Tag Archives: Civil War

Historical Fiction Is about the Present

By Robin Bates | Published: December 9, 2025

Two recent historical novels, about Irish Boston and Bleeding Kansas, capture today’s tumult and they look backward.

By Robin Bates | Published: July 5, 2025

Emerson’s “Boston Hymn,” written during the Civil War, imagines God telling America to make freedom its king and to free the slaves.

By Robin Bates | Published: June 5, 2023

Unlike Faulkner, the Southern Agrarians claimed that African Americans weren’t an integral part of Southern culture.

By Robin Bates | Published: May 29, 2022

In “The Watchers,” Whittier honors the fallen while seeing the necessity of war to bring about freedom.

By Robin Bates | Published: December 5, 2021

Hugo’s “Les Misérables” was a hit with Civil War soldiers. An article explores the reasons why.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged Miserables, slavery, tyranny, Victor Hugo | Comments closed

By Robin Bates | Published: September 1, 2021

Leaders should “Red Badge of Courage” before sending their troops into battle.

By Robin Bates | Published: August 13, 2020

Educator Diane Ravitch’s favorite poem include two 19th century oldies that get at a teacher’s sense of mission.

By Robin Bates | Published: July 4, 2020

“The Battle of the Hymn of the Republic” is one of the most influential set of lyrics in American history–for good and for bad.

By Robin Bates | Published: June 18, 2020

Rolle’s poem about Juneteenth makes it clear that freedom, no less than fighting for freedom, is hard