Book Description
Hailed by feminists as one of the most important contributions to women's studies in the last decade, this gripping, beautifully written account describes the daily struggles of women under the Marxist regime in the former republic of Yugoslavia.
Customer Reviews:
Good Feminist Primer for Study of the Eastern Bloc.......2007-01-15
This collection of essays on life under Communism in Eastern Europe provides a unique perspective on the failure of the Communist system. Particularly memorable anecdotes include the author's misgivings over buying her daughter a Barbie doll and the actions and behaviors which became commonplace in a society in which (and this is emphasized) everyone lived in moderate to extreme poverty.
It is extremely difficult to find any personal narratives concerning Communism which are more or less politically unbiased. The author of this work seems to hold a sort of nOSTalgia for the days under Communism as a time of equality, even though this equality set the standards of living extremely low. The perspective of which this book comes from seems to be predominantly a feminist, as opposed to left or right wing, perspective, making for an enlightening read.
The bare bones downfalls of Communism are extrapolated and explored with an eye and mind which rarely condemns Communism, but rather identifies problems with an air of disappointment. The most striking shortcoming is the lack of tampons or alternatives, demonstrating the government's inability to deal with even the most basic needs of the female population.
I recommend this book as a valuable primary source for the study of the Eastern Bloc, the disinitigration of the European Communist regimes, and for a feminist perspective on some of the most glaring political issues of the 20th century.
Reader, beware..........2004-02-09
I would have given this book three and a half stars if I had the option; but I don't, so I am giving it four, all on account of its good narrative and occasional wit.
I keep hearing and reading about what an "eye-opener" this book has been for readers in Western countries. That is all well and fine; many of the things she describes are valid information.
The problem is that this book, by empathizing (and rightly so) with the everday noodle-and-darning plight of "sisters" in other so-called Communist regimes (all of whom had a MUCH harder time than we in the former Yugoslavia ever did) tends to blur not only the HUGE political and social nuances and distinctions among the various "Communist" countries, but also inside ex-Yugoslavia itself. In short, the so-called Communist "block" was never really a "block" - it was a tapestry of many nuances and textures, depending on the country.
Admittedly, I belong to a different generation than Ms. Drakuliæ. Furthermore, I was born and grew up in the northern part of the country, called Slovenia (now, an independent state), which was, incidentally, the "richest" part of Yugoslavia. (And BTW: I don't recall any of her interlocutors in the book being a Slovene... Why not? Maybe because the situation in Slovenia wouldn't fit in with the utterly dismal picture that she is painting?)
Here are some facts: often, there were (usually short-term) shortages of different things: sugar, bananas, chocolate, detergent... I even remember a shortage of toilet paper, once. But never all at the same time, and never for very long. We never queued, like the unfortunate peoples of the Soviet satellite states. I for one DID have dolls, very pretty ones (no, NOT rag dolls) - 18 of them! If there ever was a shortage of tampons (I never use them), I certainly don't remember any shortage of sanitary towels. We were always nicely dressed and made-up; and if the clothes on offer in our own country didn't suit us, we'd make a 2 hour trip to nearby Italy, where we could buy more trendy attire. (Nobody in my family ever did that, BTW.)
No, I am not one of those short-memoried "nostalgics" who mourn the demise of the Titoist regime and the fallacy of the infamous "unity & fraternity" slogans of those days... In fact, I did every thing that I could to help erode it and bring it down.
I just resent history - ANY history - being "tailored" to suit the prefabricated expectations of foreign readers.
Had Ms. Drakuliæ decided to include a "girl talk" with a Slovene or two - who were even her "compatriots" in those times, after all - a picture slightly more complex would emerge. And maybe then people elsewhere wouldn't have been surprised by the news that Yugoslavia was falling apart... It already WAS - always had been - several different countries within one artificial structure.
In short: enjoy this book, for it tells the truth - and it tells it well! Just not the ENTIRE truth.
Essays on life in Communist Eastern Europe from a woman.......2003-07-26
I have read Drakulic's later book Balken Express, and thought this book far better. Drakulic's book is a series of essays about the difficulty of life in Eastern Europe from a woman's perspective. Communism collasped because it could not satisfy the demands of the population. Drakulic details many of those shortcomings in her book. Not only did Communism produce poor paint and bad toilet paper, it did not even produce tampons or other products for women. That is why Communism failed. Few history books will detail this perspective, but from a humanistic point of view, it is true.
