Reliving the Civil War: A Reenactor's Handbook (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Reenacting is as old as human society, religion, and drama..." (more)
Key Phrases: new reenactors, reenactment regiments, other reenactors, Civil War, National Park Service, North Carolina (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A well-written, informative, and reader-friendly book that is a must-have for reenactors! It receives a perfect rating of 10 oak leaves." -- Living History

Product Description

16-page b/w photo section, 6 x 9
Updated information on sutlers and organizations
New index with subject headings for easy reference
As Civil War reenacting continues to grow, beginners and enthusiasts need an up-to-date source and guidebook that will keep pace with advances and changes in the hobby. This second edition of the highly successful Reliving the Civil War improves on the firstwith new information on civilian reenacting (especially concerning women and children), a revised bibliography, and updated addresses of sutlers, organizations, and magazines. Also included are expanded discussions regarding virtual regiments, hard-core authenticity, and women in the ranks.

Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books; 2 Rev Sub edition (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811729125
• ISBN-13: 978-0811729123
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #301,048 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written, informative, and reader-friendly., September 13, 1999

By	d20 Gamemaster - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reliving the Civil War: A Reenactor's Handbook (Paperback)

Reliving the Civil War: A Reenactor's Handbook is more than its title conveys. Although it was designed for newcomers to living history and Civil War reenactment, it is also a great reference for the experienced reenactor and for those interested in Civil War history.

It is obvious from R. Hadden's writing that he is in love with reenacting. An experienced reenactor himself, he shares his knowledge with the reader in this entertaining, educational, and well-crafted book.

"Reenacting is as old as human society, religion, and drama," he begins somewhat philosophically. From their beginning, reenactments gave history "life, taste, and smell, something significantly missing from dry academic tomes."

The book provides information on several different aspects of reenacting, including a brief history of the trials and tribulations faced in the formation of the hobby. He gives knowledgeable advice for dealing with spectators: the old, the young, the informed, and the ignorant. He even includes a section containing strange and "silly" questions asked by spectators.

And Hadden knows how to answer all the questions. He discusses everything from wearing (and not wearing) undergarments, to the new trend of virtual reenacting on the World Wide Web. He gives advice on speaking, manners and etiquette, and purchasing equipment and clothing. In his section on infantry reenactment, he provides a useful list of the high and low prices one should expect when purchasing essential equipment and clothing. He also provides sketches of Confederate and Union rank insignias and 16 pages of informative photographs.

Throughout the book, Hadden emphasizes the reenactor's role as a teacher. He says that audience participation and visual aids are the best ways for people to learn about the time period. He also stresses the importance of authenticity in reenacting. In an effort not to mislead spectators, a reenactor should thoroughly research the person he is portraying and/or the regiment in which he is participating.

In addition to information on military reenactment, he also provides advice on civilian reenactment for men, women, and children, including information on clothing and roles. The book also contains several appendices with additional information on rules and regulations, taxes, organizations, and periodicals, a glossary of reenactment terminology, and a detailed bibliography for further research.

Reliving the Civil War is a well-written, informative, and reader-friendly book that is a must-have for reenactors!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great resource for new fish, December 9, 2003

By	Patrick Salland (Parker, CO United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great book for those of you who want to start reenacting. It is a perfect resource for those of you who are new to the hobby and have no idea what exactly to do and you want to do it right! This book will get you off to an incredible start and I suggest you buy it before you set foot on the field. I personally received this book for Christmas four years after I started reenacting. It had a lot of good info, but I thought a large part of it was kind of duh to those of us who have been reenacting for a while. So if you're already well entrenched as a reenactor and aren't planning on starting a new impression anytime soon but want to expand and improve your current one this doesn't really help you.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, if not a bit dated, April 26, 2005

By	Samuel J. Williams "Certified Complainer" (Georgia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I first encountered this book as I was beginning my four years as a private in the re-activated 34th Georgia, Co B from Canton, GA. At the time it was the best thing (or so I thought) that was available for the newbie. Not to say it isn't a good starting point, but it's getting a bit dated now.

The price list is WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY off. Muskets can still be had for around $450 new (Used muskets vary in price, but also in quality), but expect to spend a bit more than is suggested for your first uniform and accoutrements. If I recall the estimate correctly in this manual, the price for an entire kit (uniform, period correct hat, musket, accoutrements, brogans, etc) was around $900. You can still outfit for that, if you are frugal, able to make your own clothing (I used to save a bundle by having women sew for me. Jean-cloth was fairly inexpensive a few years ago!), and have contacts that are willing to cut you big deals.

The rest of the book is a bit basic. On one hand the author talks of being aware of one's outfit and not looking FARBY (that is, goofy). On the other hand he embraces being farby and allowing modern conveniences in the camp, so long as the general public is not aware. This can be confusing to the newbie (it was to me).

The sections on proper drilling and manual of arms are well done and presented in a manner much easier to comprehend than HARDY'S.

I only wish the sections on cost and suttlers would be updated to include some newer vendors.

So, fresh-fish, you can do a lot worse than this book.