Reviews of Scars to Prove It: The Civil War Soldier and American Fiction
"Craig A. Warren's study is an ambitious attempt to establish the relationship between Civil War fiction and historical sources -- in particular, veterans’ narratives -- on which this fiction is based. . . . [Overall it is] an important, informed, and eloquently argued study. Scars to Prove It is a valuable contribution to the field of Civil War literary scholarship and it certainly brings new perspectives to what many would consider to be exhaustively mined fictional sources."
-- H-Net Reviews [read full review]
"Warren (Pennsylvania State Univ., Erie) offers an honest, novel approach to fiction written about the Civil War, something no previous scholar has accomplished. . . . [The] author creates a clear picture of Southern literature from modernism to postmodernism and in so doing fills a gap in literary studies. . . . Highly recommended."
-- Choice magazine,
American Library Association
"Warren’s book demonstrates that an awareness of how fiction writers have relied upon (and sometimes rejected) [soldiers'] diaries, memoirs, and regimental histories as source materials can enrich our understanding of seven of the most important Civil War novels. . . . Craig A. Warren has written Scars to Prove It: The Civil War Soldier and American Fiction to appeal to a general audience. No expertise in Civil War history or literary criticism is required to appreciate his insights into this important body of American literature."
-- The Journal of Military History
"Scars to Prove It offers considerable food for thought regarding how much fiction has to offer toward fully understanding the national cataclysm. It might also inspire many history buffs to reread novels with a fresh eye."
-- Civil War Times
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