Book Description
Isolated in the remote Egyptian desert, at the base of Mount Sinai, sits the oldest continuously inhabited monastery in the Christian world. The Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine at Sinai holds the most important collection of Byzantine icons remaining today. This catalogue, published in
conjuction with the exhibition Holy Image, Hallowed Ground: Icons from Sinai, on view at the J. Paul Getty Museum from November 14, 2006, to March 4, 2007, features forty-three of the monastery's extremely rare--and rarely exhibited--icons and six manuscripts still little-known to the world at
large.
The exhibition and catalogue bring to life the central role of the icon in Byzantine religious practices. Themes include the icon's status as holy object, the ways in which the icon sanctified the place of worship, and the monks' quest for the holy. The Greek Orthodox monastery at Mount Sinai not
only functioned as a major pilgrimage site for centuries but was also a cultural crossroads at the center of the shifting sands of ecclesiastical and secular politics. The accompanying essays explore how the monastery's contact with the outside world, through pilgrimage, resulted in aesthetic
exchanges between the monastery and Coptic, Crusader, and Islamic art; and between the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic communities in Europe.
Customer Reviews:
A Beautifully Produced Volume.......2007-03-10
The reproductions in this book are beautiful, the discussion intelligent and thorough. I bought and read it prior to visiting the exhibit, and thought that it provided 95% of the experience of actually being there.
The Getty, which has had an uneven history in its prior exhibits, really did a superb job on this one. The Getty website retains an excellent interactive description of the exhibition.
Just like being there........2007-03-09
Great book full of pictures and explanatory text. The purchase was prompted by a visit to the Getty Museum to view the exhibit. I was familiar with the monastary beforehand from a VHS tape and the exhibit provided a sense of being there and walking its holy and hallowed grounds. A time capsule of religious art and activity. The detail was very intricate and I marveled at the detail in the icons for those using crude and self-made art supplies. These icons are indeed a labor of love. They go back some 1400 years and have a span of 600.
The book serves to recollect my feelings at the exhibit, the next best thing to being at the monastary itself.
Rare Icons.......2007-03-09
This volume is the companion to the recent Getty exhibition of original icons from the St. Catherine Monastery in the Sinai Desert, the presumed site of the Old Testament burning bush. The book provides the scholarly background on the ancient images, some going back to the 6th century and showing stylistic features common to Roman portraiture. The color illustrations are especially well done and true to the tones of the originals that I saw in Los Angeles. The book can be enjoyed simply for the aesthetics for the mesmerizing pictures, or for religious meditation, but also for insight into the historical development of early Christian practices. Given the lavish color printing in a large format, the price is quite reasonable.
Great Book if you can't be there!.......2007-02-17
Wonderful book on good heavy paper. . . .photo quality excellent. . .very very informative. . .
Book Description
TRAVEL THROUGH A PIVOTAL TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY
Jeff Shaara, America’s premier Civil War novelist, gives a remarkable guided tour of the ten Civil War battlefields every American should visit: Shiloh, Antietam, Fredericksburg/Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, New Market, Chickamauga, the Wilderness/Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg/Appomattox. Shaara explores the history, the people, and the places that capture the true meaning and magnitude of the conflict and provides
• engaging narratives of the war’s crucial battles
• intriguing historical footnotes about each site
• photographs of the locations–then and now
• detailed maps of the battle scenes
• fascinating sidebars with related points of interest
From Antietam to Gettysburg to Vicksburg, and to the many poignant destinations in between, Jeff Shaara’s Civil War Battlefields is the ideal guide for casual tourists and Civil War enthusiasts alike.
Customer Reviews:
Another Great One!.......2007-09-16
Another great book. Read it in two days. Very informative and written well.
Great concise read..........2007-09-15
Excellent review of the landscape of the great Civil War battles...nice personal touches from Shaara himself. Maps could be improved with more color and more color photos would be really nice.
Great Detail, but incomplete.......2007-06-28
I found this book a mixed bag. Overall, I was disappointed at its incompleteness. For the 10 Civil War Battlefields that the author has chosen to discuss, he does a great job bringing to life in vivid detail both the battles that were fought and what to see in visiting the battlefields. I would expect nothing less from such a talented historian. Where this book falls short is in the battlefields and civil war sites not even discussed such as Manassas, Stones River, Andersonville, etc. The author indicates that he has left out a lot of battlefields in order to keep the book somewhat compact. In addition, the author does not even provide driving directions to the battlefields described in the book. Instead he simply provides web links to the appropriate National Park Service websites.
