Interesting new books

WWI/WWII revisionist John Mosier has turned his hand to the Civil War and Grant but looks to be utterly conventional in his treatment. Publishers Weekly actually trashed the book ("sketchy," "unbalanced").

Meanwhile, Michael Pierson has us wondering if a CSA mutiny lost New Orleans to the federal forces.

In the "I have to laugh" department of the Bicentennial idiocies bureau, a new 240-page book offers people a "comprehensive collection of Lincoln's writings." It also patiently shows us that "Lincoln believed that he must speak plainly so that every American regardless of their level of education or literacy would understand the complicated issues affecting the country during his presidency." You see, they had not been paying attention in the run-up to the Civil War...