Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause
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- Author：Ty Seidule
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Summary
In a forceful but humane narrative， former soldier and head of the West Point history department Ty Seidule's Robert E。 Lee and Me challenges the myths and lies of the Confederate legacyand explores why some of this country’s oldest wounds have never healed。
Ty Seidule grew up revering Robert E。 Lee。 From his southern childhood to his service in the U。S。 Army， every part of his life reinforced the Lost Cause myth: that Lee was the greatest man who ever lived， and that the Confederates were underdogs who lost the Civil War with honor。 Now， as a retired brigadier general and Professor Emeritus of History at West Point， his view has radically changed。 From a soldier， a scholar， and a southerner， Ty Seidule believes that American history demands a reckoning。
In a unique blend of history and reflection， Seidule deconstructs the truth about the Confederacythat its undisputed primary goal was the subjugation and enslavement of Black Americansand directly challenges the idea of honoring those who labored to preserve that system and committed treason in their failed attempt to achieve it。 Through the arc of Seidule’s own life， as well as the culture that formed him， he seeks a path to understanding why the facts of the Civil War have remained buried beneath layers of myth and even outright liesand how they embody a cultural gulf that separates millions of Americans to this day。
Part history lecture， part meditation on the Civil War and its fallout， and part memoir， Robert E。 Lee and Me challenges the deeply-held legends and myths of the Confederacyand provides a surprising interpretation of essential truths that our country still has a difficult time articulating and accepting。
Ty Seidule grew up revering Robert E。 Lee。 From his southern childhood to his service in the U。S。 Army， every part of his life reinforced the Lost Cause myth: that Lee was the greatest man who ever lived， and that the Confederates were underdogs who lost the Civil War with honor。 Now， as a retired brigadier general and Professor Emeritus of History at West Point， his view has radically changed。 From a soldier， a scholar， and a southerner， Ty Seidule believes that American history demands a reckoning。
In a unique blend of history and reflection， Seidule deconstructs the truth about the Confederacythat its undisputed primary goal was the subjugation and enslavement of Black Americansand directly challenges the idea of honoring those who labored to preserve that system and committed treason in their failed attempt to achieve it。 Through the arc of Seidule’s own life， as well as the culture that formed him， he seeks a path to understanding why the facts of the Civil War have remained buried beneath layers of myth and even outright liesand how they embody a cultural gulf that separates millions of Americans to this day。
Part history lecture， part meditation on the Civil War and its fallout， and part memoir， Robert E。 Lee and Me challenges the deeply-held legends and myths of the Confederacyand provides a surprising interpretation of essential truths that our country still has a difficult time articulating and accepting。
Editor Reviews
10/19/2020
West Point history professor emeritus Seidule （coeditor， West Point History of the American Revolution） delivers a ruminative and carefully researched look at how the Confederacy is understood and memorialized a century and a half after its defeat。 Frustrated by his realization that so many white Americans from all parts of the nation have “grown up with the same myths， really lies， about the Civil War” that he learned as a child in Virginia， Seidule takes apart the bedrocks of “Lost Cause” mythology， presenting evidence that the Civil War was truly about slavery， not states’ rights; that Robert E。 Lee’s high moral character has been exaggerated; and that the North won because of its strategic superiority as much as its manufacturing capabilities。 Seidule also delves into the history of lynchings in Walton County， Ga。， where he attended high school， and the ways in which the U。S。 military valorizes the Confederacy。 He contends that， with the exception of an “extremist fringe，” most Americans who accept Confederate mythology do so out of ignorance rather than racism。 Some readers may question Seidule’s assertion that the tide is already turning against the Lost Cause， but he makes a valiant and well-supported effort to bring essential facts to light。 This heartfelt history has a worthy message。 （Jan。）
Reviews
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Charles Bellavia
，
