Ann Bausum (Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair) intends to set the record straight about the War of the Rebellion (aka the Civil War), its causes, and its aftermath; her nonfiction YA title White Lies guides readers through the battlefields of one of the U.S.'s most contentious periods. Bausum employs extensive research to systematically dissect and debunk the falsehoods that created the Lost Cause narrative, a story that continues to endanger lives in the United States more than 100 years later.
The book is structured around 20 major deceptions, or "white lies"; each begins a chapter and provides the section's foundation and content. Bausum highlights historical narratives that downplay or distort reality, such as the subtle lies that revolve around word choices ("rebel" suggests Confederate soldiers "were engaged in the worthy fight of defending their new country") and phrasing (the "War Between the States" suggests that "the warring factions had fought as equals").
At the heart of all the fabrications is the subject of slavery, the true cause of the Civil War. While many insist the cause was "states' rights," Bausum proves this to be one of the largest white lies: "Before the war began, countless White southerners had spoken out repeatedly in support of both slavery and secession. They believed they could only preserve the one by undertaking the other." And as Bausum explains, "Americans continue to be misled about basic facts of U.S. history because of the states' rights lie."
White Lies is an accessible and enthralling work of nonfiction that fans of Candace Fleming, Carole Boston Weatherford, and Steve Shusterman should definitely read. --Jen Forbus, freelancer