The TVH webpage plan going forward is to make Virginia history accessible to readers by
(a) reviewing current Virginia history books (2018-2019) on the Virginia History Blog,
(b) completing reviews for the years 2006 – 2016 on the landing pages of four Virginia historical periods 1600 – 1776, 1750 – 1824, 1820 – 1883, 1880 – present.
(c) expanding the 300+ reviews now found on the landing pages bibliography titles found in the two 2007 Virginia survey histories currently used by history departments at Virginia colleges and universities.
In 2019, we will be highlighting the most current scholarly titles featured in quarterly journals from
(a) three geographic perspectives [Virginia Magazine of History and Biography (VMHB), Journal of Southern History, Journal of American History], and
(b) four historical period perspectives [William and Mary Quarterly (1600 – 1776), Journal of the Early Republic (1776 – 1861), Journal of the Civil War Era (1820 – 1880), and Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era (1865 – 1920)].
The historical period landing pages will be updated with reviews featured in the VMHB 2006 – 2017 for (a) Early and Late Colonial (1600 – 1776), (b) Revolution, Constitution, and New Nation (1750 – 1824). (c) Antebellum, Civil War and Reconstruction (1820 – 1883), and (d) Gilded Age, New South, and Modern Virginia (1880 – present).
“Virginia Historical Sites and Museums” which is now a placeholder “under construction” landing page will be updated with reviews of the titles available in their bookstores and gift shops. The reviewed titles will be distributed among the placeholder topical landing pages now “under construction”, “Virginia History Surveys and References”, “Virginia Titles and Local Histories”, and “Biographies of Virginians”.
Once the basic review data base is established, in addition to staying current reviewing new titles featured in quarterly journals, I look forward to periodically surveying the reading assignments in related Virginia university courses on Virginia History by researching course titles from their catalogues, then addressing the titles assigned during the semester made available at each college bookstore.
Sincerely, The Virginia Historian, making Virginia History accessible.
November 23, 2018
The book, Old Dominion, New Commonwealth, A History of Virginia 1607 – 2007 written in part by Ronald L. Heinemann, John G. Kelp, Anthony S. Parent, Jr., and William G. Shade is a splendid narrative of Virginia history.
November 25, 2018
Also used in graduate Virginia history courses: Peter Wallenstein’s Cradle of America: Four Centuries of Virginia History, (2007, 2014) political, social and educational change, and Brent Tarter’s The Grandees of Government: The origins and persistence of undemocratic politics in Virginia. (2013). “Changing History: Virginia Women Through Four Centuries” (2013) is written by three collaborators, Kierner, Loux and Shockley. Pocahontas’s People:The Powhatan Indians of Virginia through Four Centuries (1991, 1996) by Helen C. Rountree. See their reviews and more under the TVH landing page, Virginia History Books – Virginia Surveys and References.