These days Independence Day can ruffle some feathers...and so can the Northwest Ordinance. But all is not doom and gloom, get a load of NYC!! 

Those of you with an interest in the Battle of Antietam (or Sharpsburg, if you must...) will love the hell out of this fictionalized account of Lee's 1862 invasion of Maryland. 

There are turning points and there are turning points. But really folks, when it comes to the Civil War...Antietam has to be at least in the top three.

I believe you will come away from this talk, as I did, with an understanding that despite our differences, we can absolutely sit down and have an honest conversation about the past. Like Robert Lee says…perhaps we should think less about passion and more about compassion…that’s at least a place to start...

I disagree with some of the best books ever. 

Today we discussed Pamela's book Heroines of Mercy Street: The Real Nurses of the Civil War. This is the book tie-in to the popular PBS series Mercy Street, which follows the stories of Civil War nurses, doctors, and civilians in Alexandria, Virginia. 

Well...Andrew Jackson has had better weeks, which leads me to consider a bigger topic: what is it that historians actually do? 

I had a few analytical issues with this one...but I thought the military history was on point and well written. 

There are a number of remarkable things about this collection of edited Civil War letters, not the least of which is the gender negotiation between a prisoner of war and his wife behind the lines. Check this out - especially if you enjoy reading things that make you think about complexity. 

I have a great chat with Matt Loughrey, the creator of My Colorful Past, about the intersection of technology and historical documents.