Today Patterson vindicated himself for me in Chapter 13, “Race.” Having already read Taylor Branch’s trilogy and other works on the period, I knew enough to appreciate how meticulous and balanced his summary was. Like Durant and other strong historians, sometimes the lesson is simply: keep reading.
I’m now 52% through Grand Expectations, and it remains an excellent read. Even in areas I thought I knew well, I’m still learning. The Southern Manifesto was one example—I had somehow missed its importance before.
Much of the chapter retraces familiar territory from Branch and other books, but that has value too. You rarely walk the same historical ground twice without noticing something new.
I’m now 52% through Grand Expectations, and it remains an excellent read. Even in areas I thought I knew well, I’m still learning. The Southern Manifesto was one example—I had somehow missed its importance before.
Much of the chapter retraces familiar territory from Branch and other books, but that has value too. You rarely walk the same historical ground twice without noticing something new.