In summary a great book to take with you as long as these are the only battlefields that you are going to see. To his credit, the author does describe most of the major battlefields including Shiloh, Antietam and Gettysburg.
Civil War Buffs.......2007-05-25
This book is a must for Civil War buffs, Good material for review prior to any vist to the bttlefield
Great Companion.......2006-12-09
OUTSTANDING. Well written, good maps, some interesting photos.
As a Civil War buff, I found Mr. Shaara's guide an excellent companion to take along when exploring the 10 discussed Civil War battlefields. To trod on those Hallowed Fields is a unique experience, Mr. Shaara's book make that experience even more personal and informative
Highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn and experience 10 of the Civil War's bloodiest battlefields. A great take-along when visiting these battlefields.
Book Description
“[I]n a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our power to add or detract.”
—President Abraham Lincoln
James M. McPherson, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of
Battle Cry of Freedom, and arguably the finest Civil War historian in the world, walks us through the site of the bloodiest and perhaps most consequential battle ever fought by Americans.
The events that occurred at Gettysburg are etched into our collective memory, as they served to change the course of the Civil War and with it the course of history. More than any other place in the United States, Gettysburg is indeed hallowed ground. It’s no surprise that it is one of the nation’s most visited sites (nearly two million annual visitors), attracting tourists, military buffs, and students of American history.
McPherson, who has led countless tours of Gettysburg over the years, makes stops at Seminary Ridge, the Peach Orchard, Cemetery Hill, and Little Round Top, among other key locations. He reflects on the meaning of the battle, describes the events of those terrible three days in July 1863, and places the struggle in the greater context of American and world history. Along the way, he intersperses stories of his own encounters with the place over several decades, as well as debunking several popular myths about the battle itself.
What brought those 165,000 soldiers—75,000 Confederate, 90,000 Union—to Gettysburg? Why did they lock themselves in such a death grip across these once bucolic fields until 11,000 of them were killed or mortally wounded, another 29,000 were wounded and survived, and about 10,000 were “missing”—mostly captured? What was accomplished by all of this carnage? Join James M. McPherson on a walk across this hallowed ground as he be encompasses the depth of meaning and historical impact of a place that helped define the nation’s character.
Customer Reviews:
A very good tour guide...not a detailed history book.......2007-08-01
It is important not to mistake this book as a detailed history of the battle. It is not intended as such. If you want a detailed history see the series of books by Harry W. Pfanz. Rather, this is a guide for visitors to the battlefield that is clearly written and directs readers to the major points of interest while injecting a series of interesting anecdotes and thought provoking observations. To this end, it is very well done.
A Short Guide with Substance.......2007-07-24
I read James McPherson's "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg" on my recent trip to Gettysburg. Although my visit was only for a day, the book provided a nice overview of the events of the battle. Although not designed to be a an in depth narrative of the entire three days of battle, it provided details for several events and battlefield sites that left me with a good sense of the important features of the battle. This is certainly a useful book for a first time visitor with a limited amount of visiting time.
Informative, moving, and worthwhile.......2007-05-13
HALLOWED GROUND operates on several levels. First, it is a concise history of the Battle of Gettysburg, describing the strategic and tactical decisions of soldiers during this bloody three-day fight, which claimed 50,000 soldiers dead, wounded, or missing. Second, this is a guidebook, which a reader can use to walk the battlefield, using its hundreds of monuments to identify where units fought and the outcomes of their encounters. Finally, the book offers its explanations for such lasting controversies and legends as Pickett's Charge, the forward movement of the Third Corps to the Emmitsburg Road, and the desperate charge of the 20th Maine.
HALLOWED GROUND also has clear maps and many humanizing anecdotes about ordinary soldiers. It ends with Lincoln's Address at the Dedication of the Soldiers Cemetery, which, while eloquent, seemed like a mere footnote to this terrible event. Highly recommended.
Great Quick Read.......2007-03-23
This book moves very rapidly and includes many of the lesser known stories from the town and battle. Not a precise history of the battle itself it focuses more on the setting rather than the outcome. I get to go on a tour of Gettysburg later this year with McPherson himself, should be interesting!
