Strain of Violence: Historical Studies of American Violence and Vigilantism

by Richard Maxwell Brown

These essays, written by leading historian of violence and Presidential Commission consultant Richard Maxwell Brown, consider the challenges posed to American society by the criminal, turbulent, and depressed elements of American life and the violent response of the established order. Covering violent incidents from colonial American to the present, Brown presents illuminating discussions of violence and the American Revolution, black-white conflict from slave revolts to the black ghetto riots of the 1960s, the vigilante tradition, and two of America's most violent regions--Central Texas, which witnessed some of the nastiest Indian wars of the West, and secessionist leader South Carolina's old Back Country. Brown's incisive look into the past holds profound implications for our present as well as our future.

Genres: History, American History

408 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I studied under Professor Brown at University of Oregon, after this book was written, and I wanted to love it.

In attempting to trace the earlier violence laying a foundation for later violence and that effect, I think the book is trying to do something reasonable, but there are a few shortcomings.

One is the formal dryness, which is pretty normal for the time. It drags until the last section on feuding in Texas, though I am not sure it makes the case that this background affected LBJ's Vietnam policy, which I think the broader US mindset had a greater impact on.

In addition, coming along years later, after decades of study and movement on feminism and intersectionality, I can't help but notice those holes, which would have been almost impossible to remedy at the time.

There are still many ideas that are interesting, perhaps especially the devastating psychological effects of feuds.

I imagine that in 1975, when the book was published, it might have seemed like we were moving past some of the violence. It would be harder to make that argument now.

[Ndmarino · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the introduction but for me it's just too many statistics