Objects. Now in the nume realm, particularly the history human, the art, objects, and documents on display have the power to stand in for a larger historical narrative, conveying so much more than what is structurally defining of that object itself. But what about our book, civil war in 50 objects . How did this come about, and how effective is it at conveying the narrative sweep of the civil war in 50 objects . Well, its kind of a tactile history that brings you closer to the lived experience of the civil war. Thats because i was thats what made it so exciting for me. And if youre asking how it happened, it happened because of louise mayer. Louise asked me if i would be doing in this kind of a chronicle for publication, and she said, why dont you come in . I think you were there that first day of review. Why dont you come in, and ill put some of the objects i have in mind on a few tables in the Administrative Offices of the historical society. And what i saw during that the historical