More than just a walk . . . .......2007-03-18
Every time I read McPherson I think the same two things: he is a national treasure as his research and knowledge of all aspects of the Civil War, military and non-military alike (political, social, economic et. al.) is unsurpassed by any historian, past or present. I also realize what amazing writing skills he possesses as his ability to communicate facts, ideas, theories is apparent in all of his works. If Professor McPherson takes the time to write something, I will always take the time to read it.
Hallowed Ground is no exception to the above. It follows a different format, still enjoyable and informative, in "walks" from the Crown Journeys Series. I was initially reticent about this short read as, while I have read much of the period, my interests do not lie in the military campaigns of the time but in the political and constitutional questions and theory of this period. McPherson quickly dispelled any of my hesitancy as he walked the reader through Gettysburg. His stories of this epic battle are insightful and highly informative. He dispels myths with dispatch and shortchanges no heroics that some of the more modern and commercially successful writings, novels and documentaries seem to have missed. He places the battle in terrific context. He does not get into speculative writing but does ask the questions rhetorically. The reader is left wondering what McPherson's own beliefs are on the many "what if" of that 4 day period in July 1863. But this book is not about answering the questions, it is about a pivotal event in American history and he handles it with excellence.
As others have commented, not only does it leave one wanting to (re)visit the Gettysbury site but also makes one envy his Priceton students who get the finest guide one can imagine for this trip. Another outstanding work, and a wonderfully easy read, by America's Civil War Historian.
Book Description
Often cited as one of the most decisive campaigns in military history, the Seven Days Battles were the first campaign in which Robert E. Lee led the Army of Northern Virginia—as well as the first in which Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson worked together. In this guidebook, the acknowledged expert on the Seven Days Battles conducts readers, tourists, and armchair travelers through the history and terrain of this pivotal series of Civil War battles.
Maps and descriptive overviews of the battles guide readers to key locales and evoke a sense of what participants on either side saw in 1862. From the beginning of George B. McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign, which culminated in the Seven Days, to the bloody battles that saved the Confederate capital from capture, this guide unfolds the strategies, routes, and key engagements of this critical campaign, offering today’s visitors and Civil War enthusiasts the clearest picture yet of what happened during the Seven Days.
Book Description
Top golf landscape artist and top golf writer combine talents to produce a glorious visual book about the places we worship in the game of golf. Here are the green "cathedrals," sublime arenas of the sport, courses where giants have walked and stars have been born. Hallowed Ground is divided into three sections: "U.S. Championship Courses," "The Beautiful Golf" (the eight courses of the British Rotation), and in a stunning section of its own, "The Augusta National Golf Club." Renowned golf writer Jaime Diaz brings to this book his encyclopedic knowledge of the sport, the courses and the players, with wit and wisdom. Combined with Linda Hartough's lush and meticulously researched landscapes, Hallowed Ground is the most unique golf book published in years.
Customer Reviews:
Masterpiece Art of the Greatest Places on Earth.......2006-05-13
This "coffee table" style book works for me because of my passion for golf and my love for famous golf courses. Linda Hartough may be the best landscape artist I've seen in rendering these classic courses with the precision of modern day photography.
What I really got out of this book was a memory recollection of playing a majority of these courses. Looking at these paintings I was thrown into the distant memory of playing Pebble Beach, Olympic Club (Lake Course), Carnoustie, St. Andrews (Old Course), Royal Lytham, Royal Birkdale, and Royal Troon. It was like de ja vu all over again!
Also worth checking out are the Augusta National paintings. This might be her finest work. I especially liked her work on hole #'s 10,11,12, and 15. Augusta is the best course in the world. Second to none.
If Linda Hartough ever publishes paintings of the century old courses of Ireland, in particular the courses designed by Old Tom Morris and Alister Mackenzie; I will buy it. I would really like to see her render and paint the "classic" Irish courses of Ballybunion, Lahinch, Ardglass, Royal Portrush, Newcastle, and Royal County Down. Those classic links style courses are some of the finest on the earth.
Art and golf combine for hole-in-one..........2003-07-18
Hallowed Ground is a beautiful book, capturing spectacular locations from the greatest courses in both America and the United Kingdom.
