Booknotes V (March '11)

New Arrivals:

1. The Seventh Star of the Confederacy: Texas during the Civil War edited by Kenneth W. Howell (U. of N. Texas Pr, 2011).

Newly out in paperback, this book is worth another mention. Like I said in my earlier review, this is the best Texas Civil War essay compilation around and it was richly deserving of its Pate Award win.

2. Kansas's War: The Civil War in Documents edited by Pearl T. Ponce (Ohio Univ Pr, 2011).

Ohio's The Civil War in the Great Interior series compiles primary source documents for entire states, attempting as broad subject coverage as possible.

3. Enduring Battle: American Soldiers in Three Wars, 1776-1945 by Christopher H. Hamner (U Pr of Kansas, 2011).

As one might guess from the date range, the three wars are the Revolution, Civil War, and WWII. Several books examine the motivations of Civil War soldiers to endure combat and kill the enemy, but this one attempts to contrast experiences over three centuries through the lens of training, leadership, weaponry, fear, comradeship, and the changing nature of infantry combat.

4. The Irish General: Thomas Francis Meagher by Paul R. Wylie (U of Oklahoma Pr, 2011).

Wylie's well received biography of Meagher has been treated to a new paperback edition.