The book gives history and insight on his life and follows his working history from Macon to Florida to Atlanta. His attention to detail is pointed out in many chapters and the photography along with the orginal drawings are a good touch. If your looking for some ideas or maybe a facade to copy this would be a excellent book. Most of his houses are timeless designs and the interior views and elevation views are stunning.

The Vacant Chair adds a personal element to the dates learned in history class. The words and feelings expressed by soldiers recounts a time lost - dedication to an ideal, and courage. Families during the Civil War lived day to day wondering if loved ones were alive, and Mitchell captures their turmoil and hope through the letters and thoughts of soldiers and their families. Although the book focuses on the Northern soldier, one can imagine similar sentiments from both sides. An excellent addition to the history buff's library.

This is an interesting book based off the letters sent home by Henry Matrau. Often I looked for the harsh realities of war to be written about though it seems many wouldn't write of such horrors back home. What made the book interesting was the fact that very little description was ever written about such large scale battles as Antietam or Gettysburg in which Matrau took part of. This book gives the reader a first hand glance at how soldiers communicated. Matrau didn't want those at home to worry about him and often left out many details I preferred to read about. This book is a rather quick read though informative about the 6th Wisconsin and their hardships endured throughout the war. It carefully explains how this regiment shrank or was placed with other outfits meshed in the Iron Brigade. Being a shorter book of 140 or so pages, it may lacks high details though it's simply not a history book. It's a copy of letters sent back home and is intended truly for that.

There is always an extra dimension to history when it is told in the words of those who lived it, and written as they experienced it. These instant observations are not changed, colored or amended through benefit of hindsight and recollection.

That the young Matrau rises from "The Baby of Company G' to Company Commander is amazing in itself, it is even more incredible that he stayed so outwardly calm through four years at the hottest of battles in the eastern campaign.

One learns much of his everyday life: the cold, the dirt, the mundane and the dangerous. Yet while Matrau is fiercely patriotic and loyal, he expresses little political or social opinion. He is matter of fact about doing his job, and doing it well.

Fascinating read with some small and large insights on life in the legendary "Iron Brigade."

I would highly recommend this book if you would like to understand the struggles and experiences of soldiers during the Civil War. No one understands the experience of the Civil War than the Soldiers themselves.

This book is unusual among Civil War publications. It's a stark and realistic portrait of the enlisted man's view of war, similar to those published about VietNam. Based on previously unpublished letters and diaries, CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS follows the troops of both North and South. It describes not only their feelings about what they were doing and the reasons they did it, it shows the offense that men of both armies took from the behaviour of their fellow citizens. and claims that medical help was either lacking or incompetent. Mitchell claims that blacks suffered brutality from both armies and offers proof.

This is a book that reaches across the centuries to bring a distant war close to the reader. It should be required reading in every American history classroom.

This book uses primary sources as its main resource. Mitchell draws the reader in by using the writings of the actual soldiers themselves; diaries, letters, ect. This is one of the rare Civil War works that allows us, the reader, to gain an understanding of what these gallant young men might have been thinking and feeling. We are given a glimpse of the answers to the questions; "Why are you fighting?," "What does it feel like to be in battle?," "Are you fighting for slavery/the slaves?," and many others. Truely, a must read for students of the United Staes Civil War.

A fine book that has several lessons: our actions follow us through life; action is more fun and memorable than sedentary pursuits; we are responsible for our actions and our inactions; war can be fun, whe you are winning

Pssssst! Don't tell the author of this book, but Mardi Gras is actually FUN! Reid Mitchell makes it sound like one long dreary class war. And he gets his facts wrong. The chapter about gay Carnival, around p. 144 or so, is full of errors that anybody could have fact-checked for him, and total misunderstandings of the New Orleans community. For example, the Bourbon St. Awards had not been held "at Bourbon and St.Anne" for many and many a year prior to the publication of this book. But the author has axes to grind, and facts aren't going to stand in the way.

Skip the dour, depressing, politically correct social commentary and y'all come to the Mardi Gras, and see for yourself. You will have fun!!!!!!

In All on a Mardi Gras Day, Reid Mitchell writes an outstanding book that approaches Mardi Gras from both a historical and cultural perspective. Mitchell's attention to historical details, his courage to make certain claims---and then supporting them by citing references---and his devotion to posing and answering questions using concise and clear paragraphs makes this book a joy to read and accessible to almost anyone!