Causes Won, Lost, and Forgotten: How Hollywood & Popular Art Shape What We Know About the Civil War

In-depth, analytical, and thought-provoking. . . . An important, must read for students of the Civil War.--Journal of American History Gallagher's analysis of the ways artists and Hollywood film writers have shaped the changing perceptions of the Civil War and its legacy is thought provoking.--Courier A thoughtful, well-researched, and well-illustrated study that helps readers learn how their understanding of the Civil War has been shaped.--The Journal of America's Military Past A highly edifying and entertaining look at how popular culture has advanced the primary interpretive traditions by which Americans have sought to ascribe meaning to the Civil War. It reveals that despite the passing of the Civil War generation so long ago, the participants who endured that bloody conflict still define, for better or worse, how we comprehend the past.--Louisiana History Highly recommended.--Choice Fuses Civil War military and cultural history in a particularly readable and entertaining manner." --Canadian Journal of History Gallagher, one of our finest historians of the Civil War, brings an abundance of sharp insights to this thoughtful analysis. By drawing attention to four principal traditions of interpretation in cinema and art, he demonstrates how popular culture both reflects and shapes our understanding of the war's meaning.--American Historical Review Innovative in its approach, provocative in its arguments, and fundamentally interesting, but, most significantly . . . will drive further discussion of Civil War memory through popular culture.--West Virginia History A highly informative, well-illustrated, and wonderfully entertaining book.--The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society This seemingly specialized book in fact has broad appeal.--Centre Daily Times A useful entry in the burgeoning literature that deals with the way in which the Civil War is remembered by Americans.--Southwestern Historical Quarterly A solidly researched and intriguing exploration of the influence of popular culture on public understanding of the war. Anyone interested in the Civil War and the impact of media on historical understanding will find Gallagher's latest book rewarding on many levels.--Civil War Times A fascinating, informative book. . . . Highly recommended to students and enthusiasts of the Civil War and for those interested in an examination of misinformation in movies and art.--NewsOK.com A welcome addition to the burgeoning literature on the Civil War in popular culture, and it makes for a breezy and edifying read for the scholar and layperson alike.--North Carolina Historical Review [A] highly entertaining analysis of how the Civil War has been treated in popular culture.--The Boston Globe Provides insight into how the war is viewed in contemporary American culture. . . . The four interpretive frameworks Gallagher uses for his analysis are instructive for understanding the dominant trends in art and film.--Southern Historian Written with Gallagher's customary clarity and vigor, salted with sardonic humor, and laced with expressions of concern about the darker side of Lost Cause adherents' admiration of Nathan Bedford Forrest and contempt for Abraham Lincoln.--Virginia Magazine A short and very readable book that should appeal to anyone with more than a passing interest in the Civil War.--On Point [Gallagher's] books are always packed with relevant information and are a joy to read. This work is no different.--H-Net Gallagher has established himself as a one-man Civil War cottage industry. . . . Surveys this landscape with proficiency. . . . Infused with a deep sense of authority that has its satisfactions.--Civil War History Crisp, focused, and thoughtful.--Georgia Historical Quarterly An intelligent, readable account of how we look at the American Civil War. . . . Five stars.-- James Durney, independent Book Reviewer [Gallagher's] witty, handsomely illustrated book underscores Hollywood's ability to shape perceptions of historical events. Causes Won, Lost, and Forgotten is a major contribution to Civil War memory scholarship. It reminds us how past traditions and present concerns shape understandings of the conflict, perhaps as Warren mused, the very essence of American history.--BookPage