Thank you to St。 Martin's Press and Goodreads for providing an Advanced Reader Copy。 The concept of Robert E。 Lee as a traitor instead of a hero has become common place。 I fully agree with this history。 Ty Seidue's "Robert E。 Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause" is the memoir of retired Brigadier General Seidule's awakening。 The author has some tedious passages which are difficult to move through due to too much detail that is off thesis。 He says it best in the e Thank you to St。 Martin's Press and Goodreads for providing an Advanced Reader Copy。 The concept of Robert E。 Lee as a traitor instead of a hero has become common place。 I fully agree with this history。 Ty Seidue's "Robert E。 Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause" is the memoir of retired Brigadier General Seidule's awakening。 The author has some tedious passages which are difficult to move through due to too much detail that is off thesis。 He says it best in the epilogue on page 253: "I have a converts zeal。 I know it 。 Sometimes my passion can verge on righteousness， but the facts don't care about feelings。" Unfortunately， at times the author did not care about the reader's feelings。The extensive footnoting was helpful and appreciated。Two historical points in my opinion the author missed。 First， BG Seidule never dispels the Lost Cause myth that General Grant was a butcher。 The down playing of General Grant's military innovations is positive press for General Lee。 Second， the author makes only one small compliment to General Lee in the Epilogue。 This leaves the reader to ask if the military General Lee had no strategic of tactical accomplishments。Having visited West Point's Trophy Point I commend the author for his visual dialogue。 。。。more
Dawn Michelle
，
Woosh。 This is a tough book to review。 There is a lot to unpack here。 As there usually is in regards to the Civil War and the south and the myth that they have perpetuated since the start and end of their rebellion。 The author does an excellent job of unpacking many of the myths that have been perpetuated at truth for hundreds of years along with the unpacking of his OWN beliefs and how he has used that knowledge to teach the future generations the truth rather than the myths and lies that have Woosh。 This is a tough book to review。 There is a lot to unpack here。 As there usually is in regards to the Civil War and the south and the myth that they have perpetuated since the start and end of their rebellion。 The author does an excellent job of unpacking many of the myths that have been perpetuated at truth for hundreds of years along with the unpacking of his OWN beliefs and how he has used that knowledge to teach the future generations the truth rather than the myths and lies that have been taught for years。 There was quite a bit of information that I didn't know about the battles and the naming of the forts and some of the history that is only taught in southern schools that helped cement my already strong belief in how wrong the south was in their rebellion and how it was totally based on keeping systemic slavery and nothing else。 This will be a tough book to read for some。 I get that。 When all that you know and believe is challenged， it is tough to admit that and then also admit that you [and everything around you] need to change。 I admire the author and his willingness to be transparent about his former beliefs and what it took to change them。 It isn't often that someone who is indoctrinated in a belief system is willing to admit they are wrong and then also tell the how and why and what they are now doing about it。 Kudos to him for that alone。 The book as a whole， with all the history and stories is just cherries on the top for a history geek。 It is an important book that need to be read - it shows that people CAN change， people CAN be taught and people CAN realize that all they have been taught [falsely] is incorrect and needs to be adjusted and changed。 It also shows that not every person who believes in a racist trope is someone who flies the confederate flag and marches to kill people [re: Charlottesville or the attack on the Capital on 1。6。2021]。 It can be the very person you'd never expect [i。e。 a West Point history professor]。 I am， for what its worth， so grateful that the author found his way to the truth and is now working to make sure that truth is taught everywhere。 Well done。 Thank you to NetGalley， Ty Seidule， and St。 Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Michael
，
Twenty-five years ago， I served on board the USS Dwight D。 Eisenhower with a guy from Virginia。 He was a good man: smart， funny， polite; I really liked him。 He and I got to talking about history a good bit， and this is what he told me: It wasn't 'the Civil War，' it was "the War of Northern Aggression，" and it wasn't actually fought over slavery， it was an issue of states's rights。 Robert E。 Lee what the greatest general in the history of mankind， and the only reason the South lost was that the N Twenty-five years ago， I served on board the USS Dwight D。 Eisenhower with a guy from Virginia。 He was a good man: smart， funny， polite; I really liked him。 He and I got to talking about history a good bit， and this is what he told me: It wasn't 'the Civil War，' it was "the War of Northern Aggression，" and it wasn't actually fought over slavery， it was an issue of states's rights。 Robert E。 Lee what the greatest general in the history of mankind， and the only reason the South lost was that the North had more men and material。 I don't remember him telling me that slaves were actually happier and better off in bondage， but I suspect that he entertained that thought。The gentleman--and， again， a good guy-- was one of many Southerners I served with in the United States Navy， and they all believed some variation of what I've written above。 The history people are taught in the South， and the historical culture in which they live， is that of 'The Lost Cause' of the Confederacy。 Southern pride， noble soldiers， and honorable officers fighting to protect the South's way of life from bullying Yankees。Fast forward to 2015， in Charleston SC， where one Dylan Roof murders a bunch of African-American people at a Bible study in a state where the Confederate flag flies proudly over the state capital。 