Welcome to the Virginia History Blog. Titles selected for book reviews are taken from the bibliographies of scholarly, peer reviewed Virginia history surveys. Titles related to the topic and recent publications by authors are also included.
Additional books are chosen from those reviewed in the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the Journal of Southern History and the Journal of American History.
After the books are reviewed in the Blog, they are redistributed among historical eras at The Virginia Historian.com: (1) Early and Late Colonial 1600-1763, (2) Revolution-Constitutional-New Nation 1750-1824, (3) Antebellum, Civil War-Reconstruction 1820-1883, (4) Gilded Age, New South, 20th Century 1880-present.
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Thomas Jefferson and Women, 2009-11
In this Virginia History Blog, we look at titles related to Thomas Jefferson and women. “Seeing Jefferson Anew” investigates Jefferson socially, ideologically, politically and historiographically. “The Women Jefferson Loved” describes Jefferson’s mother, sisters, wife, daughters, mistress and granddaughters. “The Hemmingses of Monticello” narrates the remarkable continuity of a Jefferson slave family over three generations of...
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Thomas Jefferson Biography, 2009-11
This Virginia History Blog considers three titles of Thomas Jefferson Biography. “The Road to Monticello” is an intellectual history of Jefferson’s connections to American philosophy, literature and education. “Flight from Monticello” is set during Jefferson’s governorship in the Revolution. “The Jeffersons at Shadwell” is a two-generational study of their Piedmont plantation. The Road to Monticello...
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George Washington and Memory, 2009-11
In this Virginia History Blog, we look at three titles concerning George Washington and his memory. “The Long Farewell” dealt with how American contemporaries mourned the death of George Washington. “Inventing George Washington” studies the portrait of the Founder in myth and memory. “Here, George Washington Was Born” shows how Washington is remembered, important artifacts...
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George Washington Biography, 2009-11
In this Virginia History Blog, we look at four volumes of George Washington biography. “Washington: A Life” describes the Founder’s personal and political growth in his roles as leader in war and peace. “Ascent of George Washington” focuses on his political practice. “Political Philosophy of George Washington” explores three pillars of his thought. “In the...
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Revolutionary War, 2009-11
In this Virginia History Blog of titles about the Revolutionary War, we look at “Wellspring of Liberty” relating Dissenter contributions to religious liberty as a republican ideal, and their contributions to Virginia militia manpower. Two titles relate to the military history of the closing campaign of the Revolution at Yorktown, “Washington’s Great Gamble and the...
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Founding Fathers 2009-11
In this Virginia History Blog, we look at two titles related to Washington, Jefferson and Madison, “The Great Virginia Triumvirate” and “The Founding Fathers Reconsidered”. Patrick Henry is the focus of “The Mind of a Patriot”, and Madison is the subject of longitudinal study “James Madison: Philosopher, Founder and Statesman”. Current releases related to Virginia...
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Madison and Jefferson – Summer 2018
In this Virginia History Blog, we first look at Madison’s constitutional thought in “A Politician Thinking”. “James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and the British Challenge” investigates their nationalist response to British interference with American trade and their violations of the Treaty of Paris. Jefferson’s changing image even during his own time is described in “Confounding Father”,...
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Revolution and New Nation – Summer 2018
In this Virginia History Blog, we look at two titles related to the culture of the Revolution and New Nation, “The Power of Objects” and “An Empire of Print”, then two about politics, constitution and nationalism, “A Sovereign People” in the 1790s, and “Diminishing the Bill of Rights” at a Supreme Court case in 1833....
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Virginia Colonial Biography 2009-11
In this Virginia History Blog, we look at three titles on Virginia Colonial Biography and one relating to the out buildings supporting the gentry lifestyle. By calling a meeting of five colonial governors to Annapolis the General Braddock of “Braddock’s March”, is credited with the precursor to the Continental Congress. “Daniel Boone” was the principle...
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Colonial Virginia History ii – Summer 2018
In our second installment of Colonial Virginia history from Summer 2018 journals, we look at five titles. The first three relate to the British American Empire in the Atlantic community. “Advancing Empire” considers the English history from 1613 to 1688. “Homicide Justified” examines the legality of killing slaves including Virginia colonial and antebellum history. “Stamped...