The other perspective Drakulic tries to point out is that of a journalist pointing to the failures of both Communist and Western society. Drakulic portrays the homeless of NYC with the fact that in Communist society everybody is poor but not homeless. These perspectives are needed as well, because some aspects of Communism were indeed noble.
A good book about the failure of Communism. This book was a short informative read about a doomed political system.
powerful and beautifully-written.......2002-07-05
I will read this eye-opening book again and again. Historical accounts of communism can't paint the picture that this book has painted. This reads like poetry and is real.
A book for everyone ... would that it were read by everyone!.......1999-12-27
A fascinating collection of poignant vignettes on being a woman in communist Yugoslavia (with stories of the author's friends and acquaintances in other Eastern European countries.) Ms. Drakulic shares with the West the reasons whereby 40-plus years of communist-engendered habits and viewpoints and tendencies cannot undergo an overnight "attitude adjustment". This book is a must for anyone who seeks to begin to sympathize and understand the thoughts and roots of people (especially women) who were born and raised in Eastern Europe. I bulldozed through it, and am now reading her "Cafe Europa". Eye-opening!
Book Description
From his looting of farmhouses during the Gettysburg campaign and robbing of fallen Union soldiers as opportunity allowed to his five arrests for infractions of military discipline and numerous unapproved leaves, John O. Casler's actions during the Civil War made him as much a rogue as a Rebel. Though he was no model soldier, his forthright confessions of his service years in the Army of Northern Virginia stand among the most sought after and cited accounts by a Confederate soldier. First published in 1893 and significantly revised and expanded in 1906, Casler's Four Years in the Stonewall Brigade recounts the truths of camp life, marches, and combat. Moreover, Casler's recollections provide an unapologetic view of the effects of the harsh life in Stonewall's ranks on an average foot soldier and his fellows.
A native of Gainesboro, Virginia, with an inherent wanderlust and thirst for adventure, Casler enlisted in June 1861 in what became Company A, 33rd Virginia Infantry, and participated in major campaigns throughout the conflict, including Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. Captured in February 1865, he spent the final months of the war as a prisoner at Fort McHenry, Maryland. His postwar narrative recalls the realities of warfare for the private soldier, the moral ambiguities of thievery and survival at the front, and the deliberate cruelties of capture and imprisonment with the vivid detail, straightforward candor, and irreverent flair for storytelling that have earned Four Years in the Stonewall Brigade its place in the first rank of primary literature of the Confederacy.
This edition features a new introduction by Robert K. Krick chronicling Casler's origins and his careers after the war as a writer and organizer of Confederate veterans groups.
Customer Reviews:
Classic primary source.......2001-03-06
Casler's memoir is a mandatory source for anyone studying the war in the East. Many of the familiar Stonewall Brigade and Valley Campaign anecdotes quoted in secondary sources are found here. Casler spent part of the war detailed as a pioneer, and his description of the work he did, including burying bodies, is interesting. He gives quite a few details on the Valley Campaign, Gettysburg and Spotsylvania. From August 1864, unfortunately, he was unable to march and was not with his company, which in any case was virtually wiped out. He was a prisoner in Fort McHenry toward the end of the war and gives an interesting description of being very badly treated until the Confederate government threatened retaliation, upon which conditions improved. I found it interesting how much time Casler spent *not* with his company, sometimes detailed elsewhere, sometimes apparently AWOL, sometimes participating in presumably non-authorized raids on the Federals with a couple of friends. This shows how little real control the CSA (the USA was probably much the same) had over its individual soldiers, a deficiency which surely did not do them, as the outnumbered side, any good.
Personal and Military experiences of a private soldier........1998-12-24
Although Casler wrote from memory late in life, his text has remarkably few errors of fact. His experiences are truly given without pretense or disguise, and are refreshingly human.
I have read literally hundreds of personal accounts and diaries written by Confederate soldiers, and I rate " Four Years In The Stonewall Brigade " in my personal top five.
This is a must read for anyone who wishes to experience the feel of life in the Confederate army, and to understand how service extracted its price for devotion to the southern belief in states rights.
Casler is whimsical always, and downright hilarious at times.
