SOCIAL SCIENCES

Living Hell: The Dark Side of the Civil War

by Michael C.C. Adams
Johns Hopkins. 2014. 292p. notes. index. ISBN 9781421412214. $29.95; ebk. ISBN 9781421412221. HIST
COPY ISBN
OrangeReviewStarAdams (Echoes of War) eschews the celebratory patinas of Civil War memorials to reveal the extremely dark sides of the war. Using soldiers' accounts, the author describes the misery, gore, and futility—"the real war"—that poet Walt Whitman omitted in his works. Adams describes it all: the disease and desperation that led soldiers to have mental and physical breakdowns, the life-altering injuries and post-traumatic stress disorders suffered by those on the front lines, the ravages and rapes of civilians by invading and retreating armies, and much more. Insisting that we have glorified the war too much and, thus, betrayed history, Adams aims to right the course with his honesty. He also ponders the questions of how and why we have come to adore the Civil War and have, as a result, minimized its terrible truths.
VERDICT This essential book gives soldiers their due and presents the realities of war in a way few have dared. Ideal for anyone interested in military history.
Reviewed by Randall M. Miller, St. Joseph's Univ., Philadelphia , Aug 01, 2014
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