Echoes of war

"What makes people remember a particular battle? Why do we commemorate and mythologize some events while leaving other significant encounters in the dustbin of history?". "Reminders and depictions of our military past are everywhere: Civil War reenactments draw thousands of spectators; popular histories fill the bestseller lists; cable channels air a dizzying array of documentaries and historical dramas; and Hollywood war movies become blockbusters. Historians worry, though, that these popular representations sometimes sacrifice authenticity for broad popular appeal.". "In Echoes of War: A Thousand Years of Military History in Popular Culture, Michael C.C. Adams shows that living history - even if it is an incomplete depiction of the past - plays a vital role in stimulating the historical imagination. Adams argues that symbols of war are intrinsically significant and help people articulate ideas and values. We still return to the knight as a symbol of noble striving; the bowman appeals as a rebel against unjust privilege."--BOOK JACKET.