His devotion to the southern cause was unwavering, literally to the last as he was dubbed " The Last Of The Mohicans " by a Captain in his regiment. This because during the 1864 campaign, Casler was at one time, the only officer or private to be on active duty from his company.
His use of " French Leave " on numerous occasions, I found personally surprising, but as written by Casler became perfectly understandable.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Gordon Boyer Lawrence
Amazon.com
Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson was arguably the greatest commander of the Civil War. Yet "Stonewall" Jackson owed much of his success to the troops who served under him. He eagerly gave them their due: "You cannot praise these men of my brigade too much; they have fought, marched, and endured more than I even thought they would." The Stonewall Brigade, composed mainly of Virginians from the Shenandoah Valley, proved its mettle at First Manassas and never let up--even after its esteemed leader was shot down at Chancellorsville. Their equally elite counterparts in the Army of the Potomac were known as the Iron Brigade, hardy westerners drawn from Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. By focusing on these two groups, historian Jeffry Wert retells the story of the Civil War's eastern theater as it was experienced by these ordinary men from North and South.
His battle descriptions are riveting, especially when he covers Antietam:
Three times the Georgians charged towards the guns, and three times they were repelled. Union infantry west of the battery ripped apart the attacker's flank, and the artillerists unleashed more canister.... Finally, the Georgians could withstand the punishment no longer, and as more Union infantry piled into the Cornfield, Hood's wrecked division retreated towards West Woods and Dunker Church. When asked later where his command was, Hood replied, "Dead on the field."
But the book is perhaps most notable for the way in which it describes the everyday hardships befalling each side. They often lacked food, shoes, blankets, and other military necessities. When the war began, the men believed deeply in their conflicting causes. Before it was over, writes Wert, "the war itself became their common enemy." Wert is slowly but surely gaining a reputation as one of the finest popular historians writing about the Civil War; A Brotherhood of Valor will undoubtedly advance his claim. --John J. Miller
Book Description
This unusual and moving chronicle covers some of the most important battles of the Civil War -- Sharpsburg (Antietam), Gettysburg, and Chancellorsville -- through the stories of the two brigades who confronted each other on the bloody fields of battle.
Drawing on original source material, Jeffry Wert reconstructs the drama and terrors of war through the eyes of the ordinary men who became members of two of the most respected fighting units of their respective armies, the Stonewall Brigade of the Confederacy and the Iron Brigade of the Union. There are tales of grueling marches and almost unbearable deprivations; eyewitness accounts of ferocious fighting and devastating losses on both sides; and portraits of acts of courage and valor performed by soldiers and officers who, despite the difficulties they faced, remained dedicated to the cause for which they were fighting.
Customer Reviews:
A Worthy Effort.......2006-11-19
I re-enact as a sergeant in Company "E", Bragg's Rifles, 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry (the Calicoboys). Other than Nolan's book on the Iron Brigade, Wert's book is the best on the entire history of the Iron Brigade. I have also studied the history of the Stonewall brigade. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a serious scholar of the Civil War. Those d**n "black hats" gave as well as they got at Brawner's Farm. Considering that they were rookies, they handed out a pretty good lickin'. Even Stonewall Jackson said it was the worst he had been in. After the battle, the Black Hats gave out three loud huzzahs. There was no answer from the sesesh.
Calicoboy
Valor Indeed.......2006-09-17
There are a small number of brigades in the Civil War that earned a towering reputation because of their valor. Two of these are reviewed in this book: The Iron Brigade ("The Black Hats") of the Army of the Potomac and the Stonewall Brigade of the (in the end) Army of Northern Virginia. This volume does a nice job of indicating why these two brigades so justly earned their accolades.
It is also something of an irony that the first major action of the Iron Brigade (although not yet so named) came when it faced off against the Stonewall Brigade in the forerunner to Second Manassas--at Brawner's Farm or Groveton (take your choice as to the name of the battle). The two brigades, with other troops also being engaged, slugged it out. The veteran Stonewall Brigade versus the fairly untested Iron Brigade. In the end, both demonstrated their brotherhood of valor in this engagement.
The book describes the histories of the two brigades until they essentially lost their character and integrity. The Iron Brigade earned its name during the fight at the South Mountain pass before Antietam. It was destroyed as an elite fighting force at Gettysburg, as it fought itself out on the First Day, staving off the ultimate Confederate attack. It provided value during the rest of the battle and continued as an entity in the Army of the Potomac after that, but its legendary hitting power largely ended there.
