Rebel Richmond is an interesting history of Richmond, Virginia during the Civil War. The capitol of the Confederacy, Richmond has quite the history to contend with. Something I really loved about this book is how it's about people. The war and the political environment are obviously there and play a huge part, but ultimately, Rebel Richmond is made up of people's stories, which gives it a human perspective that a lot of Civil War books don't always seem to have. And thank God this isn't a gOLLy tHe LoSt CaUsE kind of book. There are already way too many of those out there, and thankfully, Stephen V. Ash does an excellent job of writing a genuine book about a difficult period in time.

I enjoyed reading this in depth history of Richmond, Virginia during the Civil War. The author recounts what is was like to live in the city. The book is very well researched and draws on many first hand accounts. Ordinary citizens had to adjust and survive extraordinary events. There is a lot of information presented here. The book is well organized and easy to read. Enjoy

I was born and raised in Richmond, VA so we are taught most of this informationnat a young age but this book definitely expanded on that information as well as gave more information. Loved it!

This was a fascinating history book and I hope to read more like it. It is the story of the city of Richmond during the Civil War: the growth of population, urban development, industry, and more. What was life like for the average person living in Richmond? For the poor, the slaves, the free blacks, government officials, or rich some of the experiences were the same and others were much different (if you had money!). I had never before read anything about how, as more and more men were drafted into the army, women were allowed to work men's jobs- causing social confusion and upheaval but saving lives. Women rioted to protest prices of staple foods, people planted tiny gardens to provide their families with something to eat. There are stories of people renting rooms or living in boarding houses with five times the number of people you would think the house could hold, as well as stories of what women working in the hospitals experienced. Drawn from memoirs and diaries, this is a story not of battle or politics, but of people and day to day survival in a town that was suddenly both the center of government and military camps.

Well-written, carefully researched, and beautifully detailed, this is a great book for readers who want the details of daily life, the lives of average Richmonders, during the most unusual experience an American city has had.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

"This book has summoned those obscure and mostly forgotten Richmonders from the wings and placed them at center stage. With this new cast, the drama of Civil War Richmond takes on a fresh aspect and richer meaning." - Stephen V. Ash

Ash writes this novel to showcase the citizens of Richmond, whose struggles of living in a capital city plagued them throughout the war. Each chapter focuses on hardships bestowed onto the city, such as how it was to supply factories for an army and its town, when it only ranked 13th in industrial output of US cities (1st in the Confederacy). Ash delivers striking facts that help immerse the reader into grueling life of living in a war consumed capital, so close to the action. I enjoyed learning about the changes Richmond underwent and was shocked by some of the facts, such as how high food prices soared during the war. Rebel Richmond is a great insight on the lives of Richmonders during the Civil War.

Thank you to Netgalley, Stephen V. Ash, and the University of North Carolina Press for an advanced copy to review.

Thank you to Net galley for the opportunity to read this book and to give an honest review. Reading about great past events it is too easy to overlook the details that necessarily that are part and parcel of the greater action. Most Civil War histories make vague references To Richmond as the Capitol of the Confederacy but now we can getting the gritty details of life in a city that was not ready to be under virtual seige.