The Field of Honor

"At the same time, the authors of these eighteen concise essays (arranged thematically over five sections) demonstrate that the field of honor was more like a vast iceberg of sociocultural interaction, of which the dueling ground was only the most sensational tip."—The North Carolina Historical Review

"The volume will be a useful supplement to studies of American national moral character as well as to regionalists."—CHOICE

"The Field of Honor brings a veritable bounty for every student of American identity. The essays offer deep research and originality; and, to boot, they revise and update Bertram Wyatt-Brown's Southern Honor. Hats off to Mayfield and Hagstette for their fine writing, thoughtful organizing, and editing of this valuable collection."—Johanna Nicol Shields, professor emerita of history, University of Alabama in Huntsville

"'Southern honor' is a term embracing more than the stereotypical duels fought by aristocratic, antebellum, white males to protect their reputations from boorish attacks. This fascinating volume convincingly and cogently shows that honor is of vital importance to people in a wide variety of social, economic, gender, racial, and religious groups who molded it to their traditions."—James L. Underwood, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Law, University of South Carolina

"I have long considered John Mayfield one of the broadest-ranging and deepest-thinking historians I know. We shared a long friendship with the great scholar of Southern honor Bertram Wyatt-Brown.The Field of Honor bids fair to be an appended synthesis and analysis of Bert's oeuvre of reflections on the various manifestations of the honor ethic."—Charles Joyner, Burroughs Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Southern History and Culture, Coastal Carolina University