Just so, the Stonewall Brigade (and Division) lost its integrity at the Mule Shoe at Spotsylvania.
Nonetheless, despite the damage done to these two units during the war, both well earned the honors given to them. This book does justice to both units and ought to be read by those interested in brigade level histories.
Bringing the History of the Brigades Up-to-Date!.......2004-12-13
If you are interested in the Iron Brigade, this is a book not to be missed. It is a book that draws on all the old scholarship on the Brigade and brings it into the modern era.
Where Nolan draws the broad brush strokes of the Brigade's history, Wert revisits that outline and fills in a lot of detail. Wert has scoured the archives and read all the correspondence he could find, and quotes it liberally to draw us close to the ground level action. His book is fast paced and accessible.
Not only has he done this with just one Brigade but two! It is a natural approach, since the two brigades clashed so often, or were on the same fields, one gets the perspective of both sides.
After reading this book, one can only ask, what research is left to be done now on the Brigade? Wert has done a fine job, and provided us a most up to date, short, yet definitive general history of the Iron Brigade.
A rather dull effort, not very balanced.......2004-12-11
I don't think Wert included enough on the common soldiers and spent too much time on filing in the broad strokes of the Civil War. Also I have seen nowhere else Wert's contention that the Stonewall Brigade was so plagued with desertions, a serious charge. Nolan's book on the Iron Brigade is vastly superior. Finally, given Wert's penchant for abusing the southern command it seems like a miracle the confederacy last one year much less five.
A historical look at two of the Civil War's top brigades!.......2003-04-16
Being a fan of author Jeffrey Wert's work I didn't have to decide on whether or not to buy this book when I came across it. Wert's writing flows well and he backs up quite a lot of his information with useful references as he has done in other books. Wert has taken two of the more popular brigades of the Civil War and has followed their enlistment and organization in 1861 to final muster in 1865. Wert documents each brigade's movements and battles while carefully explaining changes in command and regimental organization. I found this book quite intriging as these famous brigades met each other in battle three times at such places as Brawner Farm, Antietam and Gettysburg. Wert explains the battles quickly at times which was refreshing in cases where the brigades had little conflict or involvement. In times of battle, Wert gets to the point of the fighting and doesn't dwell in huge detail as you may find in some books covering a certain campaign or battle.
What I did find a bit disappointing in this book was the fact that under the title it reads, "The common soldiers of the Stonewall Brigade and the Iron Brigade". I was under the impression that more soldier life would be covered instead of regiment movements or the following of commanders. This book didn't quote too many soldiers or bring their diary writing as you may see in other books on soldiers. Overall, Wert has taken a great amount of information and packed it into 319 pages of material. Could more have been written? Perhaps, although the coverage was excellent and I can recommend this book to many who are seeking additional information regarding these famous and hard fighting brigades.
Average customer rating:
- Wonderful read!
- This is a great choice...
- From the Darkness Risen
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From the Darkness Risen
Jessica, Jewett
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 143030488X |
Book Description
Set during the bloody American Civil War, From the Darkness Risen is a story of courage, valor and what it means to be a family. A young couple with a toddler son, the Cavanaughs endure the explosion of civil war, separation and the struggle of keeping the family farm out of enemy hands. Robert, a captain in the Stonewall Brigade, is captured during the fight at Sand Ridge, Virginia, and taken to a Union prison in Illinois. When Isabelle hears the frightening news, she abandons her post as a nurse in Staunton, Virginia's Confederate Army Hospital with futile hopes of securing her husband's freedom. Along the way, Isabelle sees the brutality of war through her deeply religious sensitivity, and struggles with the traditional roles of a 1860s wife and mother against her desire to be something more. When her companion, Eva Reed, sabotages the dangerous escape, Isabelle and Robert find themselves fighting for their lives. Will they make it out of enemy territory alive?
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful read!.......2007-05-15
Jessica Jewett has done a superb job of allowing the reader to step back in time and experience the smells, sounds, people, towns, and passions that divided our country.
One of those books you can't put down once you've started it. Enjoy!
This is a great choice..........2007-05-15
Terrific Story .. well written.. Jessica is a very talented storyteller.
