Kathleen Diffley and Coleman Hutchison (eds). The Cambridge Companion to the Literature of the American Civil War and Reconstruction.

This article reviews *The Cambridge Companion to the Literature of the American Civil War and Reconstruction*, focusing on its contemporary approach to Civil War scholarship and its challenge to traditional periodization debates. The collection spans from the US-Mexican War through Reconstruction to recent events like the murder of George Floyd and the Mississippi flag referendum, framing the Civil War as an ongoing cultural and historical influence. While praised for its insightful essays on literary and historical intersections, the review notes the volume’s heavy historical grounding may limit its accessibility for students and questions its narrow literary focus, given the limited engagement with major Civil War-era authors. Overall, the book is recognized as a valuable but potentially challenging resource for those studying Civil War literature and history.