Included in this hardback collection of art by Linda Hartough is the fabled 7th hole at Pebble Beach, and many holes from Augusta National's Amen Corner. Pieces on each course by Jaime Diaz highlight battles that have taken place on the fairways, and give life to the paintings as showdowns on 18th greens are described.
What makes this book interesting is that when you see the life-like paintings and read about the classic golf that has gone on in that scene, you are able to put yourself in the picture. It is amazing to be able to watch the final round of the 1981 US Open just by reading this book.
To a true fan of golf, or anyone who loves a good coffee table book, Hallowed Grounds is a perfect edition to your collection. Buy this book today, and put yourself in the picture!
Her Passion is Painting.......2001-03-17
This "coffee table" style book works for me because of my passion for golf and my love for famous golf courses. Linda Hartough may be the best landscape artist I've seen in rendering these classic courses with the precision of modern day photography.
What I really got out of this book was a memory recollection of playing a majority of these courses. Looking at these paintings I was thrown into the distant memory of playing Pebble Beach, Shinnecock Hills, Winged Foot, Olympic Club, Carnoustie, St. Andrews (Old Course), Royal Lytham, Royal Birkdale, and Royal Troon. It was like de ja vu all over again!
Also worth checking out are the Augusta National paintings. This might be her finest work. I especially liked her work on hole #'s 10,11,12, and 15. Augusta is the best course in the world. Second to none. Her painting here is some of her finest work also.
If Linda Hartough ever publishes paintings of the century old courses of Ireland, in particular the courses designed by Old Tom Morris and Alister Mackenzie , I will buy it. I would really like to see her render and paint the "classic" Irish courses of Ballybunion, Lahinch, Ardglass, Royal Portrush, Newcastle, and Royal County Down. Those classic links style courses are some of the finest on this planet and really bring back fond memories of my playing days.
Her Passion is Painting.......2001-03-17
This "coffee table" style book works for me because of my passion for golf and my love for famous golf courses. Linda Hartough may be the best landscape artist I've seen in rendering these classic courses with the precision of modern day photography.
What I really got out of this book was a memory recollection of playing a majority of these courses. Looking at these paintings I was thrown into the distant memory of playing Pebble Beach, Shinnecock Hills, Winged Foot, Olympic Club, Carnoustie, St. Andrews (Old Course), Royal Lytham, Royal Birkdale, and Royal Troon. It was like de ja vu all over again!
Also worth checking out are the Augusta National paintings. This might be her finest work. I especially liked her work on hole #'s 10,11,12, and 15. Augusta is the best course in the world. Second to none. Her painting here is some of her finest work also.
If Linda Hartough ever publishes paintings of the century old courses of Ireland, in particular the courses designed by Old Tom Morris and Alister Mackenzie , I will buy it. I would really like to see her render and paint the "classic" Irish courses of Ballybunion, Lahinch, Ardglass, Royal Portrush, Newcastle, and Royal County Down. Those classic links style courses are some of the finest on this planet and really bring back fond memories of my playing days.
Terrific!.......2000-05-09
I was fortunate to have the Golf Channel on a few months ago. Linda Hartough, the artist featured in this book was on with a few of her originals. I immediately purchased the book. After browsing the book 3 or 4 times, taking in her breathtaking artwork, I decided to read a few of the writings by Jaime Diaz on some of my favorite courses. The writings are as enjoyable as the artwork. This book should become required reading for anyone playing the game, especially for golfers new to the game. They would gain a greater appreciation for golf. Thank you Linda Hartough and Jaime Diaz
Book Description
College football¿that combination feast-party-competition-celebration-tent revival¿has at its very core, The Stadium. That¿s where the converted go to stock the passions that stir the soul¿or, at the very least, threaten the eardrum.
The Sporting News¿ football experts select the 40 best stadiums in which to watch¿no, experience¿college football. The stadiums were chosen based on their settings, their structures, their fans, their mascots, the magnitude of the games played there, their marching bands, their traditions.
Vivid photos throughout the book give it a special ambience. See the Golden Dome at Notre Dame, the Coliseum epistyle at Southern California, the orange-and-white checkerboard end zones at Tennessee; walk between the hedges at Georgia, past Howard¿s Rock at Clemson.
