Michael B. Dougan

This small masterpiece describes life and government in Arkansas during the War of the Rebellion. The author's prose is economical and the book is of eminently readable length; in fact, it's that rarest of birds, a book which could stand to be a little longer. His insights are considerable and his soft-spoken opinions well worth considering. He does a particularly good job of capturing contemporary opinion by sampling the era's overwrought newspapers and politicians. The closest thing to a flaw in the book is a slight but occasionally discernible pro-CSA slant.… (meer)