"One of the strengths of the volume is the consistent quality of its submissions. That said, the volume succeeds in its stated goal of challenging assumptions and sparking debate. The essays are uniformly well researched and provocative, and many contain very thorough discussions of the suggesting avenues for future research. 'This Distracted and Anarchical People' successfully provides Civil War scholars with a useful, thought provoking resource." -The Journal of Southern History "For many years Mark Neely has been one of the most productive and innovative scholars of the Civil War Era. As a mentor, he has passed on his wonderful eye for the unmined source, the intriguing detail, and the unanticipated argument. This wonderful collection of essays is thick with such gems. The reader of this superb volume will find familiar ideas challenged, new perspectives on old questions, and essays that point to exciting new directions for Civil War scholarship. Taken as a group, the volume's authors represent the cutting edge of work on the northern home front." -- -J. Matthew Gallman University of Florida "This compelling set of essays underscores the vibrancy of the field of Civil War studies. Wide-ranging in their approach to political, social, and military aspects of the conflict, they challenge a number of prevailing interpretive conventions and suggest numerous avenues for further investigation. I have no doubt that they will inspire some readers and upset others--a sure indication that they have achieved a major success." -- -Gary Gallagher author of The Union War "Anyone interested in the Civil War era should savor this book. The Distracted and Anarchical People breaks a lot of new historiographic ground." -- -Michael Green Community College of Southern Nevada "An informative and thought-provoking series of essays that plow through new ground, unearth a wealth of new stories garnered by extensive primary source research and plant new seeds of historical questions into the minds of the reader." -- -Brian Craig Miller Emporia State University "All will be impressed... with the authors' research in primary sources, and how they effectively engage and challenge previous works related to their topics." -Blue & Gray Magazine