. The re-enactors and various keepers of the flame are so colorful that no one could invent them, not even Charles..." Read more

"...The book itself is a terrific read! Tony Horwitz writes with flair, imagination and wit, but in this book, he also presents a serious and sometimes..." Read more

18 customers mention "Character study"16 positive2 negative

Customers find the book's character study interesting and well-written. They appreciate the real-life characters and their deep feelings for portraying Confederate soldiers. The book offers a different view of civil war personalities, with some disturbing portraits of people trapped by the war's issues. It provides a good view of the different types of people interested in the civil war, as well as local events and emotions clearly described. Readers mention that the author hangs out with reenactors and gains insight into the romanticism of being a re-enactor.

"...The people are real, not caricatures. The book is tons of fun, and you will certainly laugh out loud, but it's not a make-fun-of-rednecks book." Read more

"...The author hangs out with re-enactors, gains some insight into the romanticism of being a "rebel"..." Read more

"...The people Tony encounters are funny, sad, biased, proud, and part of America...." Read more

"...Reenactors are profiled (the author embeds himself in one group). Southern locals also provide their views about the War...." Read more

14 customers mention "Erasure"11 positive3 negative

Customers find the book refreshing and entertaining. They appreciate the author's unique perspective on history and how current the subject matter is. The book brings back memories for many readers, bringing them back to personal experiences in the South. It serves as a contemporary window into the passions surrounding the War between the States.

"...you know much or next to nothing about "The Civil War", this lively and immensely entertaining book will add significantly to your knowledge..." Read more

"...Horwitz did an outstanding job of staying netural while writing this refreshing and entertaining look at many sides of the issues...." Read more

"...Horwitz takes a unique look at our history, and makes it kinda fun to learn about...." Read more

