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Wonderful book! I found it very touching, of course, but found some of it unexpectedly humorous. What a wonderful glimpse into a woman's life during the Civil War era. I was gratified to see that these women seemed to feel great power and purpose and did not feel like helpless, fainting, second-class citizens, as we are so often led to believe women of that era did--before suffrage and women's lib :) They realized the importance of the jobs they did "at home" to keep the soldiers clothed, fed, nursed, cheered, etc., as well as to take care of estates and families when the men were gone.

There were many parts that especially touched me. Here are a few:

Mary Custis Lee (wife of Gen. Robert E. Lee): "...the prospects before us are sad indeed & as I think both parties are wrong in this fratricidal war, there is nothing comforting even in the hope that God may prosper the right, for I see no right in the matter." (Such an unpatriotic, non-partisan view for the great general's wife to have.)

Varina Howell Davis (wife of Confederate Pres. Jefferson Davis): "As to the children, I think you must like them, at best your God child--he is pretty as was Maggie in her babyhood, and so very gentle & loving, gets occasions of tenderness while playing, and runs up and puts his dirtly little hands on either side of my face to kiss me. He talks sporadically--the words pronounced quite plainly, sometimes whole sentences, and then it is a month before another word is enunciated. Jeff is beaming, blustering, blooming, burly and blundering as ever. The repository of many hopes, promising of but little definite as yet. Little Maggie is gentle & loving, and considerate. She and I are good friends."- (What beautiful descriptions of one's children--obviously written by a mother who loved them.)

Rose O'Neal Greenhow (the courier who took information to the Confederates and was imprisoned for it): "I have been one week in my new prison. My letters now all go through the detective police who subject them to a chemical process to extract the treason." (She kept her sense of humor, at least!)

Cornelia Peake McDonald (living in Winchester when it was occupied by the Union; her two oldest children witnessed a battle nearby): "They had a position in the beginning of the battle near where a body of the Federals were awaiting an attack, and they, the boys, were perched on a fence for a better view, but the attack was made, and a man's head rolled close to where they were, and they prudently retreated to a more secure position." (What a matter-of-fact description of what must have been a life-changing event for those boys!)

Kate Cumming (nursing the wounded after the Battle of Shiloh): "I do not think that words are in our vocabulary to present to the mind the realities of that sad scene. Certainly, none of the glories of the war were presented here. But I must not say that; for if uncomplaining endurance is glory, we had plenty of it. If it is that which makes the hero, here they were by scores. Gray-haired men--men in the pride of manhood--beardless boys--Federals and all, mutilated in every imaginable way, lying on the floor, just as they were taken from the battle field; so close together that it was almost impossible to walk without stepping on them."

Obviously the better educated, upper-class was most represented in this book, because they were the ones who had the skills to write. I feel sure that poorer women suffered even more. But I was struck by the empathy that all the women in the book felt for the soldiers and for other women.

There was, of course, little empathy for the slaves in these entries, but no outright cruelty either. One woman spends a lot of time telling her husband about how all the "negroes" are doing, who has had a baby and what it was named, what preparations she is making to keep them comfortable during the winter, etc. (And these slaves are also shown as the exception because they choose to stay with the family rather than "run away," as so many of her neighbors' slaves did--perhaps this family provided exceptional care?) Slavery and emancipation were actually mentioned very little in this book, surprisingly enough.

Reading this book has made me want to do several things:

1) Start keeping a journal again. I kept one for 20 years but have fallen off since the birth of my second child five years ago. I never did write much about current events--too wrapped up in my own little world--but still it is a good outlet and an interesting read.
2) Rent Ken Burns's "The Civil War" and watch it all!
3) Watch "Gone With the Wind."

Anyway, I can't say enough good things about this book. I would love to read the second volume, as the story is only half told. It would also be interesting to hear what some of these same women had to say about the Reconstruction.

Sorry to ramble so much. My thoughts just went in lots of directions while reading this book!
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glade1 | 2 andere besprekingen | Jun 13, 2012 |
This diary details the everyday life of Georgina Francis Barrett Devlin of Yazoo City, Mississippi. The diary writer was born in England in 1825 and died in Yazoo City in 1914. The diary makes frequent mentions of persons with whom the subject associated. The editor has added footnotes to assist the modern reader in identifying some of these individuals. There is a gap between 1881 and 1895 where most of the diaries have been lost. The editor has also included extant letters and other notes that are relevant to the life of the diary's author. Based on her record of expenditures included in the diary, the individual who wrote the book was probably more affluent than most of the persons residing in the area. She does, however mention individuals who took music lessons, who rented from her, who did her laundry, etc.

As with most self-published works, there are a number of problems with the work. The one that irritated this reader the most is the numbering of the footnotes. Rather than using consecutive numbering within the chapter, the author restarted footnote numbering on each page. Another problem is in the identification of sources. At the end of the book, the editor has includes a few obituaries, but does not indicate the source for these items. Another problem is with documentation of genealogical data. The editor includes a brief genealogical outline of the family, but does not provide documentation for dates and other included information. While there is a list of persons mentioned in the diary, there really needs to be a comprehensive every name index to the book.

In spite of the problems mentioned above, if you had relatives living in the Yazoo City area during the time periods included in the diary, you will want to read this to get a feel for life in the city at that time and to see if your relatives interacted with Mrs. Devlin.

Note: This review is based on a copy of the book provided from the author for review.
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½
 
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thornton37814 | Jan 26, 2012 |

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10
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258
Populariteit
#88,950
Waardering
3.8
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5
ISBNs
11

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