Edmund J. Davis of Texas: Civil War General, Republican Leader, Reconstruction Governor Book

I wanted to like this book - I'm very interested in the topic, and have a read a fair amount on the Lowcountry pre and post CE - but it lacks spark and color. The author has covered her topic thoroughly, graciously, and with great attention to detail - but I wish she'd conveyed more color, more personality, and more sense of place. Academic writing can also be interesting, and unfortunately, the recitations of names without much human characteristic attached made this book hard to get through.

All in all, this is an important work. The story is very similar to most Southern states, especially South Carolina with its shared Lowcountry, so there weren't any huge facts I discovered. I didn't realize the competition between Northern-sponsored organizations like the AMA and local churches, so this was a notable learn for me. I would highly recommend this book to someone working in academia or research!