BY:  JOHN BRUTON

A New Book Explores the Psychology of Civil War Southerners

I enjoyed "The Fall of the House of Dixie" by Bruce Levine. It blends Civil War history and Confederate public opinion.

Opinions on slavery varied among states, Lincoln preserved Union by not abolishing slavery immediately.

Deep South had radical pro-slavery secessionists, other states joined Confederacy later due to evolving events.

Civil War's legacy persists in voting patterns, Deep South relied on slavery, others had diverse economies.

Appalling slave conditions, marriage bans, education limits, and deep racism persist in former Confederate states.

Racist ideology denied Black Union soldiers' valor, and post-war liberated slaves' fate remains unclear.

Confiscated land: given to freed slaves, sold to Northerners, "black codes" restricted freedoms.

Levine briefly addresses African American voting rights, Lincoln's suggestion led to his tragic assassination.