Saturday Shrines will offer four regional cover options featuring the SEC/ACC (ISBN: 089204795X); Big Ten (ISBN: 0892048042); Big 12 (0892048069); and Pacific 10 (ISBN: 0892048069).
Customer Reviews:
I've seen many of stadiums described in this book.......2006-12-13
Overall I've give this book a fair rating.
I've seen most of the most famous and biggest college football stadiums. In about 85% of them I've been able to walk out to the fifty yard line mid field and look around at the stadium. Stadiums are usually open nearly every day of the year. Probably the nicest and most interesting that I've seen are Notre Dame Stadium & the Rose Bowl. I was surprised at how many stadiums that one wouldn't suspect being the nicest or greatest were included (Army, Navy, Air Force) in this book, while Rice's & Boston College's were not and Michigan State's was one of those allowed only a one page review. The book also omits Baylor's and Texas Tech's stadiums. In my mine all football stadiums are bland compared to baseball parks.
There is a small section which includes stadiums no longer around: Syracuse, Minnesota (seen that one), and a few others.
I did enjoy the history of the expansion of the stadiums.
great gift for the sport enthusiast!.......2006-07-05
This is a great gift for someone who loves college football and the little facts that everyone doesn't know. I even enjoyed looking through it!
Saturday Shrines!.......2006-05-20
OK, I don't understand the guys who didn't like this book. The pictures are great and there is tons of useful and interesting information. What a great book on college football! One of my favorites.
greatness.......2006-02-07
This book is the best. I got the chills just reading it. I felt like i was in Bryant Denny Stadium or Michie Stadium and I felt like I was in the locker room at the Cotton Bowl. this book is the best.
WORST BOOK EVER.......2005-12-17
This is the most slanderous, ridiculous book I have ever seen. DO NOT BUY, unless you want to be ripped off. Or unless you're from West Lafayette, in that case, buy it because it's the only time you'll see your stadium get any pub. - Jeff
Book Description
Eight middle-aged avid golfers journeyed to Scotland to fulfill a life-long dream of playing the British Open courses. It was a “golf til you drop” itinerary and included all the Scottish courses on the British Open rotation: Carnoustie, Muirfield, Royal Troon, Turnberry, and the Old Course at St. Andrews. The group also played Prestwick, the site of the first British Open, and several other famous links that are used as qualifiers for the Open Championship. They encountered all the challenges of links golf in Scotland: wind, rain, gorse, heather and pot bunkers. Each of the ten days was a chance to face the toughest courses in the birthplace of the great game, and gain memories that will be treasured by the group to the end of their days. Tanner Stewart captures the joy of playing golf with close friends on the great historic venues of Scotland. This book invites the reader to join the group as it weaves a rich tapestry of unique experiences in golf and life.
Customer Reviews:
If you can't go to Scotland, this is the next best thing!.......2004-07-25
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and recommend it highly to any golf enthusiast! It's about a group of 8 middle-aged men going on a golf trip to Scotland and the courses they play while there. St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Turnberry, Muirfield -- all the courses you dream about playing after watching the British Open. More than just a travel journal of a golfer's dream vacation, the book is a collection of the conversations of reunited friends who reflect on the past, and think about their futures, all while immersed in the historic beauty of the motherland of golf. I think it would make a great birthday or father's day present for any golfer in the family.
Average customer rating:
- Virginia countryside--truly hallowed ground
|
Hallowed Ground: Preserving America's Heritage
Rudy Abramson
Manufacturer: Lickle Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0965030865 |
Customer Reviews:
Virginia countryside--truly hallowed ground.......2001-06-28
this powerful book will move you to tears. It was born out of a perceived need to reacquaint all of us with our own history and the cultural need to work at preserving the land in some fashion for future generations. Previously untapped resources came together to champion this idea in a beautifully written tome accompanied by first-rate color photography.
i believe the idea of the book galvanized preservationist sympathies in Virgina and has been a key factor in major preservation achievements in more recent years.
Customer Reviews:
Rather Misleading Subtitle.......2007-01-14
I have been a reader of Bruce Catton's Civil War histories for years (I own 10 of them). I agree with the reviewers about Catton's vast talent as a storyteller and as a narrator of events. It was through reading his works that I first became aware of some of the lesser known colorful characters of the time, such as Gen. Phillip Kearney, Gen. D.H. Hill, and Robert Toombs. In fact, it was the writing of Bruce Catton that first turned me into a Civil War buff.
