The realities of writing

Buddy Eric Wittenberg has made a very revealing series of posts over the past couple of weeks entitled “Things I Wish I Knew Then But Know Now” about the realities (oftentimes harsh realities) of writing about the Civil War.  His posts could apply equally as well to any type of historical writing.  There are 7 installments to Eric’s series and the first one is here.

His posts should be required reading for anyone considering, or starting out, writing about Civil War subjects.  Eric’s insights may not prevent every novice writer from making certain mistakes or experiencing particular common pitfalls, but at least one would realize they’d been warned.  Eric’s insights weren’t meant to turn any promising authors off from pursuing their dreams, but instead to make them aware of the realities of the nuts and bolts of the researching, costs, writing, publishing, and marketing aspects.

In just thinking about the various well-reasoned subjects that Eric posted about, I also thought of another this morning: Be prepared for criticism of your work.  You gotta have a thick skin, folks.  Criticism, both good and bad, of your work will only make you better at your researching, thinking, and writing.  If you’re willing to put your work out there in print in front of thousands of people, you have to be prepared to take some heat.  Some of it will be useful, others not.  Like some authors, some readers have an agenda - and they won’t like your interpretations.  We all get tomatoes thrown at us, and you just have to learn to duck and smile.  But much of the criticism you receive will be very helpful - it will point out weaknesses in your research and you’ll learn a good lesson from it. 

Let’s face it - regarding Civil War history, there are many things that are hard and fast facts.  Many other things are open to interpretation.  And sometimes things in each category can move back and forth - for instance, if some primary source comes to light for the first time and modifies something we previously thought was hard and fast.  You have to learn that a subject you write about may be looked at differently down the road.  Be able to adjust to that.

Previously, I’d mentioned that some authors/historians seem to have an “agenda.”  We all know some whom we call, for lack of a better modifier, “contrarians.”  Some seem to be out to change the historical record no matter what that takes - ignoring some evidence while reinterpreting other evidence.  For some reason, they’re not happy that Gen. Joe Schmo’s cavalry charge happened in a particular place.  Or that a particular unit was in a certain area of a battlefield for a rather mundane reason - they have to make their location a grandiose part of a much larger plan, attempting to reinterpret an entire battle.  No matter that there’s no evidence for these reinterpretations, and that existing evidence, in fact, refutes their new “theories.”  If you’re going to stick your neck out and attempt to change what historians feel to be established fact, then be prepared to take the heat in a mature way and back your interpretations with evidence.  If you’re proven right, you will be deservedly lauded.  If not, you have to roll with it.

So, when you get published (whether it be articles, books, or contributory material) you become somewhat of a public figure.  As in politics, you will get commentary, praise, and criticism from all sides.  Be prepared for it, and deal with it.  Learn from it.  Grow from it.  Stand your ground when necessary and warranted, and be willing to adjust when necessary and warranted.  Let’s face it, all of us authors will blow it from time to time - we will screw up the narration of an event.  We’ll put the wrong person in the wrong place.  We will map something incorrectly.  We’ll put the wrong date on something.  If we keep in mind that we weren’t “there,” and that everything we study and write about is based on the evidence that’s out there, we’ll be able to take shots from readers who, in many cases, may know more about something than we ourselves do.

For one more angle, I would also like to commend a couple of fantastic posts by my publisher, Ted Savas, on his personal blog.  Recently he’s been posting about the “view” from the publisher’s angle, and his posts go hand in hand with Eric’s eye-opening series.  See the first by Ted here, and the second here.  Just as there are many myths about authors and writers, there are many misinterpetations when it comes to publishers.  Ted’s very insightful posts will educate all of us about what publishers must deal with in today’s marketplace and the ever-changing demands of the consumer.

In the end, if you’re a budding author of any genre, don’t let any of what I, Eric, Ted, or others have to say turn you away from it.  Write.  Do it.  And love it.  Giving birth to a book is like putting breath into a child.  You’ll likely never see your investments back, you’ll get criticism, praise, and you’ll be constantly frustrated.