From the Darkness Risen.......2007-05-12
This is the first serious work of a young writer. It is a delicate look at the interpersonal contact of family during the Civil War. It is well writen. Her discriptions of people and locals is well done.
Book Description
‘Look! There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Rally behind the Virginians!’ With these words General Bee ensured the reputation of Thomas Jonathan Jackson and his troops who were fighting alongside him at the battle of the First Bull Run. This reputation was enhanced in Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley campaign and other operations where the Stonewall Brigade ‘s actions gained the praise of their Confederate compatriots and the respect of their enemies. This book examines the uniforms, equipment, history and organization of the Brigade and its combat experience during the American Civil War. Detailed maps and contemporary illustrations accompany this account of their major engagements.
Customer Reviews:
Good basic summary for beginners, plus great maps!.......2004-11-04
While this is merely a reprint of the 1971 book, it provides a good summary of the early battles in which the "Stonewall" Brigade fought & earned its name & reputation as a tough, dependable unit both in defensive & offensive actions. The book's main dissapointment is that the brigade's battles after Chancellorsville are only briefly mentioned with no details in two paragraphs! So even as a summary of the "Stonewall" Brigade it is incomplete. Also, I don't know why they have drawings of Civil War relics instead of photos of the real thing, but this book is over 30 years old. The book's best feature is the maps & I'd recommend this book for that reason alone. The serious "Stonewall" Brigade buff should look for something better though, such as James I. Robertson's outstanding book "The Stonewall Brigade".
Average customer rating:
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The Stonewall Brigade in the Civil War (Spearhead)
Steve Smith
Manufacturer: Zenith Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| 19th Century
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Civil War
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
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General
| Military
| History
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Regiments
| Military
| History
| Subjects
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ASIN: 0760330506 |
Book Description
Commanded by Thomas J. Jackson and made up of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 27th and 33rd Virginia Infantry Regiments, plus the Rockbridge Artillery Battery, the unit was officially Virginia's First Brigade. This changed forever at the Battle of First Manassas when in the face of a seemingly overwhelming Federal attack, General Bee, an adjacent Confederate brigade commander, reportedly said, "Yonder stands Jackson like a stone wall; let's go to his assistance. Rally behind the Virginians!"
This book describes the Stonewall Brigade in combat from first mustering to bitter end, when only 210 ragged and footsore soldiers remained of the 6,000 who'd served through the war. The Stonewall Brigade contains detailed order of battle charts, tables of organization and equipment, and technical specifications of the brigade's weapons. It also features special sidebars on the unit's commanders. Color maps illustrate the brigade's major battles; and a combination of vintage photographs, new images of contemporary reenactors, and Civil War-era paintings and drawings helps to bring the Stonewall Brigade to life.
Average customer rating:
- Stonewall Brigade
- An old-fashioned but still excellent history
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Stonewall Brigade
James I. Robertson
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Civil War
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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General A.P. Hill: The Story of a Confederate Warrior
ASIN: 0807103969 |
Customer Reviews:
Stonewall Brigade.......2001-12-21
"The Stonewall Brigade" by James I. Robertson Jr.,is a readable book that all Civil War history buffs will enjoy."The Stonewall Brigade" is a book that examines in-depth one of the Civil War's most recognized and exceptional brigades.Robertson writes of the many hardships the soldiers endured while giving insight to command decisions that made these hardships nessesary.One can quickly see why the Stonewall Brigade was willing to go into the most harmful of situations for Old Jack.This is a honest representation of the Stonewall Brigade which gives many interesting facts to support both the excellance and shortcomings of the brigade.Overall,I recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated with the man known as Stonewall. A must for Stonewall Jasckson Fanatics!
An old-fashioned but still excellent history.......2000-12-20
This book makes it clear why the Stonewall Brigade was considered to be one of the premier fighting units of the Civil War. Primarily written in a narrative format, it is well written and will hold the attention of the non-specialist. I found that sometimes the author's narrow focus on the Stonewall Brigade made it hard to understand what was happening in the context of the war as a whole, even to the point of creating confusion as to which battle was taking place. I also suspect that more recent studies will have focused more on primary sources generated by the soldiers themselves and on issues of discipline and morale. Still, this is a classic work.
Product Description
Edited by James I. Robertson Jr. 362 pp., map, illus., index, printed on acid-free paper, paperback.
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