I have a rather strong objection to the subtitle of this work, which the late historian would never have approved were he alive today. This book is not "the Union side" of the Civil War; it gives BOTH sides. In fact, the author is more sympathetic to men like Gen. Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis than I would have been. For many years, some influential historians have sought to label any history that seems to hint that the right side won the Civil War as biased. (Over four score and seven years, actually.) This work is a balanced account, and one of the best one-volume histories of the war ever written, both on the battle front and at the home fronts. It deserves to be thought of as such.
Review - This Hallowed Ground.......2006-08-07
Bruce Catton is one of the best history writers of the Civil War. He writes in a fashion that is easy to read yet leaves no doubt what he is saying. Very good way to enjoy history. It is almost like reading a novel.
Romance and Realism in the Civil War.......2005-09-05
Of all the heartbreaking, sacrificial, and exhausting wars that the United States has encountered, the Civil War is the most upsetting of all. Bruce Catton, part of the last wave of a generation of romantic historians, paints a vivid portrait of the Union side of the conflict. Like all war historians, he is impressed by the elements that are found in the crucible of a long fight: the pageantry, brilliant tactical moves, feats of individual courage, and the inexhaustible source of stories. But on the other, he has enough judgment to temper his own writing with accounts of casualty lists and useless battles.
Catton's main thesis is that although the war did not begin over slavery, it became so through the force of the war's tide, and that the tide only became inexorable after a series of poor decisions on the Union side. He is especially adept at tracing the threads of the various campaigns - the Army of the Potomac's stalemated situation in Virginia, for instance, is contrasted with Grant's quick thinking out west with the Army of the Tennessee. As the title would imply, the book focuses on the to and fro movements of the Union side. Lincoln, Lee, and the particularities of the situation prior to the war are not dealt with in any depth.
Nor is this is a book with a list of laundry items for the typical soldier and a slew of footnotes, although it is well-researched and thorough. Catton is more interested in quickly sketching an army as they march through the heat of the Mississippi and the lush countryside of Georgia. He unabashedly plays favorites with his "cast of characters" - Grant and Lincoln are praised, McClellan is not - but in most cases his biases are justified.
One could argue Catton's taste for drama and humorous anecdote overrides his ability to assess rationally the Civil War, but perhaps his romantic/realistic view of history is more in keeping with the age it is describing. The Civil War was fought by stubborn men who refused to cede a tenet long past its due date - and that in itself is the true tragedy.
Excellent Title and Narrative.......2004-10-07
If you're interested in the Civil War enough to browse this book, go ahead and snag it. To get a grasp on this period of our history, you must read Catton. He tells the overall story in the style almost of a novel. He is accurate and factual. Never fear. But this isn't reading history as you might remember. Catton will get your attention, draw you in and help you to feel some of the myriad of emotions that coursed through our ancestors on both sides of this conflict. He made me understand that wherever they trod was indeed hallowed ground after their passing.
An Outstanding Overview of the Civil War.......2004-05-04
The Civil War remains the pivotal and most discussed event in our Nation's history. Every generation of writers and readers feels the need to tell the story of the War anew and to reflect upon its meaning. In the mid-20th Century, the leading interpreter of the Civil War was Bruce Catton (1899-1978). Catton wrote narratives for the nonspecialist reader. He had the ability to make the Civil War era, the battles, and the issues come alive to a broad public. There is still much to be learned from his writing style and from his discussion of the War.
Catton's "This Hallowed Ground: the Story of the Union Side of the Civil War" (1956) remains an essential one-volume study of the conflict. Only James McPherson's work, "Battle Cry of Freedom" comes close to matching its scope. While McPherson's work may show a greater degree of scholarship, Catton's work more than compensates in its eloquence and passion.
The book begins with the famous caning that Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina gave to Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts in 1856 following a Sumner speech against slavery before the Senate. It examines the causes of the War, the battles and politics of the conflict, and concludes with the end of the long conflict in April 1865. (It gives only a brief glance to Reconstruction.)
Catton tells the stories of the War's military engagements simply and understandably. I have read detailed accounts of many Civil War battles and tend to become confused. Catton's accounts of the battled are short and, of course, simplified; but they cut to the heart of the matter. I would recommend that anyone interested in studying a battle in depth read Catton's account first, both for an overview of the War and for a basic account of the battle and its place in the scheme of the War.
