This small masterpiece describes life and government in Arkansas during the War of the Rebellion. The author's prose is economical and the book is of eminently readable length; in fact, it's that rarest of birds, a book which could stand to be a little longer. His insights are considerable and his soft-spoken opinions well worth considering. He does a particularly good job of capturing contemporary opinion by sampling the era's overwrought newspapers and politicians. The closest thing to a flaw in the book is a slight but occasionally discernible pro-CSA slant. ( )