The Reader's Advisory Matrix - Week Twelve Prompt

The Reader’s Advisory Matrix for The American Civil War: A Hands-on History by Christopher J. Olsen

Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

A mix (combines highly narrative moments with periods of fact-based prose) 
*It is actually more fact-based with occasional narrative moments

What is the subject of the book? 
The subject of this book is the American Civil War.

What type of book is it? 
This is a history book.

Articulate appeal
What is the pacing of the book? 
The pacing is relatively slow and leisurely. Although there is a lot of information that is sometimes told quickly, the thorough details slow it down.
Describe the characters of the book. 
The characters include every major person involved with the events that led to the war, those who lived through the war, and those who had to deal with the aftermath of the war. One of the characters that is mentioned the most is, of course, President Lincoln. 
How does the story feel? 
The story is factual and informative with a neutral tone.
What is the intent of the author? 
Olsen’s intent is to inform the reader about the American Civil War.
What is the focus of the story? 
The focus of the story is to tell the details about the events leading up to, during, and after the Civil War.
Does the language matter? 
Yes. Olsen mostly uses blatant facts to move the story along.
Is the setting important and well described? 
The settings of battles are the best described scenes in the book. While there is not a focus on the actual landscape, Olsen thoroughly describes the formation and intention of the soldiers. 
Are there details and, if so, of what? 
There are many details about several major events as well as some of the characters. The details about characters are important because they are often used to explain why that person leaned one way or another in a major decision about the war.
Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear? 
This book has a lot of useful charts as well as primary sources after each chapter. The primary material includes excerpts from letters and speeches. This material really helps the reader understand the story being told. 
Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience? 
The thorough details and primary sources included in the book encourage the reader to look closely at the book to discover all that can be learned from it.

Why would a reader enjoy this book? (rank appeal)
1. Subject 2. Learning 3. Detail