White Lies: How the South Lost the Civil War, Then Rewrote the History

Bausum, Ann. White Lies: How the South Lost the Civil War, Then Rewrote the History, 2025. Pages 352. 978-1250816573. $24.99. HS, AT *****

American history can seem so straightforward in the classroom. It begins there, at the beginning of the textbook, and ends now, at the end of the textbook. 

Ann Bausum’s White Lies will tell you that not only what is in those textbooks could be outright lies, but they were intended to be that way, because of the outcome of the Civil War and the continual preservation of white supremacy in America. Bausum covers the origins of twenty lies of The Lost Cause in detail, exposing the lengths Southern ancestors of the Civil War went to glorify their distorted heritage and ideas of white supremacy over Black Americans. These lies are documented throughout the book and can be found permeating: distinct time periods, such as Reconstruction and Jim Crow, falsehoods in historical documentation, statues and monuments erected throughout the United States, Hollywood, and educational textbooks. Bausum walks the reader through each aspect of the twenty lies as told by The Lost Cause as it pertains to influential aspects of American history, starting with the start of the Civil War, all the way into 2025.

White Lies is dense, with tall pages of text, but the flow and style make you want to continue to read to understand the subterfuge that is The Lost Cause. The well researched quotes and references invite investigation into further readings. The page layout, use of shading, and bold text add to the intensity of the content. Inclusion of the “Gallery of The Lost Cause” pages, which include images of Confederate monuments and statues break up long sections with interesting tidbits about the dedication, artist, sponsors, historical cost, inflation-adjusted cost, and status that have call backs later in the text. Reluctant readers may find an audio edition more digestible, but referencing the print imagery is encouraged as it adds weight to the context of the book.

This book would appeal to older teens, not intimidated by thick text, who are interested in understanding the current American societal climate, race in the United States, and the impact of historical manipulation on society. White Lies is recommended reading for those currently in American History classes, those interested in American history, adults included, and those who have read the below recommended reading and are looking for a historical context.

Overall, White Lies is an extremely comprehensive look at how the lies of The Lost Cause have influenced American society in very deep and damaging ways since the Civil War. The gravitas will not be lost on any reader.

Other Books Recommended with White Lies:

• The Sum of Us: How Racism Hurts Everyone: Adapted for Young Readers by Heather McGhee
• Rise Up! How You Can Join the Fight Against White Supremacy by Crystal Marie Fleming
• We Are Not Yet Equal: Understanding Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson
• Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
• Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School by Tiffany Jewell
• Accountable: the True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives Lived it Changed by Dashka Slater

-Jessica Lundin, San José Public Library

Tags: History, Nonfiction, American History, Racism, Civil War, Politics