"...criticism, and really is no the fault of the book, is that it is dated somewhat...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2024
    Both eye opening and fun at same time. I enjoy reading this a lot.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2021
    Me. Horwitz covers the multifaceted Southern mindset of attitudes about the War of Southern Rebellion. I think his efforts reveal interesting and informative things and people, but overall, there are stretches in the book that drag on and on with little reward in the end. I think his work about “Rediscovering the New World - A Long Strange Story,” a later work, is comparatively fabulous, a flowing read and although it is another prolonged road trip, riding along with him was worth it. It's amazing how much history we accept as ‘real,’ isn't.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2024
    Had to order a copy for myself, it's such a great read. I went with used, came quickly & in really nice shape. Every Tony Horwitz book I've read has been great!
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2017
    My late brother moved to Maryland (from Vermont) back in the early '90's. He gave me a copy of this book while on a visit "home" some years later. Being a "Yankee," (even worse, being brought up in Canada,) I had little understanding of the depth of feeling that many Southerners had (and still have) to the "Lost Cause" that was the Civil War. I let it sit on my bookshelf for quite a while, the subject of Civil War re-enactors was of little interest to yours truly, ( I likened it to grown men playing "Cowboys and Indians,) then I picked it up. I remember devouring the book in about two days, back in 1996 or '97- it was a terrific read. I loaned it to someone, and never got it back.
    I got to thinking about the book after the horrific church shooting in Charleston, S.C. a few years back. That, along with the historic Obama Presidency (though I was never was a fan or supporter of his ) made me think of all the progress we've made as a Nation, but all the hard work left to do. An acquaintance, who has Southern roots, and spent much of his life as a professor at a "historically Black college," remembered the book and the author-I ordered it the next day. I read it much more slowly this time, savoring the atmosphere and Horwitz's story telling. The funny stuff is just as funny, the narrative just as compelling, and the book is, perhaps, even more poignant in it's observations, given the current climate.What with the ongoing, perhaps never-ending debates over the Confederate flag, and the dismantling of Confederate memorials all over the South, I've come to the conclusion that I will be able to re-read this excellent account twenty years from now, and the Civil War (or War Between the States,) will still be "unfinished."
    57 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2004
    Millions of words have been written about the Civil War, but Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Tony Horwitz, provides some refreshing insights in Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War. Traveling through ten different states, Horwitz sets out to answer several ageold questions about The Civil War (or The Late Great Unpleasantness or The War of Northern Aggression-depending on which side you're on). But first and foremost, why can't Southerners put the Civil War behind them? Why do so many of them insist on living in the past? Each chapter is written from a different state and they are informative, disturbing, poignant, and often downright hysterical. Just the chapter names are amusing including "At the Foote of the Master" (about expert Shelby Foote), "Gone With the Window" (about Atlanta's continuing obsession with Gone With the Wind), and "The Oldest Confederate Widow Tells Some."
    Horwitz traipses through battlefields, camps with re-enactors, seeks out little-known stories, and checks out dusty museums and personal collections. He also talks with dozens of people (both Civil War experts and simple folk) about such topics as slavery, The Daughters of the Confederacy, the Confederate flag controversy, Civil Rights, prisoner of war camps, The Ku Klux Klan, and various Civil War luminaries.
    The most enjoyable parts of the book involve Horwitz tagging along with some hardcore re-enactors. His romantic vision of a cozy re-enactment weekend (complete with camp fire, hardy stew and good camaraderie) is quickly burst when he's made to remove or discard almost everything he has including his clothes, eyeglasses and food (they're not vintage 1860's). Also, Confederate re-enactors tend to constantly starve themselves to obtain the appearance of emaciated Southern soldiers. Some hardcores even go so far as to soak uniform buttons in urine to achieve the correct "patina." This sounds more like work than fun.
    Horwitz definitely provides us with some new material, interesting observations, and refreshing insights. In fact, I enjoyed it enough after reading it that I purchased the unabridged book on tape so that my husband and I could listen to it while traveling. I can't think of too many nonfiction books that I've enjoyed more!
    8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Dunroving
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fun jaunt through the southern states of the US
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 15, 2023
    I thoroughly enjoyed reading this factual account of the author's trip around the southern states of the US. Although it is nonfiction, it really tells a series of vignettes, more like the style of fiction. Full of facts and dates, but not a boring historical recitation. The central premise of the book was to explore how "modern" (bearing in mind the 1999 publication date) residents of the South think of the American Civil War, which ended over 130 years earlier. Having lived in the US South myself, I loved the descriptions of society in its broadest terms, and the near-obsession of Southern US residents with the "War of Northern Aggression" as they describe it. The most enjoyable chapters describe the author's participation in Civil War reenactments, and his warm character portrayal of his companion Robert Lee Hodge, with whom the author took a lengthy road trip. The writing style makes it easy to read in one sitting, or spread out over several weeks and read piecemeal. Thoroughly recommended!
  • P. Edwards
    5.0 out of 5 stars Time has come around to revisit this work.
    Reviewed in Canada on August 9, 2015
    A friend recommended this work years ago and I suddenly thought of looking for a used copy on Amazon. I could not believe what a timely read it is with the recent events in S.C., complete with the battle flag debate and latent racial fears (and overt, of course). Amazing how 15 years have passed and the needle has moved so little (or not amazing, considering the central thesis of the book). Anyway, it is a great read, sprawling, tragicomic and a fascinating look into the abilities and methods of really fine journalism - just chock full of the most astounding interviews.
  • Raymond W Bailey
    4.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed the book from a storytelling perspective
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 12, 2016
    Bought after hearing about it on YouTube, I enjoyed the book from a storytelling perspective. I am sure that it is factual, but as I don`t live in America I am somewhat vague on its topography. enjoyable read.
  • William Bickford
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must read and potentially re-read
    Reviewed in Canada on December 2, 2016
    Excellent read for those interested in Civil War history and Southern culture. The story line is extremely engaging and raises a lot of curiosity vis-à-vis how the visits to Confederacy enthusiasts would compare to modern day South. A must read! Makes me want to revisit Charleston and see it through different eyes.
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2011
    This is a stunning book, which as another British reviewer stated is a riveting read...think 'Bill Bryson tours the Confederacy'. However I found it rather a sad tale of a seemingly unbridgeable divide between the black and white races, treated with equal fairness by the author who notes that both hunger for a more certain world where dragons roamed the earth and battle could be joined in a clear cut contest between good and evil. Seemingly however, some of those who considered themselves good guys would be wearing white hoods instead of hats. My copy was published 12 years ago but a check of various websites in 2011 seems to show no improvement.
    Also I had wanted to visit several of the battle sites mentioned, Bull Run (Manassas), Harpers Ferry etc. but this book has also taught me to be more discerning and check for those better preserved...so a real must for potential visitors.
    One person found this helpful
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