. . .although talking about fighting might be best of all. I had a great time last night moderating a TimesTalk discussion at, natch, The New York Times, on the subject of Disunion and the Civil War. I had an excellent panel to work with–Adam Goodheart, a Disunion series mainstay and author 
of a new book entitled 1861; the historian and author David Blight of Yale, whose easy erudition was remarkably impressive; and Ken Burns, the peerless documentary film maker, who was incisive and perceptive and commanding. All I had to do was to remember to keep passing the ball. The nearly full house seemed to enjoy the event very much. I have to say I was especially impressed with David’s comments about how America’s insistence on the idea of progress and of its own exceptionalism has created an interpretation of the Civil War as something that resolved issues and that sprung us into a glorious future, and which has prevented us from understanding the war as a terrible tragedy. He said something to effect that the Civil War marked the end of the first American republic, which failed and had to be replaced; and the the civil rights movements marked the end of the second American republic, which had been created by the Civil War, and which failed and had to be replaced. Kind of a brilliant assessment. Afterwards, we went to a restaurant called 441/2 on 10th Avenue, to help Adam celebrate the publication of his book. The food was good and the company delightful. A really great evening. (Top: Adam, me, Clay Risen of the Times, David, Ken, and my pal George Kalogerakis of the Times. Along the left: George and Clay; Timeswomen Snigdha Koirala of exotic Nepal and Whitney Dangerfield of exotic West Virginia; historian and Disunion contributor Ted Widmer toasts Adam.)