Fast forward to 2017 and the unpleasantness in Charlottesville。 Fast forward again to January， 2021， and the sight of a man who breached the US Capital and marched along the hallways bearing a Confederate Battle Flag。 Recall President Donald Trump refusing to sign the National Defense Act in November， 2020， because he objected to the names of US Army bases being changed from those of Confederate generals to something less。。。what's the word？ Controversial？Why arethere so many monuments--including one in Arlington National Cemetery--commemorating the Confederacy？ Why are so many schools and buildings and streets named after Confederates？ Why was their a statue of Robert E。 Lee in our nation's capital--the same one attacked by seditious men and women who， like the Confederates from the 1860s， simply refused to accept the result of a Presidential election？ The past， as William Faulkner said， isn't dead。 It isn't even the past。 The author of this book is a Virginian， a 35 year full-bird Army colonel， and a historian who teaches at West Point。 He describes his own upbringing in the South， his veneration of Robert E。 Lee， his formation at Washington and Lee University （where Less is buried）， and his experiences teaching at West Point where Lee， and other Confederates， are honored。 The author traces the history of the post-war myth of the Lost Cause， the beginning of the cult of Robert E。 Lee， and the influence of all of this mythology on the South to this day， as well as the attempts to reconcile white Southerners to white Northerners。 Black Americans， is seems， didn't really get to weigh in。 The book is honest， self-critical， and fascinating。 I learned a lot that I didn't know。But here is what I already knew， and what I told my friend on Ike many， many years ago: Lee， and his fellow officers， were traitors。 They broke their vows as officers in the United States military， made rebellion against a duly elected government， caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of American military personnel， and did it all for slavery。 Read that again: for the perpetuation of human slavery。 That's what the Civil War （or maybe we can call it the War of Racist Traitors？） was about。 Lee's own words， and his own actions， damn him。 He was no hero。 He was an oath-breaking， slave holding traitor。 As were many of his fellows。 Full stop。 We still deal with the repercussions of the War of the Rebellion today， 150+ years later。 Even today， the former Confederate states are filled with。。。let's be polite and say Southerners in all their glory and pride。 I lived in the panhandle of FL for sixth months， and I had the opportunity to visit Alabama， Mississippi， and Louisiana during my time there。 It is an interesting place， for sure: beautiful girls， religious zealotry， extreme poverty， and violence and ignorance。 A different world that staid old New England。 In the final analysis， it may be that our cultures really are just too different to mesh together。 Perhaps the United States should （peacefully） break into parts so that those whose world views are so at odds can stop hating each other and go about their business untroubled by "those people": Yankees， Red Necks， Hillbillies， city folk， whatever。 In the long run， it just may be for the best。 。。。more
Carin
，
Ty Seidule was born and raised in Alexandria， Virginia where his only goal in life was to grow up to be a good Virginia gentleman， like his hero， Robert E。 Lee。 After graduating from a segregation academy （a private school founded with the explicit purpose of letting white children continue to go to an unsegregated school）， he went on to Washington & Lee University and then joined the army。 When he joined the faculty of West Point， he was temporarily housed in Lee Barracks on Lee Drive。 Recently Ty Seidule was born and raised in Alexandria， Virginia where his only goal in life was to grow up to be a good Virginia gentleman， like his hero， Robert E。 Lee。 After graduating from a segregation academy （a private school founded with the explicit purpose of letting white children continue to go to an unsegregated school）， he went on to Washington & Lee University and then joined the army。 When he joined the faculty of West Point， he was temporarily housed in Lee Barracks on Lee Drive。 Recently he quit the military so he can speak his mind。 This history professor wants to explain to everyone about the three causes of the Civil War:slavery， slavery， and slavery。He has gone back to the sources， he has done the research。 He had looked into the naming of every one of these army bases that are named after Confederates。 None of them were done to honor the Civil War。 All of them were done to slow the progress of human rights and to intimidate African-Americans。 He has the paperwork。 He can prove it。 And in that paperwork， he also disproves the notion that Lee joined the Confederacy solely because he felt it his duty as a Virginian to defend his state。 That's bunk。 And Lee said so in letters to his family。 He joined because of slavery。 （Also there were other Southern colonels at West Point when the Civil War broke out and he's the only one who defected to the traitors。）In his quest to tell this story， Col。 Seidule goes back and shows how he was taught to be a racist by his elders and his school system （he even finds the Virginia state history books he was taught from in school）。 And he explains how we have to get past these issues to move forward in this country。 If you have someone in your life who might hear this message better from an older， white， military man， this is the most perfect book。 But I， who thought myself pretty well-educated in this area， had my eyes opened in a couple of ways。 For example， I am striving to change from saying "plantation" and instead calling them what they are: enslaved labor farms。 I also never before realized that the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s。。。 was exactly 100 years after the Civil War。 Coincidence？ This read was utterly fascinating and I learned a lot。 You will too。 。。。more