And you will love and treasure every moment of it.  Simply seeing my wife and family smile when one of my articles or books comes out puts a burst of wind into my sails, and I can’t wait to sink my money and time into the next project and do it all over again.

You’ll see.  So stay with it.

“America’s Civil War” July issue article

My latest article in America’s Civil War magazine just hit newsstands and subscribers’ mailboxes.  Titled “Six Weeks In The Saddle,” the article is a synopsis of Brig. Gen. John Buford’s Federal cavalry division participation in the Gettysburg Campaign, and is accompanied by the 4-map study that I’ve posted about here earlier.  The maps detail the major actions of Buford’s cavalry during July 1 and the morning of July 2, most of the events mapped for the very first time.  Once again, I very much enjoyed working with master cartographer Steve Stanley on those maps.

Just a couple of minor errors crept into the article during the editing process of the magazine.  One is on page 27 - the 2nd and 3rd Federal cavalry divisions were commanded by David Gregg and Alfred Duffie respectively, not the other way around.  And the caption for the picture on that page states that Buford staffer Albert P. Morrow missed Gettysburg - he indeed didn’t join Buford’s staff until August 1863, but he was at Gettysburg, serving as a lieutenant of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry (also known as “Rush’s Lancers”).  Morrow was in action on what is today known as South Cavalry Field, on July 3.

I hope the readers enjoy the article, and especially the map study.  Years of work and an enormous amount of digging in very obscure sources contributed to putting those maps together, something I always wished to see in print.  Steve did a fantastic job with them.

“One Continuous Fight” website in development

Myself and co-authors Eric Wittenberg and Mike Nugent are currently having our new website for our book developed, and we’ll be unveiling it in the next week or so.  The website will be chock-full of information about the book, our events, an author interview, ordering information for the book as well as our Specially Signed and Numbered Limited First Edition and much more.  We will be having 75 copies of the Special Edition available, and they’ll only be available through the website or at selected events we attend.  Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

I’ll be revealing the website address once the site is fully developed, and Eric will also have it on his blog.  The book will be available right around June 1.

Stay tuned for more details!

Updated Schedule

A couple of weeks ago I posted my summer schedule here, but since some events have been added and revised, I thought I’d give an updated schedule here.  Anyone interested and able to attend any of these is welcome!

May 21 - Talk and signing for the York (PA) Civil War Round Table
June 6 - Myself, Eric Wittenberg, and Mike Nugent will have a talk and signing at Gettysburg’s Gallery 30 from 5:30pm to 8:00pm.  30 York Street in Gettysburg, Pa.  This event is the National Release of our new book One Continuous Fight: The Retreat From Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4-14, 1863.  Each book will feature special book plates for the event.
June 6 - Special “Book and a Beer” signing with the three of us at the Reliance Mine Saloon on Steinwehr Avenue in Gettysburg, beginning at 9:00pm.  We’ll have copies of both Plenty of Blame to Go Around: Jeb Stuart’s Controversial Ride to Gettysburg and One Continuous Fight.  Each book purchased will feature a special Reliance Mine bookplate.
June 7 - The three of us will have a signing in the bookstore of the new Gettysburg Visitor Center from 10:00am to 12:00pm.  Taneytown Road, just south of the National Cemetery.
June 7 - The three of us will have a signing at the Gettysburg Gift Center on Steinwehr Avenue in Gettysburg from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.  Copies of both books available.
June 7 - We’ll have an evening signing at the Farnsworth House Bookstore on Baltimore Street in Gettysburg from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.  Both books available.
June 7 - We will again have a special signing at the Reliance Mine Saloon on Steinwehr Avenue in Gettysburg beginning at 9:00pm, with both books available and special bookplates.
June 8 - Mike Nugent and I will have a book signing at the American History Store at the corner of Steinwehr and Baltimore avenues in Gettysburg from 10:00am to 12:00pm.
June 19-22 - I’ll be assisting Eric Wittenberg at tours for the Civil War Education Association.  The program, titled “Clash of Cavalry in Virginia” will feature battlefield tours of Kelly’s Ford, Brandy Station, and Trevilian Station, in addition to a visit to downtown Culpeper and the National Cemetery.  See here for information.  If you want to join us in a great and educational time, please come along!
June 29 - Signing at the Butternut&Blue table (with owner Jim McClean) at the annual Gettysburg Collectors Show, Allstar Complex along Rt. 15 just south of Gettysburg.  9:00am to 5:00pm.  Both books will be available.

