The Imagined Civil War: Popular Literature of the North and South, 1861-1865 (Civil War America)

In this groundbreaking work of cultural history, Alice Fahs explores a little-known and fascinating side of the Civil War--the outpouring of popular literature inspired by the conflict. From 1861 to 1865, authors and publishers in both the North and the South produced a remarkable variety of war-related compositions, including poems, songs, children's stories, romances, novels, histories, and even humorous pieces. Fahs mines these rich but long-neglected resources to recover the diversity of the war's political and social meanings.Instead of narrowly portraying the Civil War as a clash between two great, white armies, popular literature offered a wide range of representations of the conflict and helped shape new modes of imagining the relationships of diverse individuals to the nation. Works that explored the war's devastating impact on white women's lives, for example, proclaimed the importance of their experiences on the home front, while popular writings that celebrated black manhood and heroism in the wake of emancipation helped readers begin to envision new roles for blacks in American life. Recovering a lost world of popular literature, __The Imagined Civil War__ adds immeasurably to our understanding of American life and letters at a pivotal point in our history. Alice Fahs Explores A Little-known And Fascinating Side Of The Civil War - The Outpouring Of Popular Literature Inspired By The Conflict. From 1861 To 1865, Authors And Publishers In Both The North And The South Produced A Remarkable Variety Of War-related Compositions, Including Poems, Songs, Children's Stories, Romances, Novels, Histories, And Even Humorous Pieces. Fahs Mines These Rich But Long-neglected Resources To Recover The Diversity Of The War's Political And Social Meanings. Instead Of Narrowly Portraying The Civil War As A Clash Between Two Great, White Armies, Popular Literature Offered A Wide Range Of Representations Through Which To Consider The Conflict, As Fahs Demonstrates. Works That Explored The War's Devastating Impact On White Women's Lives, For Example, Proclaimed The Importance Of Their Experiences On The Home Front, While Popular Writings That Celebrated Black Manhood And Heroism In The Wake Of Emancipation Helped Readers Begin To Imagine New Roles For Blacks In American Life. By Providing Subjects And Characters With Which A Broad Spectrum Of People Could Identify, Popular Literature Invited Ordinary Americans To Envision Themselves As Active Participants In The War And Helped Shape New Modes Of Imagining The Relationships Of Diverse Individuals To The Nation.--jacket. 1. Popular Literary Culture In Wartime 17 -- 2. Early Spirit Of War 61 -- 3. Sentimental Soldier 93 -- 4. Feminized War 120 -- 5. Kingdom Coming: The Emancipation Of Popular Literature 150 -- 6. Humor Of War 195 -- 7. Sensational War 225 -- 8. A Boys' And Girls' War 256 -- 9. Market Value Of Memory: Histories Of The War 287. Alice Fahs. Enlargement Of Author's Thesis (ph. D.)--new York University. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Alice Fahs explores a little-known and fascinating side of the Civil War - the outpouring of popular literature inspired by the conflict. From 1861 to 1865, authors and publishers in both the North and the South produced a remarkable variety of war-related compositions, including poems, songs, children's stories, romances, novels, histories, and even humorous pieces. Fahs mines these rich but long-neglected resources to recover the diversity of the war's political and social meanings.". "Instead of narrowly portraying the Civil War as a clash between two great, white armies, popular literature offered a wide range of representations through which to consider the conflict, as Fahs demonstrates. Works that explored the war's devastating impact on white women's lives, for example, proclaimed the importance of their experiences on the home front, while popular writings that celebrated black manhood and heroism in the wake of emancipation helped readers begin to imagine new roles for blacks in American life. By providing subjects and characters with which a broad spectrum of people could identify, popular literature invited ordinary Americans to envision themselves as active participants in the war and helped shape new modes of imagining the relationships of diverse individuals to the nation."--BOOK JACKET. In this groundbreaking work of cultural history, Alice Fahs explores a little-known and fascinating side of the Civil War--the outpouring of popular literature inspired by the conflict. From 1861 to 1865, authors and publishers in both the North and the South produced a remarkable variety of war-related compositions, including poems, songs, children's stories, romances, novels, histories, and even humorous pieces. Fahs mines these rich but long-neglected resources to recover the diversity of the war's political and social meanings. Instead of narrowly portraying the Civil War as a clash between two great, white armies, popular literature offered a wide range of representations of the conflict and helped shape new modes of imagining the relationships of diverse individuals to the nation. Works that explored the war's devastating impact on white women's lives, for example, proclaimed the importance of their experiences on the home front, while popular writings that celebrated black manhood and heroism in the wake of emancipation helped readers begin to envision new roles for blacks in American life. Recovering a lost world of popular literature, The Imagined Civil War adds immeasurably to our understanding of American life and letters at a pivotal point in our history. "Men cannot think, or write, or attend to their ordinary business," Oliver Wendell Holmes reported from Boston in the fall of 1861.