Casey Wheeler
，
This book is about one man's coming to grips with the myths that he was raised on about the Civil War and being raised in the South。 While interesting， it came to be a bit cumbersome as the author beat to death that the Civil War was really about maintaining slavery and none of the other typical reasons that you see rationalized for the cause of the conflict。 He is right about the true cause。 One only needs to look at the events of the past few days and years to see what the brainwashing of the This book is about one man's coming to grips with the myths that he was raised on about the Civil War and being raised in the South。 While interesting， it came to be a bit cumbersome as the author beat to death that the Civil War was really about maintaining slavery and none of the other typical reasons that you see rationalized for the cause of the conflict。 He is right about the true cause。 One only needs to look at the events of the past few days and years to see what the brainwashing of the reasons has done to parts of our country。I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley， Goodreads， Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog。 I also posted it to my Facebook page。 。。。more
John Machata
，
Forget about this excellent book。。。look at the reviews。 Few books in recent times get as many 5 star and 1 star reviews。 The reviews mirror America's split。。。those clinging to our white supremacist legacy and those who would repudiate our repugnant racial history。 Bottom line- you can go from embracing the corrupt narrative that Robert E Lee led a valiant army fighting for states' rights to understanding that Lee was a traitor who fought to defend slavery。 Well done。 Forget about this excellent book。。。look at the reviews。 Few books in recent times get as many 5 star and 1 star reviews。 The reviews mirror America's split。。。those clinging to our white supremacist legacy and those who would repudiate our repugnant racial history。 Bottom line- you can go from embracing the corrupt narrative that Robert E Lee led a valiant army fighting for states' rights to understanding that Lee was a traitor who fought to defend slavery。 Well done。 。。。more
Isaac Richards
，
It seems all the negative reviews come from people with a partiKKKular worldview。
Athena （OneReadingNurse）
，
There is no possible way to bring my blog review over to GoodReads due to the photos， quotes， video links， and more。。。。 So I will leave this here along with my brief takeaways。 Hours of work and i am extremely proud of this blog posthttps://onereadingnurse。com/2021/01/0。。。My takeaways are briefly:1） very long chapters if he is gearing this book towards layreaders2） a good book for people who want to be angry right now。 I found his anger/passion off putting as a historical reader3） while I agree There is no possible way to bring my blog review over to GoodReads due to the photos， quotes， video links， and more。。。。 So I will leave this here along with my brief takeaways。 Hours of work and i am extremely proud of this blog posthttps://onereadingnurse。com/2021/01/0。。。My takeaways are briefly:1） very long chapters if he is gearing this book towards layreaders2） a good book for people who want to be angry right now。 I found his anger/passion off putting as a historical reader3） while I agree with him， I think he left a LOT of facts out in order to make the confederates look more like bumbling cartoon villains。 The Union blundered too。 Until the final chapter he does not mention one positive Lee accomplishment so that the whole Myth just seems frankly stupid to those without a historical background， maybe he is thinking everyone will stop before that？ I would honestly put the 7th chapter 2nd then go about debunking the myth， since the 7th chapter ends with Lee's poor decisions and post war racism4） even Humphrey's frontal assault and subsequent massive one sided slaughter at Maryse Hill is only painted in a positive light5） better summary of lynching history， segregation and reconstruction than the actual war - I mean maybe give layreadera some scope of the supplies and hardships of both sides before driving to the bottom line that none of it matters in the endI'm not saying he's wrong and i think this is a good book for people who want more information （and to be mad） about the lost cause myths， racism， and monuments， but I would probably recommend a neutral civil war history book along side it。 I also don't believe that fuelling anger with anger is a great way to educate the （frankly） probably middle class white people reading the bookGlad I read it though， very glad 。。。more
Kathy
，
Thanks to St。 Martin’s Press for a free copy in exchange for an honest review。 The author starts out early in the book saying History is dangerous。 And it can be。 And researching history， teaching it， confronting it can be eye opening- as it was for Ty Seidule。 He looked deep into his past and found a whole bunch of truths he wasn’t expecting。 He chronicles them in this book。 A very good read。 A timely read。
Rock
，
