Instant coffee was invented during the Civil War for use by Union troops, who hated it; holding races between lice was a popular pastime for both Johnny Reb and Billy Yank; 13% of the Confederate Army deserted during the conflict.These are three of the hundreds of bits of knowledge that Mike Wright makes available in his informative and entertaining What They Didn't Teach You About the Civil War, which focuses on the lives and ways of ordinary soldiers and of those they left behind. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Award-winning television writer Wright wants to make the Civil War fun in the misguided belief that American history instruction needs more entertainment. The result is a patchwork of amusing anecdotes and ill-assorted "factoids" about spies, sports, sex, starvation, good and bad soldiering, the misdeeds and missteps of generals and politicians, and more. Wright has an eye for the odd detail, but he lacks vision. His "book" is aptly titled, because no teacher in good conscience would try to pass off this series of one-liners as history. The few laughs Wright provides do not compensate for his lack of narrative coherence and historical argument of his undisciplined and sometimes uninformed writing. For example, his chapter on slavery and culture is outdated and has errors. Indeed, Wright's "book" marches around to no purpose, much like the inept generals he spanks in his text. Only for libraries that want everything on the war.
Randall M. Miller, St. Joseph's Univ., Philadelphia
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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