A free region deeply influenced by southern mores, the Lower Middle West represented a true cultural and political median in Civil War–era America. Here grew a Unionism steeped in the mythology of the Loyal West--a myth rooted in regional and racial animosities and the belief that westerners had won the war.Matthew E. Stanley's intimate study explores the Civil War, Reconstruction, and sectional reunion in this bellwether region. Using the lives of area soldiers and officers as a l...

Enlisting memory in a new fight for freedomFrom the Gilded Age through the Progressive era, labor movements reinterpreted Abraham Lincoln as a liberator of working people while workers equated activism with their own service fighting for freedom during the war. Matthew E. Stanley explores the wide-ranging meanings and diverse imagery used by Civil War veterans within the sprawling radical politics of the time. As he shows, a rich world of rituals, songs, speeches, ...

A New Way of Seeing considers the poetry of five writers—Louis Simpson, Keith Douglas, Richard Hugo, Howard Nemerov, and Randall Jarrell—whose work draws on their activities as soldiers in World War II. Basing his examination on extensive primary-source research, Michael Sarnowski identifies distance, both literal and figurative, and traumatic memory as two interconnected elements of how these poets internalized the war and made sense of the events they witnessed.The book ...

Martial Culture, Silver Screen analyzes war movies, one of the most popular genres in American cinema, for what they reveal about the narratives and ideologies that shape U.S. national identity. Edited by Matthew Christopher Hulbert and Matthew E. Stanley, this volume explores the extent to which the motion picture industry, particularly Hollywood, has played an outsized role in the construction and evolution of American self-definition.Moving chronologically, eleven essay...

Films possess virtually unlimited power for crafting broad interpretations of American history. Nineteenth-century America has proven especially conducive to Hollywood imaginations, producing indelible images like the plight of Davy Crockett and the defenders of the Alamo, Pickett’s doomed charge at Gettysburg, the proliferation and destruction of plantation slavery in the American South, Custer’s fateful decision to divide his forces at Little Big Horn, and the onset of immigration and in...

Playing at War offers an innovative focus on Civil War video games as significant sites of memory creation, distortion, and evolution in popular culture. With fifteen essays by historians, the collection analyzes the emergence and popularity of video games that topically engage the period surrounding the American Civil War, from the earliest console games developed in the 1980s through the web-based games of the twenty-first century, including popular titles such as Red Dead R...

During the Victorian period, the practice of science shifted from a religious context to a naturalistic one. It is generally assumed that this shift occurred because naturalistic science was distinct from and superior to theistic science. Yet as Huxley's Church and Maxwell's Demon reveals, most of the methodological values underlying scientific practice were virtually identical for the theists and the naturalists: each agreed on the importance of the uniformity of natural laws, th...

"Motor Matt's Daring; or, True to His Friends" is part of the "Motor Matt" series, written by Stanley R. Matthews. The series follows the adventures of Motor Matt, a young and skilled mechanic who, along with his friends, embarks on exciting and dangerous quests.In this particular installment, Motor Matt is faced with a series of thrilling challenges and high-stakes situations. The plot typically involves Motor Matt's expertise with automobiles and machinery, as well as his bravery and res...

The Setup: The story begins with Motor Matt, a resourceful and courageous young man, finding himself in a challenging situation. Known for his expertise with all things mechanical, Matt has earned a reputation as a capable problem solver. However, in this installment, he faces a new threat that pushes him to his limits—both physically and mentally.The Adventure "Around the Horn": The title refers to a journey "Around the Horn," which historically means sailing around Cape Horn at the south...

The story introduces Matt King, nicknamed "Motor Matt," a resourceful and courageous young man with exceptional talent for anything mechanical, particularly motors and engines. His expertise earns him the title "King of the Wheel," reflecting his prowess and passion for all things mechanical, especially motorbikes and automobiles.Motor Matt's adventures typically involve helping others, thwarting villains, and overcoming various challenges with his ingenuity and mechanical knowledge. In th...

Motor Matt's Double Trouble; or, The Last of the Hoodoo is part of the "Motor Matt" series, which follows the thrilling adventures of a young mechanic and motor enthusiast named Matt King, commonly known as Motor Matt. The series, written by Stanley R. Matthews (a pseudonym used by various authors), was popular in the early 20th century and featured action-packed stories involving cars, motorcycles, and other motorized vehicles.In this particular installment, Motor Matt faces a series of c...

In this adventure, Motor Matt finds himself in Brazil, specifically in the region of the Amazon rainforest. The story kicks off with Matt embarking on an exciting expedition in South America, where he faces a variety of challenges and dangers associated with the vast and mysterious Amazon basin.The plot involves Motor Matt using his aviation skills and mechanical ingenuity to navigate the complexities of the Amazon environment. He may encounter obstacles such as treacherous terrain, hostil...