Publication of Note | December 2017

Edward L. Ayers, “The Thin Light of Freedom: The Civil War and Emancipation in the Heart of America” (New York: Norton, 2017). $35 hardcover, www.wwnorton.com.

Fourteen years ago one of our nation’s most distinguished historians, Edward L. Ayers, released his groundbreaking study, “In the Presence of Mine Enemies,” which examined the tumultuous events of John Brown’s raid, the secession crisis, and the Civil War’s first two years from the perspective of residents of Augusta County, Virginia, and Franklin County, Pennsylvania. For nearly a decade-and-a-half Ayers’ fans have waited patiently for the rest of the story. It was well worth the wait.

“The Thin Light of Freedom,” picks up the story where “In the Presence of Mine Enemies” left off. From the perspectives of Augusta’s and Franklin’s residents, those who remained in their communities and during the war and those who answered duty’s call, Ayers resumes the story with the Gettysburg Campaign and continues it through postwar Reconstruction.

While Ayers’ discussion of the myriad ways various battles and campaigns impacted the residents of these two counties is compelling, historians will arguably find his analysis of the conflict’s impact on African Americans in those areas of the greatest value. Additionally, his study of postwar life, particularly his examination of the Southern Claims Commission and the Freedmen’s Bureau’s operations in Augusta are quite enlightening.

This book, which will undoubtedly be the recipient of numerous awards for both its narrative style and depth of scholarly research, is an absolute must for anyone with an interest in the Civil War and its aftermath in the Great Valley.