By W. Scott Poole - Never Surrender: Confederate Memory and Conservatism in the South Carolina Upcountry: 1st (first) Edition

by W. Scott Poole

In this study, Poole chronicles the rise of a post-Civil War southern culture of defiance in South Carolina's hilly western "upcountry." Through an examination of the experience and evolution of memory, celebration, and symbols in this region, he traces the origins of the Lost Cause myth, by which Southerners claimed moral victory despite military defeat. Poole teaches history at the College of Charleston. Annotation 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Genres: History, American History

Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never Surrender is an interesting and incisive examination of Southern Conservatism, particularly in the context of South Carolinas Upcountry region. Poole starts by examining the roots of South Carolina "romantic Conservatism" in the colonial era and traces its development through the antebellum American years, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and its eventual transformation and death in the post-Reconstruction era. The "Lost Cause" and Confederate memory are also examined in their own right and in relation to romantic Conservatism and eventually to the new Conservatism that arose in the New South.

While the book is thick with academic language and references to the work of other cultural historians, the writing is accessible. It will help to have some familiarity with studies of Southern cultural history of the 19th Century, but is not essential to understanding Pooles analysis and points. If you're not familiar with that field, this book could serve as a good jumping off point to works by other historians that Poole references such as Stephanie McCurry or Drew Gilpin Faust.

This is not to say that Never Surrender doesn't stand on its own merits or can be enjoyed on its own. The book achieves surprising depth in exploring its topic, given its relative brevity, and provides interesting challenges and analysis of established attitudes and beliefs about the history of Southern Conservatism, Confederate memory, and the place of Confederate memory in said Conservatism. If you're interested in American politics, history, or Southern culture, you will find interesting reading here.

[Sean Chick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the work of a promising historian. The ideas are half-baked and often confused, but with more experience, I see Poole becoming one of his generation's best historians. I espcially liked his tying of intellectual conservatism to the Lost Cause.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Read for my local history class, fascinating topic but personally did not find the writing to always be clear and straightforward.