"For anyone interested in Michigan history, politics, and the Civil War era, More Than Monument is a must read. Jack Dempsey's review of Governor Austin Blair's remarkable career brings one of our most distinguished governors to life. Blair's insights into northern Republican anti-slavery passion and corresponding Confederate denials of its overwhelming dependence on cheap and inhumane labor gives us a needed human dimension of the turbulent times of the 1860s."
-James J. Blanchard, former Governor of Michigan, US Congressman, and Ambassador to Canada
"Austin Blair should be better known for upholding human rights, opposing capital punishment, and stressing the importance of education to good citizenship. He never surrendered to family tragedy. The MCWA has done us all a service by bringing to light the second half of his career in politics."
-Gary M. Owen, former Speaker of the Michigan House, veteran, University of Michigan B.S., M.A.
"For those fascinated with history, this book brings Austin Blair up close and personal. It reveals a leader who was morally fearless, politically bold, and startlingly ahead of his time and is a compelling portrait of principled leadership in an age of national crisis. A bracing and timely reminder that political courage often shapes the course of history."
- Patrick Laughlin, staffer for the Michigan Legislature, chairperson, Michigan Political Leadership Program advisory board
"This series is in the finest tradition of historical research. By bringing these untold stories to light, the books deepen our understanding of the past and offer valuable insight for the future. The MCWA ought to be highly commended for its significant contributions to Civil War scholarship through this publication."
-Edward D. Surovell, graduate, Columbia University, member, Grolier Club, board member, Library of Michigan Foundation, Michigan Historical Commission, Historical Society of Michigan, and Ann Arbor District Library
"This second volume is a remarkable and masterful account of the activities and writings of Austin Blair following his exceptional service as Michigan's War Governor. Just as he did in the first volume, Radical of Radicals, Jack Dempsey has created a thorough portrait of the second half of Governor Blair's extraordinary career.
Dempsey's assiduous research and attention to detail illuminate the complex dynamics of this period in Michigan and our national history. Like the first volume, the range of resources located and drawn upon is beyond impressive. The result is an engaging and eminently readable book."
-Elaine K. Didier, PhD, director (retired), Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum, Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids, MI-National Archives and Records Administration
Praise for Volume I, Anticipation for Volume II
"In this documentary-style biography, and an upcoming companion second volume which will focus on Blair's post-war accomplishments, the words and ideas of this somewhat radical leader will be kept alive for study, analysis, and comparison to contemporary American values."
-Emerging Civil War
