First published in 1979; this volume offers students and teachers a unique view of American history prior to the Civil War. Distinguished historian David Brion Davis has chosen a diverse array of primary sources that show the actual concerns; hopes; fears; and understandings of ordinary antebellum Americans. He places these sources within a clear interpretive narrative that brings the documents to life and highlights themes that social and cultural historians have brought to our attention in recent years. Beginning with the family and the issue of socialization and influence; the units move on to struggles over access to wealth and power; the plight of "outsiders" in an "open" society; and ideals of progress; perfection; and mission. The reader of this volume hears a great diversity of voices but also grasps the unities that survived even the Civil War.
#1731234 in Books 2011-05-25Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.19 x 6.00l; 1.35 #File Name: 0271013451428 pages
Review
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Very valuable collectionBy Jonathan B. CouserSince the only review so far clearly misunderstood the book; something more even-handed; this is not a book to advocate any religious position at all; and it's not the editors' fault if the reader failed to figure that out. What this is; is a very useful collection of some of the major saints' lives from late antiquity and early medieval Europe in English translation. As such; it's very useful to those interested in studying the history and culture of the period.There are two minor drawbacks to the collection. One is that it is rarely clear exactly why these particular saints' lives were chosen and others were excluded. The collection is heavily slanted toward Franks and Anglo-Saxons (on the continent); with hardly any representation from Spain; Italy; etc. Columbanus and the Iro-Frankish saints of the 7th century are entirely absent; we skip from Germanus of Auxerre (5th century) to St. Boniface of Mainz (8th century); but then get a number of the "Willies and Wynnies" of Boniface's world. Women are also absent except for St. Leoba (fortunately; MacNamara's Sainted Women of the Dark Ages fills that gap admirably).The other is that the collection is not a set of fresh modern translations by the editors; but a collection of older translations by the likes of F.R. Hoare and C.H. Talbot. This is not necessarily a bad thing in itself; but new translations of the texts in question would be a useful thing; as the existing ones have their problems. Talbot was keen to document an Anglo-Saxon missionary program; for instance; and consistently uses phrases like "missionary work" where the original Latin has no such phrase (the original usually would be more accurately rendered "the labor of preaching" or something similar).Nevertheless; this remains a very useful collection to make early medieval texts available to modern students and enthusiasts.0 of 51 people found the following review helpful. Interesting resource bookBy Kindle CustomerThe only value I can give as theologian to this book is the worldview of this missionaries of the middle ages that lived in a society that was more savage than christian. The rest is pure fiction to try to convice the medieval readers to accept the worship of certain people as "saints". The Biblical concept of holiness is that all baptized and real christians are saints for God; because they all are in Christ. There is nothing extra-ordinary in this. Now; the concept of the writers of this book is different; is that these were abnormal people; holy since conception; born special and meritorious of devotion (worship). As an evangelical christian I will recommend you better the biographies of Martin Luther; John Calvin; John Knox; John Wesley; Spurgeon; Billy Graham; etc...
