University of North Carolina Press War Matters: Material Culture in the Civil War Era

Review Cashin's edited collection combines scholarship from some of the preeminent names in the ever-growing field of Civil War material culture. . . . While undoubtedly providing an excellent introduction to the field and its current champions, War Matters serves a broader audience and purpose. Regardless of one's historical interests, there is something to be gained from reading any of the articles included in this collection.--North Carolina Historical ReviewA singular contribution. Once shunted to the side as tidy illustrations, the artifacts of war and peace are now being taken seriously as complicated and revealing forms of evidence. And for that, we owe Cashin and her contributors a debt of gratitude. --Ohio Valley HistoryIndividually, the essays all add new depth to debates over soldiers' motivations and civilians' loyalties, sectional tensions and military operations, and the process of Reconstruction writ large. . . . Together, the essays pose important questions about material culture studies, which will resonate beyond the study of the war itself.--Journal of the Civil War EraA must-read for historians, anthropologists, and sociologists working in the nineteenth century.--Journal of American HistoryThe volume convincingly argues that war matter mattered. . . . Together the essays establish war material culture as a fertile field, and they open paths for further research.--Journal of Southern HistoryThe first collection of essays devoted solely to Civil War material culture . . . . War Matters pushes readers beyond the idea that relics are just 'things' collected by Civil War enthusiasts and are instead meaningful artifacts that speak to the history of the American Civil War.--The Annals of IowaAll of the contributors . . . successfully argue for the appropriateness and validity of incorporating into the historical scholarship the study of material items of cultural significance. . . . Should be read by all Civil War professional historians and graduate students, but many of the essays also exhibit popular appeal sufficient to gain the volume a wider reading audience. Highly recommended.--Andrew Wagenhoffer, Civil War Books and Authors Product Description Material objects lie at the crux of understanding individual and social relationships in history, and the Civil War era is no exception. Before, during, and after the war, Americans from all walks of life created, used, revered, exploited, discarded, mocked, and destroyed objects for countless reasons. These objects had symbolic significance for millions of people. The essays in this volume consider a wide range of material objects, including weapons, Revolutionary artifacts, landscapes, books, vaccine matter, human bodies, houses, clothing, and documents. Together, the contributors argue that an examination of the meaning of material objects can shed new light on the social, economic, and cultural history of the conflict. This book will fundamentally reshape our understanding of the war. In addition to the editor, contributors include Lisa M. Brady, Peter S. Carmichael, Earl J. Hess, Robert Hicks, Victoria Ott, Jason Phillips, Timothy Silver, Yael Sternhell, Sarah Jones Weicksel, Mary Saracino Zboray, and Ronald J. Zboray. About the Author Joan E. Cashin is professor of history at the Ohio State University.