Category Archives: American Civil War

Preface: The Elusive Spark

Posted on March 4, 2025 by nathanalbright

I wanted to share something I am working on, to see what you all think of it. Dear readers, let me know what you think about this: When does a war begin? The question seems simple enough, yet history teaches … Continue reading →

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Judging Nathan Bedford Forrest

Posted on December 22, 2024 by nathanalbright

[Note: The following is the prepared text of a #2 speech given to the Portland United Church of God Spokesman’s Club on Sabbath, December 21, 2024.] For those of you who have never heard of Nathan Bedford Forrest, he is … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Born In Blood

Posted on July 17, 2024 by nathanalbright

Born In Blood: Violence And The Making Of America, by Scot Gac Throughout this book there is a sense that if the author was not a Marxist, he could probably actually see some of the more interesting patterns in history … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Born Of Lakes And Plains

Posted on June 30, 2024 by nathanalbright

Born Of Lakes And Plains: Mixed-Descent Peoples And The Making Of The American West, by Anne F. Hyde The author of this book is struggling with something deeply ironic in light of the contemporary obsession with identity politics in writing … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution

Posted on May 18, 2024 by nathanalbright

Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877, by Eric Foner There is a lot that is deeply wrong with this book. The author’s socialist sort of mindset dovetails with his belief that the blacks of the South were right to expect the … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Breaking Chains

Posted on May 2, 2024 by nathanalbright

Breaking Chains: Slavery On Trial In The Oregon Territory, by R. Gregory Nokes There is definitely room for a good or even great book on the subject of slavery and the freeish black experience during the territorial phase of Oregon. … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Forever Free

Posted on April 25, 2024 by nathanalbright

Forever Free: The Story Of Emancipation And Reconstruction, by Eric Foner and Joshua Brown What is it that makes this book so superior, in general, to Foner’s other works on the subject of Reconstruction? It is obvious, for example, in … Continue reading →

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Book Review: The Second Founding

Posted on April 24, 2024 by nathanalbright

The Second Founding: How The Civil War And Reconstruction Remade The Constitution, by Eric Foner This book is a classic example of why someone cannot trust the reputation of contemporary historians when they seek to write history with an eye … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Ages Of Discord

Posted on April 15, 2024 by nathanalbright

Ages Of Discord: A Structural-Demographic Analysis Of American History, by Peter Turchin In reading this book, I was struck by the fact that there are really two types of books by this author, and both of them are great kinds … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Uncommon Valor

Posted on February 27, 2024 by nathanalbright

Uncommon Valor: A Story Of Race, Patriotism, And Glory In The Final Battles Of The Civil War, by Melvin Claxton And Mark Puls This book is evidence of a phenomenon that is likely not very surprising but which somewhat cuts … Continue reading →

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