NF Confederates in the Attic

[bdietzler73]

Has anyone read Confederates in the Attic? Is it a good book? I am thinking of buying it and reading it but wanted to get some opinions before I made the investment.

 

[cash]

Has anyone read Confederates in the Attic? Is it a good book? I am thinking of buying it and reading it but wanted to get some opinions before I made the investment.

I thought it was a very good book, but realize it was just the folks he came across. It wasn't meant to be representative of the whole.

 

[AndyHall]

It's a travelogue that examines peoples' (mostly Southerners') beliefs, attitudes and remembrance of the war. It's a function of the genre that the people he ends up writing about are, um, characters. It's irreverent and very funny if appreciate that sort of thing.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

I picked it up in Barnes & Noble, flipped through it, said "Meh," and put it back on the shelf.

(Not enough about gunboats.)

 

[bdietzler73]

It's a travelogue that examines peoples' (mostly Southerners') beliefs, attitudes and remembrance of the war. It's a function of the genre that the people he ends up writing about are, um, characters. It's irreverent and very funny if appreciate that sort of thing.

Funny might be good. As long as there is some truth in it and it's nothing made up then it could be a book I am interested in.

 

[Sid J.]

It's more of travelogue through some modern viewpoints of the war. If you are familiar with Paul Theroux's travel books it's similar in tone and style. Snarky sometimes, especially towards the Johnnies.

 

[AndyHall]

Funny might be good. As long as there is some truth in it and it's nothing made up then it could be a book I am interested in.

It's not a history; it's anecdotes about strange people he met while traveling, trying to figure out why the CW captivates so many people in modern-day America.

 

[ErnieMac]

I found it to be entertaining and a good read. Comments by Andy and Eric are right on.

 

[kfranklin]

I personally rather liked the book. I love it quite a lot and in fact know several of the people featured in it. It does tend to focus on characters, but this book is what finally gave me the push to learn about the Civil War.

 

[reading48]

It's not history but an interesting read.....

 

[chellers]

Just not my cup of tea. Like Mark, meh.....

 

[huskerblitz]

I read it and thought it was pretty good. I like his sense of humor while on his excursions. It's also a quick read so I would recommend it.

 

[shanniereb]

Well, I am totally Southern, and I actually liked the sarcasm. Actually made me laugh. But then I have a weird sense of humor. Borrow it from your library, it is probably a book you will read once and put on the shelf. It is worth the look though if you like sarcastic humor.

 

[CMWinkler]

I read it a long time ago but very much enjoyed it. If you reenact, you are sure to see someone you know.

 

[Chrisinfp]

I really liked it. He's a good writer.

 

[101combatvet]

I picked it up in Barnes & Noble, flipped through it, said "Meh," and put it back on the shelf.

(Not enough about gunboats.)

Not at all impressed with the author or his writings. If you must read it save your coin and borrow it from the library.

 

[lakertaker]

Read it twice over the last 4 or 5 years. Enjoyed his story telling and the personal bio's of the people he met on his travels through the south.

 

[matthew mckeon]

Not at all impressed with the author or his writings. If you must read it save your coin and borrow it from the library.

Totally agree with saving your coin and using your library!

Liked his book blue latitudes about the Pacific, especially the drunken, violent celebration of where Cook landed in Australia. Horowitz wakes up from his alcoholic black out and goes to the police station to find out how many people had been arrested(he had seen the police use a watercannon on the crowd and a fistfight between an officer and a spectator). The cop on duty tells him the number of arrests are down from previous years. "It has more of a family feel nowadays."

 

[Lee]

I enjoyed it and would advise one get it from the library and if you like it buy it to reread from time to time. I liked the re-enactor who hated Farbs and my favorite chapter was when Horowitz met and interviewed Shelby Foote. Beware though if you are Southern with a thin epidermis because Horowitz comes upon more than a couple "good ole boys" whose Momma seasoned their grits with powdered lead. I read it not long ago and for the life of me I thought FARB was an acronym and I can't remember what it was. The story or ACW quest occurred in the 90s if my less than perfect memory serves.

The story about the last Confederate widow was a good one but I won't spoil it for those here who haven't read it yet. Another feature is the sad story about how little is left of many of the battlefields in Virginia that don't have subdivisions on them.

 

[Missouri 1st]

I enjoyed it and would advise one get it from the library and if you like it buy it to reread from time to time. I liked the re-enactor who hated Farbs and my favorite chapter was when Horowitz met and interviewed Shelby Foote. Beware though if you are Southern with a thin epidermis because Horowitz comes upon more than a couple "good ole boys" whose Momma seasoned their grits with powdered lead. I read it not long ago and for the life of me I thought FARB was an acronym and I can't remember what it was. The story or ACW quest occurred in the 90s if my less than perfect memory serves.

The story about the last Confederate widow was a good one but I won't spoil it for those here who haven't read it yet. Another feature is the sad story about how little is left of many of the battlefields in Virginia that don't have subdivisions on them.

I thought FARB was actually from the German word farbe which is the word for color. I believe it was a play on the word to mean "colored" as in prettied up, not really what you think it is, ie, fake.