Just to note- In Lee’s era there was much more loyalty to one’s state than exists generally today。 Therefore， Lee’s choice to remain loyal to Virginia isn’t as radical then as now。As anyone should know upon a minimal analysis， the current emphasis on judging historical figures based upon current mores and understanding does not always accurately interpret the subjects character and today’s reader should be honest enough to question whether or not he or she would be more enlightened if he or she Just to note- In Lee’s era there was much more loyalty to one’s state than exists generally today。 Therefore， Lee’s choice to remain loyal to Virginia isn’t as radical then as now。As anyone should know upon a minimal analysis， the current emphasis on judging historical figures based upon current mores and understanding does not always accurately interpret the subjects character and today’s reader should be honest enough to question whether or not he or she would be more enlightened if he or she lived during the relevant past era。 。。。more
Luis Cuesta
，
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway。 Ty Seidule’s book on Robert E。 Lee is part history lecture， part meditation on the Civil War and its fallout， and part memoir。 This format allows him to offer a unique blend of history and reflection。 Seidule deconstructs the truth about the Confederacy and seeks a path to understanding why the facts of the Civil War have remained buried beneath layers of myth。 In its core the book provides a surprising interpretation of essential truths that our cou I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway。 Ty Seidule’s book on Robert E。 Lee is part history lecture， part meditation on the Civil War and its fallout， and part memoir。 This format allows him to offer a unique blend of history and reflection。 Seidule deconstructs the truth about the Confederacy and seeks a path to understanding why the facts of the Civil War have remained buried beneath layers of myth。 In its core the book provides a surprising interpretation of essential truths that our country still has a difficult time articulating and it will be of value to anyone interested not only in the Civil War but also in how history informs our present。 。。。more
Sandi
，
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Goodreads。 This book was simply outstanding。 Although I am a Canadian， I became particularly curious about American politics following the election of President Trump。 The events of Charlottesville and George Floyd horrified me， and I became further disturbed by the acceptance of the concept of "good people--on both sides" by a broad section of Americans。 This book helps me to understand how good people can be misinformed， miseducated， and kep I received a complimentary copy of this book through Goodreads。 This book was simply outstanding。 Although I am a Canadian， I became particularly curious about American politics following the election of President Trump。 The events of Charlottesville and George Floyd horrified me， and I became further disturbed by the acceptance of the concept of "good people--on both sides" by a broad section of Americans。 This book helps me to understand how good people can be misinformed， miseducated， and kept ignorant of truth and history。 It is written by a West Point Professor Emeritus of History， who described his own experience as a Southern Gentleman indoctrinated since childhood with the "Myth of the Lost Cause，" and how he came to realize the truth through historical research。 The divisions of the Civil War， the racist tropes， and the underlying fears underlying racism still permeate American society today。 The process of reconciliation begins with acknowledgement of the truth of the past。 。。。more
Adam Bricker
，
*I received this book as part of the First Reads Giveaway*I started this review a few times， but wasn't sure how。 Do I approach it as a history book， which it is or a look at exploring ones past， which it also is， an explanation of the racial struggles that lead to the Civil War and have impacted the nation since because it's that as well， how about the desire to look beneath the surface and accept some hard facts despite commonly held beliefs？ It's all those things and more。。。and definitely wor *I received this book as part of the First Reads Giveaway*I started this review a few times， but wasn't sure how。 Do I approach it as a history book， which it is or a look at exploring ones past， which it also is， an explanation of the racial struggles that lead to the Civil War and have impacted the nation since because it's that as well， how about the desire to look beneath the surface and accept some hard facts despite commonly held beliefs？ It's all those things and more。。。and definitely worth your time。 。。。more
Tracie
，