Catton unequivocally states that slavery was the prime cause of the War. I think most contemporary historians agree with him. But many recent writers try to persuade their readers that they are discovering the importance of slavery to the conflict for themselves -- almost for the first time since 1865. It is helpful for an understanding of the history of history to see Catton's recognition (in a popular work written more than a generation ago) of slavery as the driving factor of the War. Catton also writes eloquently about industrialization in North America and about the factors which worked ultimately to make the United States a unified nation. I learned a great deal about the issues leading to the War and about the changes it effected in American life from Catton's account. (In his short discussion of Reconstruction, Catton suggests that the victorious Union took an unduly punitive approach to the South. This is one area in which many contemporary historians, I think, would tend to disagree with him.)
Catton's work also places great emphasis on the Western theatre of the War beginning with the capture of Fort Donelson in 1862. He sees Antietam rather than Gettysburg as the Confederate "High Tide" in the conflict. In these matters too, Catton's discussion is in accord with much recent writing on the War.
Although Catton's book focuses on, and is deeply sympathetic to, the Northern war effort, he portrays the Confederacy as a valiant and determined foe making its own effort to preserve what it viewed as a traditional, agrarian way of life. Again, he never allows the reader to forget that this way of life was predicated upon slavery. He recognizes the South's persistence in the War, the determination of its people, the courage of its soldiers, and the brilliance of Robert E. Lee without falling into "Lost Cause" mythology.
I am pleased that Catton's "This Hallowed Ground" remains in print and available for new readers who wish to understand our country and its greatest conflict. This book is an excellent choice for readers who only wish to read a single work on the War. I enjoyed the comments of the other Amazon readers who have reviewed this book.
Product Description
Travel down Route 15, the Old Carolina Road, from Gettysburg, PA to Monticello VA - 175 miles of more history than any road in America. Visit: The homes of six U.S. Presidents - Jefferson s Monticello, Madison s Montpelier, Monroe s Oak Hill and Ashlawn Highland, Zachary Taylor s home, and Eisenhower s Cottage. The home of General George Marshall where he wrote the Marshall Plan after World War II President Teddy Roosevelt s hunting cabin The largest collection of Civil War battlefields in the country Sites from Colonial times, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812 Sites from our Native American history: the Susquehannock and Iroquois tribes African American historical sites, including Underground Railroad Two World Heritage sites: Monticello and The Rotunda Numerous scenic rivers, roads, and landscapes 13 National Park units, and more. "Journey Through Hallowed Ground" explores the heritage, battlefields, scenery, and natural beauty of this historic Journey through Hallowed Ground. With descriptions of more than 100 sites along the 175 mile journey, the book contains a full-color map of the corridor, county-by-county guide to the sites, attractions and back roads; and Create Your Own Journey, 10-15 customized itineraries based on fun themes for families, romantic getaways, educational excursions, and countryside tourism.
Customer Reviews:
Journey Through Hallowed Ground: A Travel Guide of Heritage Sites from Gettysburg to Monticello.......2007-03-08
This is not your usual travel book. No five-star hotels. No "Night-Life" section. What it is, is a practical guide to exploring one of most interesting and historic stretches of road in this country. It is a guidebook inspired by the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership. This group describes itself in its website as follows: "The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising national awareness of the unparalleled history in the region, which generally follows the Old Carolina Road (Rt. 15/231) from Gettysburg, through Maryland, to Monticello in Albemarle County, VA. From its communities, farms, businesses and heritage sites, we have an opportunity to celebrate and preserve this vital fabric of America which stands today in the historic, scenic and natural beauty of this region."
The guide is a combination of basic history, introductions to historic sites and other points of interest, and recommendations of places to stay and to eat along the way. It provides the information needed to spend some time poking around one of the most fascinating sections of the country.
In a crazy world -- a visit to America's best historic places.......2006-11-08
The Old Carolina Road (US Route 15) has more history along it than almost any region in the US, and this great travel guide through its words, photos, and maps takes the visitor back into that honored history and out again into the thriving towns and villages that anchor it. The book is a thorough guide to all the exciting historic sites, natural beauty, friendly people,and great places to eat and shop from Gettysburg to Monticello.
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