Confederate Sympathies

“An omnivorous, well-reasoned argument. . . . [Confederate Sympathies] offers a rich, convincing argument about the cultural impact of images of white male romantic friendships during and after the Civil War.”—CHOICE

“A useful template for integrating political and cultural history. . . . Donnelly has written an intellectually ambitious book that deserves a central place in any conversation about Civil War memory, sexuality, and the social structures of national identity.”—Journal of Military History

“A rigorous and fascinating academic work—an exemplary interdisciplinary study, primarily historical and literary—that illuminates the often-hidden dimensions of the history of homosexuality in the United States.”—Henry James Review

“What makes this history a must-read is not only the erudite connections of literature, image, and scholarship, but also the elegant prose, the deft complexity of argument, and notably the thread of humor with which Donnelly approaches the work.”—Journal of Southern History

“An audacious and erudite—even lyrical—work, Confederate Sympathies will open conversations among scholars and force historians working in the twenty-first century to reconsider their own assumptions. It is well worth our collective attention.”—The Journal of American History

“Donnelly has written an essential, revisionary work on homoeroticism and the Civil War period—the kind of book that makes you rethink what you thought you knew. It provides an education on a wide range of issues—literary, political, and sexual—and opens new perspectives for further study of the literature and culture of the period.”—Robert Levine, American Literary History

“This study is a triumph in Civil War history and makes daring interventions in the history of slavery, sexuality studies, and American political history.”—North Carolina Historical Review

“From memoirs to dime novels to Henry James’s canonical writings, Donnelly excavates compelling evidence of same-sex desire during a period that most historians have rendered silent. Confederate Sympathies is a major contribution to both Civil War history and sexuality studies.”– Jim Downs, Gettysburg College

“With wit and striking originality, Confederate Sympathies reveals the tangled connections between same-sex friendship, homoeroticism, white supremacy, and partisan politics during and after the Civil War. Donnelly’s genuinely impressive research reinterprets familiar texts and introduces us to new ones, tracing an alternative history of masculinity in the mid-nineteenth century. The book greatly enriches our understanding of same-sex desire and the racial politics of the Civil War era.” — Sarah E. Chinn, Hunter College, CUNY