Historian and former army officer Ty Seidule has been reflecting on his Virginian and Georgian childhood and the myths surrounding the Confederacy and especially Robert E Lee。 He begins with his favorite childhood chapter book about Lee， the Uncle Remus stories， and Gone with the Wind， which he writes has influenced American's view of the Civil War more than any history book。 Unfortunately， Margaret Mitchell included every lie of the 'lost cause" myth。 He writes of the lynching's that took place Historian and former army officer Ty Seidule has been reflecting on his Virginian and Georgian childhood and the myths surrounding the Confederacy and especially Robert E Lee。 He begins with his favorite childhood chapter book about Lee， the Uncle Remus stories， and Gone with the Wind， which he writes has influenced American's view of the Civil War more than any history book。 Unfortunately， Margaret Mitchell included every lie of the 'lost cause" myth。 He writes of the lynching's that took place when he was a teenager in Monroe， Georgia and how he wasn't aware then of these events。 Seidule researches Lee's time at Washington and Lee University where he himself attended school and the refusal of many to see Lee as a traitor to the uniform he wore for years。 Seidule then goes to West Point and discovers here how Lee was the only one of 8 army colonels who joined the Confederacy。 Seidule gives the reader brutal facts that are grim and sad， but necessary for discussion。 In his passion he sometimes repeats himself， but it is admirable。 I received a digital copy from the publisher through Netgalley。 。。。more
Cindelu
，
I won this book on Goodreads。 It was full of interesting information and very thought provoking。
Emily
，
If Robert E。 Lee takes precedence over Jesus in the Lee Chapel at Washington and Lee College， how can that be justified？ The justification is over a century of misinformation， outright lies， and massaging the truth to make Lee into the ultimate hero， perpetually resplendent because of inherited wealth， who answered the call of slaveholders to fight against America and lose a war。 And in losing the war， the South has created a warped narrative about noble men fighting against a monolithic America If Robert E。 Lee takes precedence over Jesus in the Lee Chapel at Washington and Lee College， how can that be justified？ The justification is over a century of misinformation， outright lies， and massaging the truth to make Lee into the ultimate hero， perpetually resplendent because of inherited wealth， who answered the call of slaveholders to fight against America and lose a war。 And in losing the war， the South has created a warped narrative about noble men fighting against a monolithic American army with the resources to win， thus making all the Confederate generals heroes for losing。 Ty Seidule grew up believing in Robert E。 Lee and the Lost Cause， until， years into his teaching career at West Point， he started to notice cracks in the narrative。 Robert E。 Lee and Me is a dissection of Lost Cause narrative， taken geographically by the places that Seidule grew up。 Alexandria: birthplace of Robert E。 Lee， which Seidule was raised to be proud of， while omitting Alexandria's carve-out from the District of Columbia to secure its place as a slave trading hub， its immediate occupation in the Civil War， complicity in Jim Crow law， and the early African-American resistance to segregation。 None of these things have plaques or mentions in the history of Alexandria， and Seidule learned them as an adult。 The same with Monroe， Alabama and its history of lynching。 The same with Gone With the Wind and its wildly skewed narrative of slave owners fallen on hard times。 Seidule explains the hidden histories， the things that were actually happening while the "slaves were happy and the Civil War was unfair to us" myth was being spun。 And at West Point， which Seidule is committed to and honors well， after forty years of keeping Confederate memorials out because the Confederates forsook their oaths and killed American soldiers， Confederate worship has been sneaking in: most of the Confederate monuments at West Point coincide with moments of increased integration at West Point。 Seidule writes a convincing， damning argument about Robert E。 Lee and the Lost Cause。 Absolutely must read。 I deeply appreciate winning an ARC。 Thank you， Goodreads！ 。。。more
Kim McGee
，
When you grow up in the south worshipping the life of General Robert E。 Lee to the point that you attend Washington and Lee University， teach at West Point and model your life to that of Lee's ideal of being a gentleman - it is only natural that you would defend his honor and dispute those from the north who call him a traitor to his country。 The author presents both sides of the argument from a personal， historical and cultural viewpoint。 It is amazing that to this day we still hold certain thi When you grow up in the south worshipping the life of General Robert E。 Lee to the point that you attend Washington and Lee University， teach at West Point and model your life to that of Lee's ideal of being a gentleman - it is only natural that you would defend his honor and dispute those from the north who call him a traitor to his country。 The author presents both sides of the argument from a personal， historical and cultural viewpoint。 It is amazing that to this day we still hold certain things to be true depending on your upbringing and where you grew up。 He explains the Myth of the Lost Cause， how the past still affects us and how the gap has only widened in recent years。 As someone who also viewed the Civil War， War Between the States or the War of Aggression from watching Disney's Song of the South and reading/ watching Gone With The Wind， To Kill A Mockingbird and others I understand how these biases can become part of your everyday thinking。 This is an introspective look that is both personal and timely as well as being very readable。 My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy。 。。。more
Rebecca Hill
，
I was highly disappointed with this book。 I won't leave a long review here， but this entire book felt like a waste of time。 I do not recommend this one at all。 I was highly disappointed with this book。 I won't leave a long review here， but this entire book felt like a waste of time。 I do not recommend this one at all。 。。。more
