NONFICTION

Disgusting Jobs During the Civil War: The Down and Dirty Details

by Anita YASUDA
9781543503678. ea vol: 32p. (Disgusting Jobs in History). further reading. glossary. index. photos. reprods. websites. Capstone. Jan. 2018. lib. ed. $27.32.
COPY ISBN
Gr 3–6—Gross and gory details have long been synonymous with middle grade reading preferences, and this series has plenty of them. The text succeeds in highlighting the limited understanding that people in the past had of the connection between health and sanitation. Contemporaneous paintings, maps, illustrations, and primary source material from diaries, letters, and historical documents help re-create period scenes, but be aware there are also close-up photos of poop, roadkill, and a gangrenous foot. The language is generally descriptive, but the tone is clinical. However, the text lacks substance and sensitivity in Colonial America when describing how enslaved people were forced to dye cloth with indigo: "Slaves did not have much time off," "Most slaves died at a younger age than white colonists."
VERDICT Robust collections should select as needed.
Reviewed by Staff , Apr 01, 2018

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