Gender is the last vantage point from which the Civil War has yet to be examined in-depth; says LeeAnn Whites. Gender concepts and constructions; Whites says; deeply influenced the beliefs underpinning both the Confederacy and its vestiges to which white southerners clung for decades after the Confederacy's defeat. Whites's arguments and observations; which center on the effects of the conflict on the South's gender hierarchy; will challenge our understanding of the war and our acceptance of its historiography.The ordering principle of gender roles and relations in the antebellum South; says Whites; was a form of privileged white male identity against which others in that society were measured and accorded worth and meaning―women; wives; children; and slaves. Over the course of the Civil War the power of these men to so arbitrarily construct their world all but vanished; owing to a succession of hardships that culminated in defeat and the end of slavery. At the same time; Confederate women were steadily―and ambivalently―empowered. Drawn out of their domestic sphere; these women labored and sacrificed to prop up an apparently hollow notion of essential manliness that rested in part on an assumption of female docility and weakness.Whites focuses on Augusta; Georgia; to follow these events as they were played out in the lives of actual men and women. An antebellum cotton trading center; Augusta was central to the Confederacy's supply network and later became an exemplary New South manufacturing city. Drawing on primary sources from private family papers to census data; Whites traces the interplay of power and subordination; self-interest and loyalty; as she discusses topics related to the gender crisis in Augusta; including female kin networks; women's volunteer organizations; class and race divisions; emancipation; Sherman's invasion of Georgia; veteran aid societies; rural migration to cities; and the postwar employment of white women and children in industry.Whites concludes with an account of how elite white Augustans "reconstructed" themselves in the postwar years. By memorializing their dead and mythologizing their history in a way that presented the war as a valiant defense of antebellum domesticity; these Augustans sought to restore a patriarchy―however attenuated―that would deflect the class strains of industrial development while maintaining what it could of the old Southern gender and racial order. Inherent in this effort; as during the war; was an unspoken admission by the white men of Augusta of their dependency upon white women. A pioneering volume in Civil War history; this important study opens new debates and avenues of inquiry in culture and gender studies.
#642780 in Books Peter Pearson 2005-10-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .26 x 8.48l; .53 #File Name: 081922203882 pagesA Brush with God An ICON Workbook
Review
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful. Ancient view with only modern tools- not for Eastern OrthodoxBy queenpineappleThe first few chapters were engaging and talked about the significance and mystery of icons in both the corporate liturgical realm and that of the heart. Pearson does everything he can to convey to the reader how to prepare for icon writing in the historical context but then sadly; forgoes tradition for modern techniques that are not thoroughly explained for a nervous beginner.I should mention; that I come from the Antiochian Orthodox church and I find a few discrepancies in the historical context; but overall it's firm. Also I just don't see how this can be used effectively. Its lack of details is impractical for both those who want to pursue iconography professionally or even those young children that simply want to learn something new. The book come off as more of a lacking encyclopedia rather than a how to. The details provided are more lacking than even a simple google search would provide in a few clicks.If you want to do this traditionally Orthodox; this isn't the book for you. Yes; some do iconography in other manners; such as mixing small quantities of pigments with linseed oil (which is really just oil paints) on the day of and we aso accept printed copies glued onto fiberboard. Does this diminish our experience with God? I hope not. But are we not called to hold fast to the traditions of word and epistle? There is a beauty and joy in traditional icon work and I wish this book grasped that. That said; if Pearson could- I would recommend some serious additons so that children could enjoy it. More pictures including in progress ones; blending techniques; layering; brush work and methods; gesso type and more.For those wanting to do things in the eastern orthodox way; skip this and go for the prosopon DVD series. Also; a great supply list for egg tempera pigments can be found on Betsy porter's website. She also has a lot of great supply links. As for red clay bole I would use it either premixed or dispersed and added with Titebond hide glue and a drop of honey. Also; the agate burnishers here on are a great deal.Anyhow; this is just my opinion.23 of 23 people found the following review helpful. Not only for those who follow the rulesBy MoorheadI do not paint in acrylic; and I do not follow the rules of Russian iconography. Even so; I use this book. I'm sorry to say it; but the author's work is not my taste. Even so; I use this book. It gives good general instructions in iconography; as well as step-by-step instructions of particular projects. The three projects are Christ's head and shoulders (a somewhat simpler version of what is on the cover); Vladimir Mother of God; and St. Nicholas (not to worry-- he does not look at all like Santa). The projects include a line drawing you can trace and transfer to your board; color names of the paints needed; and maps of the layers of highlights used to give dimension to the figures. I use his book for general information; for the halo template and placement; and especially for the color-mixing recipes because the author likes to keep his colors transparent and does not lighten his colors with white except in the final highlight. He gives a list of supplies you will need; directions for preparing panels; color symbology of icons; and even a project for kids to make their own icon. He thoroughly discusses the spiritual aspects of painting icons and praying with them. I especially enjoyed his thoughts on how praying with the help of icons is not related to idolatry; any more than praying with words is idolatry: "Pictures and words are symbolic representations that help us connect with physical or spiritual reality; they're not the realities to which they point. Why; then; are verbal images so much more worthy than pictorial forms of bearing divine presence?" p. 62Where there does not seem to be enough information for the student of the traditional icon is in the placement of the figures relative to the positioning grid. I understand Russian icons must fall along particular diagonals. The author suggests students learn about these rules by tracing a print of an old icon. I would have liked for him to say more about how they are designed.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Next best thing to sitting in a classBy W. ByrdThough I wish I could say I do; I admit that I have little in the way of artistic talent when it comes to painting. Hence I have been reluctant to even consider writing icons. To me; the beautiful thing about the way Peter+ teaches is not only the very approachable manner in which he leads a student; in a step by step manner; to writing an icon; but his emphasis on the contemplative prayer that icon writing actually is. I am very pleased with both of his books on this ancient practice of prayer. Thank you; Peter+ for making this available to those who seek to learn this practice.