Mark Rippy
，
Part memoir and part historical examination of the Lost Cause myth of the Confederacy， Professor Seidule provides a fascinating perspective on the legacy of the War of Rebellion （Civil War） and Robert E。 Lee。 Born and raised in the South， Seidule worshipped Lee as a child and believed in the Lost Cause， but as he advanced in his military and academic career culminating in the rank of Brigadier General and History professor at West Point， he came to understand how the south’s rebellion against th Part memoir and part historical examination of the Lost Cause myth of the Confederacy， Professor Seidule provides a fascinating perspective on the legacy of the War of Rebellion （Civil War） and Robert E。 Lee。 Born and raised in the South， Seidule worshipped Lee as a child and believed in the Lost Cause， but as he advanced in his military and academic career culminating in the rank of Brigadier General and History professor at West Point， he came to understand how the south’s rebellion against the lawful government of the United States made his hero， Robert E。 Lee， a traitor。 Seidule powerfully exposes not only the myth of the Lost Cause， but how that myth continues to be espoused and revered to this day and the impact on racial justice。 As a fellow southerner of a similar age and a descendant of Nathan Bedford Forrest， I have wrestled with many of the same concerns as Seidule， although I could never explain my realizations as articulately as he has。 Professor Seidule’s captivating memoir provides the context for a thorough understanding of the acceptance of the Lost Cause myth and its pervasiveness underlying systemic racism in the United States。 Seidule’s views as a military historian， soldier and a Southerner presents a unique authoritative perspective to help us to confront the racism that compromises our Constitutional promises of equality。 。。。more
C。
，
A thought-provoking and essential book。 I’m very pleased to have read it， especially in the tense build-up to the 2020 U。S。 election。（Full review to come。）
Michelle Jacobsen
，
This was such an eye-opening read about the lost cause generation。 This book is a personal narrative wrapped in an incredibly important history lesson: Robert E。 Lee was a traitor who killed his fellow Americans。 Thank you NetGalley for an ARC。
Carol Townsend
，
Finally last night opened up this book！。 Oh My Goodness， what a fantastic read。 My first 'real' history book。 I just love it。 This book is really going to be a hit。 Great author， smooth reading。 Finally last night opened up this book！。 Oh My Goodness， what a fantastic read。 My first 'real' history book。 I just love it。 This book is really going to be a hit。 Great author， smooth reading。 。。。more
Susan Morris
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This is an excellent， thought-provoking book。 Except for the military service， i am similar to the author - Virginia native， taught to admire Lee above most others， a graduate of W & L， and now coming to terms with the lies and whitewashed history of the Civil War that I have been taught， starting with the 4th grade Virginia History textbook I recall from the 1970’s。 I was certainly uncomfortable at times reading this， it it is vital that we look at our past honestly and work to heal the racial This is an excellent， thought-provoking book。 Except for the military service， i am similar to the author - Virginia native， taught to admire Lee above most others， a graduate of W & L， and now coming to terms with the lies and whitewashed history of the Civil War that I have been taught， starting with the 4th grade Virginia History textbook I recall from the 1970’s。 I was certainly uncomfortable at times reading this， it it is vital that we look at our past honestly and work to heal the racial divisions in our country。 I was lucky enough to get an advance reader’s copy of this from St。 Martin’s Press， and recommend this wholeheartedly。 （Own） 。。。more
Nancy
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I won this in a Goodreads giveaway。Very honest book。 Being a Civil War buff， I never understood how those in the southern states could hero worship traitors to this country。 This book gave me their perspective。
Fredrick Danysh
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Apologist Ty Seidule cherry picks historical information to defend his view that theAmerican Ci vil War was not a rebellion against an oppressive government to defend constitution rights but a war of slavery supporting Southern white supremacy。 He futher distorts other facts such as the true causes of the war based on his liberal education of the 1960s and 1970s。 Much of the book relates to the author's life。 The work is well written and easy to read and should be read so a to get a balanced vie Apologist Ty Seidule cherry picks historical information to defend his view that theAmerican Ci vil War was not a rebellion against an oppressive government to defend constitution rights but a war of slavery supporting Southern white supremacy。 He futher distorts other facts such as the true causes of the war based on his liberal education of the 1960s and 1970s。 Much of the book relates to the author's life。 The work is well written and easy to read and should be read so a to get a balanced viewpoint of one of today's social issues。 This was a free review copy through Goodreads。com。 。。。more
Marguerite