July 2 - Presentation at the Custer Monument Dedication in Hunterstown PA at Felty Ridge.  Event is sponsored by the Hunterstown Preservation Society.  A booksigning will follow (I’ll have both books available with special bookplates for the event) with Mike Nugent.  Each book will be specially numbered and one of a limited edition for the dedication - and they can ONLY be purchased at this event.  The signing will be held on the front porch of the historic Grass Hotel in the center of town.  Go here for the schedule of the day’s events.
July 3 - Book signing, with Mike Nugent, and the Reenactment of the Battle of Hanover (June 30, 1863) in Hanover, Pa.  Each book will be specially numbered with bookplates for the event, and can only be purchased that day.  Sponsored by the Hanover Evening Sun and editor Marc Charisse.
July 24-27 - Eric Wittenberg and I will be leading an all-day bus tour of Jeb Stuart’s Ride to Gettysburg for our buddy Ted Alexander’s Chambersburg Civil War Seminars program The Gettysburg Experience.   The weekend’s programs are not yet set in stone, but watch the website at the link above for more information and how to sign up.  I may also being leading a tour of Gen. John Buford’s July 1 defense at Gettysburg for the program, if it can be scheduled.  More information will be posted once it’s available.  We will have books available at this event as well.

“What Hath Kilpatrick Wrought” on Harry Smeltzer’s blog

Harry Smeltzer, on his Bull Runnings blog, has put up a couple terrific posts on the prodigial descendant line of Union General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick.  Some are familiar with his more famous descendants, but Harry has put together quite a recounting of all of his descendants and some extremely interesting stories about them to boot.  The first post is here, the second here.

I’ve known for years that CNN’s Anderson Cooper is a direct descendant of Kilpatrick, and Cooper definitely has the “Little Kil” chromosomes.  One look at Anderson is like looking at a picture of the General - put some big sideburns and a uniform on the CNN anchor, and he’s Kilpatrick’s twin.

Check out Harry’s posts.  Interesting reading and you’ll learn a great deal - including the fact that one of those related to Kilpatrick’s descendants was born in one of the cottages atop Monterey - the very ground on which Kilpatrick fought Confederate General Richard Ewell’s teamsters the night of July 4, 1863 as the Rebels retreated following Gettysburg.  I didn’t know about this birth location until now, and it’s an amazing circle of fate - and one that I will mention every time I talk about the fight at Monterey Pass or give a tour of the ground.

Kudos to Harry for some terrific work.

Gettysburg trip recap

Last night I returned from my first visit to Gettysburg of the season.  This past weekend was the event called History Meets the Arts, and I had a couple of book signings scheduled around town.  Plus, it was my first opportunity to visit the new Gettysburg Visitor Center.

The weather couldn’t have been better from Thursday to Saturday.  When I arrived in town on Thursday around 6:30 pm, it was about 78 degrees - a bit warmer than at home here in northwestern PA.  Entering on Rt. 30 from the west, it’s always great making that ride through the First Day’s field and “saying hello” to the statue of Gen. John Buford.

I met up with my good friend Duane Siskey, who lives in town, and we had a couple of steaks for dinner at Hoss’s Restaurant.  We then made a couple trips around the battlefield before it got dark, and saw a beautiful sunset over South Mountain.  We went to our favorite haunt, the Reliance Mine Saloon, to toss back a couple cold ones and see some old friends.  One patron, at Duane’s urging, bought a copy of the book on Stuart’s ride to Gettysburg.

