1831: Year of Eclipse

by Louis P. Masur

In February, the shadow of a total eclipse of the sun raced from the Mississippi Delta to Cape Cod. Masur (history, City College of New York) explores the anticipation, the observation, and the excitement it raised at a critical moment in the history of the US. Among the themes he identifies are slavery and abolition, tension between states' rights and national priorities, the competing passions of religion and politics, and the effects of new machinery on the relationship to the land. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Genres: History, American History, Nonfiction, Class, Historical, School, American

247 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2001

Reviews

[Nick Kratsas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Masur depicts 1831 as a year enveloped in uncertainty, radicalism, and a foreboding sense of change. The book illustrates the depth and variety of issues that were highly contended in the era of Jackson, such as slavery and nullification. Because the Civil War would not come for another thirty or so years, it is interesting, and even a bit shocking, that so many Americans were certain that an armed conflict between the North and South was unavoidable. The entire book is well researched. Multiple viewpoints and pieces of evidence are used to detail each struggle, and Masur has a real penchant for memorable quotations. By focusing on the events of single year, Masur has room to highlight lesser-known events of this timeframe, such as those involving labor activists and certain religious groups. Masur's book about a single year in America expands upon topics just long enough to make them understandable, and just briefly enough to pique the reader's interest to further investigate some of the cited artists, activists, and statesmen of 1831.

[RA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing history book! The year, 1831, an eclipse; Nat Turner; the development of Jim Crow as entertainment first; Audubon; Andrew Jackson, the Five Tribes removal & the US bank controversy; South Carolina and the beginning of the nullification debate, states' rights vs. the National government; rail vs. river travel; mechanization/machinery (McCormick & Whitney) taking the place of manual labor, the end of imprisonment for debt, the deaths of the last of the "Founding Fathers;" slavery, abolition & talk of emanicipation; the cholera epidemic; Workers' political parties; prostitution & reform; women & the working class; evangelicalism & transcendentalism; evangelical middle-class reform; the woman's place in Christianity; the introduction of Christian conversion as choice, countering the ideas of Calvinism; American ideals & character as observed by DeTocqueville, Beaumont, & Francis Trollope; and the destruction of nature. All these concepts, ideas, and realities are evident at this time in American history--a forgotten and ignored period between the Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Civil War.

This book is stunning in it's application to our current socio-political world, so many similar ideas and struggles.

Highly recommended for anyone remotely interested in American history!! I cannot say enough about this book.

[Ally Nelsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an AP teacher, I thought this book was great. I think the author did a great job of summarizing what the developments in the country were at this time period and doing it fairly succinctly. Will definitely be bringing some of this to my classroom moving forward.

For non-teachers, but just lovers of history, I think this book has a lot of value. I think is shows the fissures that will continue to grow into the civil war, but hit on topics some might not be aware of.

[ExtremeBibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

The year 1831 saw not just the titular eclipse but also Nat Turner's' rebellion, the invention of the mechanical reaper by Cyrus McCormick, a major religious revival led by Charles Finney, and other pivotal events in early American history. This book is highly readable and not just a series of dates, times, and places strung together. The backdrop of the phenomenon of the eclipse itself parellels the impactful occurences of the year. A very enjoyable read.

[Sherri Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

If this book really stayed on topic it might have raked higher but the constant straying off topic and all the redundancy in it turned me off. There are interesting facts but you have to search through the endless world of dribble.

[Jill Poulsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book weaves many different events, people into a melange that shows how volatile and interesting the year 1831 was. I liked the expressions of light and dark throughout and also the references to Toqueville too. Interesting writing style, that leaves the reader to interpret the words quoted.

[Michael Primiani · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off great but then got really dry towards the end. Maybe it was the subject matter but the last chapter or two was a struggle. The religion chapter also dragged on

[Doris Raines · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LIKE THIS BOOK.

[Mia McIsaac · Rating 2 out of 5]

School book. I would not recommend this book. It jumps around and is poorly written.

[Youselin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Year of Eclipse provides a thoughtful and moody perspective on a year filled with doubt, change, and subtle turmoil. Real educational

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Start with a solar eclipse, add Nat Turner's slave Rebellion, Charles Finney's revivals, de Tocqueville's travels, the Trail of Tears, nullification debates with John C. Calhoun, Andrew Jackson, and the octogenarian John Madison, Audobon's birds, a cholera epidemic, a pinch of Transcendentalism, then shake violently and you have the most important year in ante-bellum America.

Masur brings in Frances Trollop, Beaumont, Tocqueville, the British Hamilton, and a host of others to show us as a nation living numerous contradictions, such as liberty and slavery, law and Indian removal, the rise of the Democratic Party led by King Andrew I, and the celebration of nature and industrial revolution. Tocqueville shows us to be a nation of conquerers who thrive on instability and are driven by the profit motive. Individualism, rugged and revivalistic, was running rampant and would eventually redefine democracy as the pursuit of personal preference.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Louis P. Masur has written a nice, interesting little book about what was going on in the United States in 1831. There's not much depth here; he covers a lot of topics in only 216 pages. There's the Nat Turner uprising, arguments about slavery and abolition, nullification, Andrew Jackson, religion, cholera, the early days of the railroads, John James Audubon, Frances Trollope, Alexis de Tocqueville, the Trail of Tears, and more, even including the opening of a new pastoral cemetery outside of Boston.

The subtitle of this book indicates that it's about an eclipse, and it really isn't. Yes, a total eclipse of the sun did occur in the U.S. that year, and Masur awkwardly tries to tie some of the events of 1831 to the eclipse, but this aspect of the book is better off overlooked.

[lisa jahnel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for an America 1790-1960 history class a couple of years ago. It is definately for the more literate reader...some of the vocabulary can be difficult for someone who doesn't read very often. This is the story of Nat Turner and his slave rebellion. It also gives insight into the political climate of North Hampton area of Virginia at that time at how it contributed to the rebellion. I think it also helps illustrate how media outlets can somewhat pervert the actual events and incited more problems than were ever present.

[Douglas Summers-Stay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because most of my picture of that time period comes from stories about the early church and from the Alvin Maker series, and I wanted to see what it looked like from another point of view. I was struck by the contrast between the slavery, treatment of indians, and war on nature on the one hand and the pioneer spirit and energy of the country on the other hand. It was also interesting to read about the New York religious revival that set the stage for the restoration and about the first locomotives.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually didnt hate this book but found it be kinda boring. I wouldnt recommend it to many people but it is an easy read and decently quick. Overall I would give it a C- just because it is a bit boring but does have some good historical facts about a year that is overlooked within the historical timeline.

[Mscout · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good little read about a singular year in American history. Its amazing what all we can pack into 365 days...

[Travis Zuber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Masur does well when tackling political history but his thesis is unclear and he never adequately explains why the eclipse was central to the interpretation.

[Beni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and thought provoking.

[Laura Steinert]

This is a book everyone should read. Traumatic Global Climate Change is a devastating and frightening reality.