"How Newt's New Novel Plays Politics With the Past"

Congratulations to Kevin Levin, whose book review of Newt Gingrich's latest novel appears in the new, Civil War-themed issue of The Atlantic. 

 

Newt Gingrich's recent rise in Republican primary polls has occurred in tandem with the release of his historical novel set in the Civil War, which positions him as a champion of the African-American community and at the same time attempts to placate his conservative southern base, whose agenda is interwoven with a traditional narrative of the Civil War that avoids the tough questions surrounding slavery and race. The result is a narrative that grossly distorts our understanding of the war and the important role of black Union soldiers.