After breakfast on Friday morning, since Duane had to put a few hours in at work, I decided to go take a look at the new Visitor Center.  As promised here, I would post my thoughts on the new facility after I had a chance to take a look around.

I believe I have a pretty even-handed opinion about the new facility.  There’s lots to love about it, and lots to be unhappy about.  First, the buildings are simply world-class.  The “farm” style of both the VC and Cyclorama buildings fit into the landscape magnificently, and despite their size are actually quite unobtrusive.  They seem extremely well-built, and I noticed over the next two days that no matter where I was on the battlefield, I couldn’t see the buildings other than a bit from Little Round Top. 

When you walk in the main doors, everything is very impressive to the eye.  The construction is very high quality and the place is very inviting.  The display cases in the main lobby are nicely done, with explanatory plaques that were sorely lacking in the old VC.

Before checking out the museum, I decided to go right to the bookstore.  Well, I should say, they call the room the “bookstore” - in actuality, 2/3 of the store is taken up by shelves of those plastic guns, rubber swords, and bobbing Lincoln heads that everyone’s been hearing about.  They have certainly done their level best to present the public with a 21st-century tourist trap, lemme tell you.  You have to wade through all that crap in order to get to the other 1/3 of the “bookstore,” which actually contains the books.

Whereas the store in the old VC carried about 900 titles, there are less than 300 in this new store.  Instead of large bookshelves or “stacks” like the old VC (or the traditional bookstore), this one contains small cubicles of shelves.  There is a cubicle for each category of books, such as Gettysburg, Photography, Medicine, Northern, Southern, and Slavery.  The latter is right out front.  I don’t believe that the Gettysburg section contained more than a couple dozen titles, which consisted of the standards such as Coddington, Pfanz, Martin, etc.  There are precious few regimental histories anywhere in the store (although you’ll find them on the 20th Maine).  Duane had told me that the book on Stuart’s ride by Eric Wittenberg and myself was indeed in there, but it took me nearly 20 minutes to find it.  Instead of it being shelved in the Gettysburg section, I finally found it in the Southern section.  That’s right, the Southern section.  They had five copies there.  I took one up to the checkout to the man behind the cash register (and bless the fella, I think he was about 80 years old).  I told him I was the co-author of the book, and explained that perhaps it would be better to carry it in the Gettysburg section.  I explained that yes, it was about a southern commander (Jeb Stuart) - but the title is his “Controversial Ride to Gettysburg.”  The old VC, of course, carried it in the Gettysburg section.  After staring at me rather blankly for a while, he mumbled something about talking to management about it.  Sensing I wasn’t going to get further than that, I took three copies of the book and placed them on one of the Gettysburg shelves.  I made a mental note to later go back and see if I could talk with someone in charge about the placement of the book.  I decided to drop the idea of asking if he’d like me to sign any of them, since I had noticed that not a single one of any of the books in there were signed by authors.  The old VC loved when books were signed by the authors, and always placed a gold sticker on the front cover denoting them as such.  I guess it just struck me that no one managing this new bookstore would really care.

After noting that of the 100 or so people in the store, 90 were persuing the plasticware and only 10 the books, I decided to leave and check out the museum.  At the entrance to the theater, about 500 people (perhaps more) were waiting to get into the next show.  I walked into the entrance to the museum, but immediately ran into about another 100 folks (mostly children) who were pretty much blocking the museum entrance.  Looking ahead, I saw the corridor completely packed with people.  I immediately dropped the idea of trying to fight my way through it.  Therefore, I was only able to see the opening section of the museum, which was devoted to the “Causes of the War” and the slavery issue.  Once again, I’d have to go back at a time when there was less people in order to make my way through the museum.

