The Creation of Modern Georgia - Historical Book on Georgia State Development | Brown Thrasher Books Series | Perfect for History Students & American Culture Enthusiasts

My interest was (and is) in understanding how--in rural Georgia--people really lived in the period roughly from 1830 to 1930. Part of that desire is to "put some flesh" on the bare bones of historical/genealogical events. It's one thing to be able to say that Mr. or Ms. ____ lived in x, had y children and died in z. It['s much harder to be able to say that Mr. or Ms. ___ lived a hard life/ a good life/ that the times he or she "inhabited" were dull, exciting, excruciatingly difficult, or blessedly easy.We take for granted our insight on life as we live it, but to look back 150 years and determine why a younger brother followed his older sibling to war, after that older sibling had already been badly wounded twice (so there were no illusions) poses a much harder question for the amateur historian; and while that amateur is at it, why did the older brother go back in the end not two but three times?It seems to me that we cannot begin to adequately answer those types of questions without gaining an understanding of the economic and political environment in which the events take place.This book answered for me many of the political and societal questions in a succinct fashion regarding Georgia economic, political and societal life in the 1800's and early 1900's.It's also an "easy read" in the sense that the author presents his often harsh findings in a clear, reasonably non-judgemental and fast-moving fashion. I wish he were still alive so I could thank him.