Abraham Lincoln: the Great Emancipator; savior of the Union; and revered national hero. Jefferson Davis: defender of slavery; leader of a lost cause; and forlorn object of scorn. Both Lincoln and Davis remain locked in the American psyche as iconic symbols of victory and defeat. They presided over a terrible war that decided the fate of slavery and severely tested each man's resolve and potential for greatness. But; as Brian Dirck shows; such images tend to obscure the larger visions that compelled both men to pursue policies and actions that resulted in such a devastating national tragedy.Going well beyond most conventional accounts; Dirck examines Lincoln's and Davis's respective ideas concerning national identity; highlighting the strengths and shortcomings of each leader's worldview. By focusing on issues that have often been overlooked in previous studies of Lincoln and Davis-and of the war in general-he reveals the ways in which these two leaders viewed that imagined community called the American nation.The first comprehensive and detailed study to compare the two men's national imaginations; Dirck's study provides a provocative analysis of how their everyday lives-the influence of fathers and friends; jobs and homes-worked in complex ways to shape Lincoln's and Davis's perceptions of what the American nation was supposed to be and could become and how those images could reject or accommodate the institution of slavery.Dirck contends that Lincoln subscribed to the notion of a "nation of strangers" in which people never really knew one another's hearts; reflecting his wariness of sentimental attachment; while Davis held to a "community of sentiment" based on honor and comradeship that depended a great deal on emotional bonding. As Dirck shows; these two ideals are very much a part of the current national conversation-among citizens; scholars; and politicians—that has brought Davis back into the fold of great Americans while challenging many of the clichés that surround the Lincoln myth.Ultimately; Dirck argues; the imagined communities of these two remarkable men transcend the experience of war to illuminate the ongoing debates over what it means to be an American. Through this engaging and original work; he urges a restoration of balance to our understanding—not only of Lincoln and Davis; but also of the contributions made by North and South alike to those debates.
#329459 in Books 2016-11-03Original language:English 8.50 x .58 x 5.50l; #File Name: 0692803610230 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A must-read memoirBy Bonnie Lee BlackTwenty years in the crafting; Florence Grende's memoir is a sparklingly fresh; spare; and stunning account – filled with rich; sensory detail -- of growing up as a daughter of Holocaust survivors; a childhood marked by an ever-present atmosphere of guilt; rage; and silence. It is also the story of assimilation – a young girl’s heroic (and at times humorous) efforts to fit into the post-World War II American experience; while still preserving the family’s traditional Eastern European Jewish culture.This is a brilliant book; a must-read memoir. I highly recommend it.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Should be required readingBy Reader CFrom the cover image of the woods in Poland where Grende's parents barely survived for two years during the Holocaust; and through each of the short chapters written in spare; unsentimental prose; this memoir will grab you and haunt you. It will force you to face -- in a very personal; rather than a universal; way -- the horrors visited upon Grende's parents and millions of others of their generation; and the resulting family dysfunction confounding and harming their off-spring. In this book; I learned for the first time of the One by One program in Wannsee; Germany; which facilitates; among other things; "the interruption of the intergenerational transmission of trauma; prejudice and group hatred;" and was glad of the knowledge. This is an extraordinary and shattering book that should be required reading; lest we forget. I know that I will read it again.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A must read book !By larry winderbaumI was riveted while reading The Butcher's Daughter; A Memoir. Ms. Grende tells a very intimate and powerful tale about so many things...family; WWII; the Nazis; survival; tragedy and triumph; emigration to a new country; and her family integrating to varying degrees to it.Given the current state of the world; with the largest number of refugees since the War; their struggles; successes; failures and tragedies; I think our president should be sent a copy and hopefully he and his family will read it. Thank you Florence Grende for telling your story !Larry NYC