I decided to leave the building via the Food Court section.  Walking through it, which was literally packed with folks drinking $4 cups of pop and lots of pizza, etc., I wondered what effect it was having on the merchants back in town.  I had easily noted that on Thursday evening and this particular morning, the Steinwehr Avenue section of town was virtually deserted.  Usually, by 9am on the Friday of this weekend, you can’t find a place to park there.  This day, however, I think I only saw about 5 vehicles parked along Steinwehr.

As I walked out of the building, more and more buses were dropping off school children.  All the available parking lots were simply packed.  As many spaces as there are available, I can imagine that all the lots will be completely full most of the summer - and I can only imagine what it will be like during the July anniversary.

I got back in my car and drove the windy road back out towards Taneytown Road, that “buzzing” of being around thousands of people in a confined space still in my head.

I still need to see the rest of the museum, which I hear is fantastically well done, but I’d seen enough to form some concrete first impressions of the new facility.  First, as I mentioned earlier, the place is done on a world-class scale.  It definitely fulfills a need that the battlefield has long had… a modern facility to handle the visitors, and an educational atmosphere to acquaint the casual tourist with the war in general and the battle in particular.  Plus, it keeps the young folks interested.  The museum, the theater, the displays, and the tourist junk all gets them wide-eyed I’m sure.  Is it a place I would take a novice friend or my children?  You betcha.  And I know they would get much more out of it than they would the old facility.

Additionally, this new facility, off the main battlefield and unobtrusive to the landscape, will allow the Cemetery Ridge location of the old buildings to be reclaimed.  Not restored mind you - that location has been irreparably damaged by the old buildings, parking lots, and the fact that the area served as the town dump for many years after the battle - but it will be wonderful to see everything gone from there one day.  I look forward to the day when I can stand at the Zeigler Grove area and look east toward the Leister farmhouse and see nothing in between but grass and trees.

However, it is abundantly clear that the new facility will not be a constant haunt for the experienced visitor.  Simply put, there’s really nothing there for you after your initial visit.  You can find every book in the bookstore somewhere else (at at a better price).  You can probably even find bobbing Lincoln heads somewhere in town, too.   You’ll feed yourselves and your 2.4 kids lunch there only if convenient (checking the price list, I quickly calculated that lunch for a family of four will run you about $35 and up) so there are cheaper eats in town.  I didn’t sample any food there, but I seriously doubt their pizza rivals Tommy’s.  And I had no burning desires to purchase $2.50 bottles of water, either.

In summation, the battlefield has (and will) immensely benefit from the new VC due to the relocation.  The casual tourist now has a world-class facility to visit, see wonderfully displayed artifacts (though there’s only about 1/10 the items of the old museum) and a top-notch educational facility. 

The experienced Gettysburg visitor/student has, well, the battlefield.  And thank goodness for that - and Cemetery Ridge will only get better when the old buildings are razed and the asphalt torn up.

It remains to be seen, however, how the new facility (in particular the Food Court) will affect the town’s businesses.  Throughout the entire weekend, I saw far fewer people in town.  Fewer people in the stores, fewer patrons in the eating establishments.  The evenings, however, were very busy in town (the new VC closes its doors at 6pm).  A casual survey of a few business owners confirmed that although there were as many people around this weekend as usual - and the weather was beautiful to boot - there were far fewer customers for them during the daytime hours.  You couldn’t get a hotel reservation anywhere in or near town this weekend, but you could find an empty table in any of the restaurants and bars.  I don’t think that bodes well for the town merchants.

During my next visit next month or perhaps in June, I will check out the new museum and post my thoughts on it.  It wouldn’t be fair to do so until I’ve had a chance to take a good look at it.  But it’s apparent to me now that the only thing that would draw me back to the place would be to see something I hadn’t yet seen.