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Advance copy。I agree with your showing the hypocrisy of southern life during and after the Civil War but how does it take moral courage as stated by a reviewer on Amazon to put a book out in the middle of a presidential campaign to complain about POTUS visiting West Point at graduation fit your narrative。All should have your ability to admire themselves as you do。 You dislike a lot of people， Sir。 Except maybe General Chamberlain， there you are not alone。
Raymond
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Imagine finding out everything you learned growing up was a lie， that the historical figure that you revered as a god and even ranked them higher than Jesus was actually a traitor to his country。 Imagine believing a narrative of history that taught you all the wrong things about one of the most consequential wars in your nation’s history。 All of this happened to West Point Professor Emeritus of History Ty Seidule。 In Robert E。 Lee and Me， Ty Seidule gives an unvarnished， no holds bar account of Imagine finding out everything you learned growing up was a lie， that the historical figure that you revered as a god and even ranked them higher than Jesus was actually a traitor to his country。 Imagine believing a narrative of history that taught you all the wrong things about one of the most consequential wars in your nation’s history。 All of this happened to West Point Professor Emeritus of History Ty Seidule。 In Robert E。 Lee and Me， Ty Seidule gives an unvarnished， no holds bar account of how he grew up learning about the Lost Cause Myth and venerating the Confederate general Robert E。 Lee。 This book is a history of Lee， the Lost Cause， and one White Southern Historian/Soldier’s reckoning with the legacy of White supremacy on his life and the life of America。Most of Ty Seidule’s life， from cradle to adulthood， revolved around honoring and revering Robert E。 Lee and the Confederacy。 Seidule developed a special attachment to Lee because they shared the same birthday。 Seidule’s favorite childhood book taught him to revere Lee as a hero because he was against slavery even though in reality the pro-slavery Lee was actually fighting on the side of a confederation of states who were hoping to create a slave republic。 In his book， Seidule takes the reader on a journey from his hometown in Alexandria， VA， to his adopted hometown of Monroe， GA， to his college days at Washington and Lee University， to his army days at Fort Bragg， and finally to his teaching days at West Point。 In each location or institution， Seidule uncovers his and the nation’s racist past that promoted the Lost Cause and hid horrible tragedies inflicted on Black people。Seidule weaves in Lee’s biography as he tell his own story。 In his chapter on Washington and Lee University， he tells of Lee’s second act after the Civil War as president of the university， but what’s actually interesting is the story of how parts of the university （specifically Lee Chapel） later became a shrine to Lee and the Confederacy。 Seidule shows in vivid detail how some of the origins of the Lost Cause mythology came out of that chapel。 When Seidule covers his own army days he writes that many military posts in the South are named after other traitorous Confederate soldiers （Fort Bragg， Benning， and Gordon to name a few）。 He is especially effective in this chapter when he uses the Confederates own words against them especially when they dealt with their views on slavery and Black people。 Seidule does not hold back throughout the book， he shows the hypocrisy of the Army who honors White supremacists by naming forts after them。 But it doesn’t stop with the forts。 As towns and cities erected Confederate statues and monuments across the country， the Army also embraced symbols of the Confederacy during notable debates on integration in the 20th Century， Seidule provides thorough historical evidence to prove his points。His book ends by first covering West Point’s fascination with the Confederacy， which is another interesting story because the school was initially anti-Confederate during and immediately after the Civil War。 Seidule provides superb historical analysis to explain why hatred of the Confederacy turn into reverence in the 20th and 21st Centuries。 Second， Seidule concludes with a forceful reckoning with his former hero Robert E。 Lee。 He uses history and Lee’s own words to take down each of the stubborn Lost Cause Myths we have about Lee。 One of those myths was that Lee “was born to make” the decision to join the Confederacy， he was not， he chose to do so。Seidule has given readers a powerful book that will challenge and hopefully encourage them to uncover the racist pasts of their own upbring。 It will also challenge the Lost Cause myths we all were raised up on in regards to the Civil War and it will help to solidify the fact that Robert E。 Lee was not a hero but a traitor to the United States。 Robert E。 Lee was not born to become a Confederate he was born to be a Union man。 Ty Seidule， this Southern soldier and scholar who once revered Lee and the Confederacy but later learned the true history was born to write this book。 He has done his nation a great service in writing this important work of nonfiction。Thanks to NetGalley， St。 Martin’s Press， and Dr。 Ty Seidule for a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review。 This book will be released on January 26， 2021。Review first published in Ballasts for the Mind: https://medium。com/ballasts-for-the-m。。。 。。。more
William Harris
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