By the way, don’t expect to see any type of living history on the grounds of the new facility.  Conversations over the weekend with reenactor friends of mine revealed that they weren’t treated too kindly when they showed up there in their garb.  A couple of them (and this is second-hand information, mind you) were apparently treated a bit rudely by one of the persons behind the Information counter.  The reenactors were made to feel (according to them) rather unwelcome.  I don’t take sides on this particular issue either way - I participate in living history, but I probably wouldn’t have gone to the new facility in my uniform anyway.  And there are plenty of opportunities for living history presentations on the battlefield where they properly belong anyway.  However, the new VC is a private-public partnership managed by private companies and concerns, and they may have little time for the reenacting segment of all this.  I guess my advice would be if you’re a reenactor, leave your garb behind if you visit the new VC.  Otherwise, you may get some unwelcome looks and stares from the staff.  This is only my impression, not my personal experience.  But I think it needs to be said.

I heartily encourage everyone to visit the facility if you haven’t already.  And if you or anyone hasn’t been to Gettysburg in a long time or at all, it’s mandatory you start there.  After that, it will be up to each person to decide for him/herself if there’s any need to visit again.

But if you plan on eating there, bring lots of cash.

That afternoon, I had a very nice time at my books signings at the National Civil War Museum (formerly the Wax Museum) and the Farnsworth House Bookstore.  At the former, I was with Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton, another Savas-Beatie author.  His book Silent Sentinels is a terrific tome on the artillery on the field.  Pick this book up sometime, you’ll enjoy it immensely.  I signed about 8 books there, and two folks brought their copies in for me to sign.

I headed home after lunch on Sunday, but got to spend quality time over the weekend with many friends - Duane, Dave and Carol Moore, Stan O’Donnell, and the regulars of the Reliance Mine.  I also spent more time on the field during this trip than I did of all my trips last year combined, and it was great.  The weather was gorgeous for the middle of April and couldn’t have been better for battlefield stomping.  As usual, the ride home left me anxiously awaiting the next visit.

It may be sunny, may be cloudy, it might rain, and it might not…

I’ve always had a secret desire to “do the weather” on TV - you know, stand in front of that blue screen and point and gesture here and there.  That would be very cool.

Well, it looks as though I might have a chance to appear on The Weather Channel on a TV near you…

Except I won’t be showing you where the next big storm is coming from.  Instead, I may get a chance to indulge the Civil War passion on the channel - that’s right, a Civil War related show on The Weather Channel.  As Eric posted yesterday, we’ve been asked by a staff researcher of the station to provide information for one of their upcoming shows in the How Weather Changed History series.  The show will focus on how weather affected the campaign and battle of Gettysburg, and we’ve been told that we will be interviewed on camera for it. 

Yesterday when I spoke with the researcher, Ashley Saluga, we had a nice talk for about a half hour.  I gave her information about Prof. Michael Jacobs, an instructor at the time at the Pennsylvania College (now Gettysburg College).  For decades, Jacobs kept detailed records on the daily weather in Gettysburg.  I have copies of those and have passed them on to her.  Also of special interest to her was the weather during the 10 days of Lee’s retreat from the field after the battle, and our new book One Continuous Fight contains much primary-account detail of the affects of the weather.  That book will be featured somewhat for the show, and I’m hoping we can mention our first collaboration Plenty of Blame to Go Around on Jeb Stuart’s ride to Pennsylvania, since that book discusses the prevailing weather conditions as well.

Eric and I will post more on our respective blogs when we know more of the details.  Ashley informed me that we’ll be doing the filming sometime this summer.  I hope it’s done in their studios - maybe at some point I’ll have the nerve to run over to one of their blue screens and start doing an impromtu weather forecast.  It could be an interview for a job!  Move over, Jim Cantore!  (Okay, actually I’d be happy if I could just get one of those way cool Weather Channel jackets and a fisherman’s hat.)

More on Gettysburg Visitor Center Bookstore

In talking with friend Dwayne Siskey, who lives in Gettysburg, I’ve learned a bit more about the bookstore in the new Gettysburg Visitor Center.  He was told during a recent visit that they haven’t ordered any new books in the last 2 or 3 months (I guess since the store was initially stocked) and that they don’t plan to order any more for a while.  I guess that means my new one (which will be out next month) may not be ordered anytime soon, or at all.  Our publisher has been contacting the store to set up a signing this summer, but is getting no response.  I don’t even know if they carry my first book.  They don’t carry my good friend Scott Mingus’ books, and this seems to confirm all that I’ve heard - that the store carries about half the titles of the old store.  Newt Gingrich’s alternative fiction is, however, stocked in the store.

I’ll be visiting myself this Friday morning on my first trip to Gettysburg this season, and I’ll post a full report on the new Visitor Center here.  As for the bookstore, it indeed seems that inventory has been designed to cater to the masses, not the specialized historian by any means. 

All of which leaves the door wide open for the bookstores at the Farnsworth House, Gallery 30, the Antique Center, the Gettysburg Gift Center, the Habitat Gift Center, and a possible new stand-alone bookstore that might be opened by Eastern National (which ran the old Visitor Center bookstore).

Don’t like what I’m hearing…

…about the bookstore in the new Visitor Center at Gettysburg.

Last night, I spoke with a couple good friends who live in town, one of whom visited the new VC last during the open house for locals.  Overall, he was very impressed with the facility, commenting that it reminded him of the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg Pa.  Most of his comments were positive.

However, when he gave his impressions of the bookstore therein, I didn’t like what I heard.  He estimated that there were only about half the titles carried in the new store compared to the old bookstore.  In addition, he noticed that “alternative history” titles are now being carried - like Newt Gingrich’s historical fiction book about Gettysburg.  In the old bookstore, alternative fiction was NOT offered.  There used to be a committee of Park Rangers who had to approve each new book, which helped protect the public from books of lesser quality - and alternative-type fictional works were never permitted.  The old VC bookstore was, in fact, about the only place in town that you didn’t find such works.

Now that Event Network is running the show there, apparently anything that sells is fine.  I assume that there is no longer any say in the matter by the Rangers or any other such approval committee.  It’s more about marketing than history, it seems, and if it’ll sell it gets on the shelf.

Lovely.

Hey, maybe we’ll be able to buy that book from the mid-90s or so, that explored what may have happened at Gettysburg had Lee’s army been armed with submachine guns!

Or that video from a few years ago (I think it was called The Confederate States of America) which was based on the idea of the south having won the war, and what it would be like to have two separate countries now.

I don’t think this bodes well for the VC bookstore.  I know, I know, everything eventually “must” bow to marketing pressure.  And they have to make money.  Yeah, I get it.  But Visitor Center bookstores have always been the last bastion for good historical non-fiction works, and now it seems as if this private-public partnership venture has opened the door to placing more importance on the bottom line.  At the Antietam bookstore, you won’t find books about who would have won the battle if McClellan had tanks (heck, he probably still would have lost!) and there aren’t any novels about the war had Jackson lived to be found in the Chancellorsville VC bookstore.  Since I hear Antietam is slated for a new VC in the near future, maybe that will change, and others are down the road.

As I posted previously, I’m reserving judgment on all of this until I get to visit the new facility myself next Friday.  But I don’t like some things I’m hearing about the bookstore.  I’m disappointed in how this management partnership is affecting some things, although I’ll wait until I can see it for myself.

A nice plug

Duane Siskey, one of my best buds and a lucky sonofagun who lives in Gettysburg, recently gave our upcoming book on the Gettysburg retreat a nice plug on his blog.  See it here.  Duane recently got his hands on a top-secret copy (sshh!) of the editing galley of the book, which had been previously given to a local bookseller.  Duane has been trying to blackmail us by threatening to sell it on eBay.  Silly boy.  I informed him that if he does, we’ll have to call in a couple of zips from Sicily to come over and take care of him.  Anyway, check out his very nice post.  Duane went along with us on our final run-through of the retreat routes for the driving tour in the book, and he was a huge help to us by discovering a local historian who had some great material for us to use in the book.