I'm in full (if reluctant) accord with this schedule. I admire Kevin's fortitude and diligence.
The hurdles he faces would serve me as lessons but for being far above my reach.
When the Pandemic started 4 years ago, I became lead sibling-writer on a bio of our late dad. It was for the California Genealogy Society magazine. He'd lived an eventful 90 years. There were twists and turns enough collecting the key facts: at the age of six he died (Spanish Flu; he was dead only overnight and credited a Hawaiian sea turtle with his returning to earth); until he was 70 he was almost killed in various ways six more times between Hiroshima and Virginia.
CGS had a professional editor; she discovered two incompatible family timelines during the Spanish Flu pandemic. We kids figured: he was living it, what was to be questioned? She asked other questions that might have been answered decades earlier.
The twists and (inevitable pun, sorry:) dead ends lengthened the review process by seemingly a year. For certain I am not trying any writing more vigorous than on Quora and Substack!
Those who can, are writers. Those who can't, are readers.
What a process! I'm eager to see the final project in the spring of 2026. The good news is that seems to be a clear path forward to publication! Like Suzanne, I'll start saving up for the hard copy now. 😇
Thanks for this explanation of the academic review process. I’m entering my final semester prior to writing my thesis for my MA in Civil War Studies. I hope to use the thesis as a starting point for a book on Stevens’ Battery and some of its specific members including John F. Chase. I was aware of their being a review process but these specifics are good to know as I would prefer to publish through a University Press. Good to know what to expect!
What a process! Never knew this about publishing. Obviously review but not the detail. Best of luck going forward. Hopefully the next submission flys through. The amount of work and love of the subject is amazing. Looking forward to the book.
Your previous post about the removal of a Confederate monument from the Arlington National Cemetery and the extent to which that particular cemetery was recently desecrated by a past president intent on going to any lengths to remind his electorate that he is somehow owed a second term in office got me thinking about the terrible pun in the title of a poem I hadn't read since graduate school forty years ago. The poem in question was and still is called 'Ode to the Confederate Dead' written by the critic, Alan Tate, almost one hundred years ago. Tate was a student of John Crowe Ransom, author of the funereal masterpiece, 'Bell(e)s for John Whiteside's Daughter.' Tate in turn mentored another Fugitive Poet at Kenyon College near the headwaters of the Walhonding River which merges with the Tuscarawas to form the Muskingum in Coshocton County where my mother's ancestors recongregated in Ohio before, during and following the War of 1812. His student, Robert Lowell, distinguished himself by dropping out of Harvard to attend and graduate from Kenyon College. He also authored a riposte to his mentor called 'For the Union Dead.' Judging by when it was published I would hazard a guess that it could have been written while he was serving time in jail for having claimed conscientious objector status during WWII. The poem's answer to Alan Tate seems curiously preoccupied with a monument on Boston Common, a statue depicting Robert Gould Shaw. Two decades later Lowell himself was depicted in journalistic novels by WWII novelist, Norman Mailer. 'Deer Park' and 'Armies of the Night,' as I recall, featured Lowell as a key participant in the Anti-War Movement during the latter stages of the Lyndon B. Johnson presidency. I suspect that during the Viet Nam War era Lowell's 'The Quaker Graveyard in Nantucket' may have garnered more public notice than his poetic reply to his mentor, Alan Tate. Where peer review for academic submissions is concerned I wonder if this aspect of Civil War memory might have been construed by one of the reviewers as an omission.
It’s great that you shared this, Kevin. Those who write are always interested in the experience of others, and those who don’t write should be interested in the aspect of the writing and publication process that distinguishes a typical narrative history from a book that reflects the PRACTICE of history—a carefully constructed evidentiary and analytical process. The good news for people who follow you: you can both write beautifully AND execute the PRACTICE of history. Not everyone can.
As someone who constantly doubts my ability to communicate with the written word and who admires your ability to do so, I really appreciate this comment. Thanks, John.
In my professional mathematics career I had a few bad experiences with peer review, where it was clear to me that the reviewer had not read the work (journal paper, grant proposal, etc.) but had decided to be critical so returned a number of hyper-critical comments that had nothing to do with the work I had submitted. Getting that kind of thing was very frustrating, as the process does not seem to have a way for the author to register that kind of complaint
That first reviewer… does Otis like to shred paper? Let him deal with those fifty-five pages! Really, I’m distressed on your behalf, but you have the right of it. I’ll save up to buy a hard cover first edition. And please hug Otis 😄
I know I'm a bit tardy to the party on reading this post. But as a history grad student I appreciate the insight!!
Glad to hear it. Like I said it, the feedback isn't always easy to take, but I've found that ultimately it gets you closer to your goal. All the best.
I'm in full (if reluctant) accord with this schedule. I admire Kevin's fortitude and diligence.
The hurdles he faces would serve me as lessons but for being far above my reach.
When the Pandemic started 4 years ago, I became lead sibling-writer on a bio of our late dad. It was for the California Genealogy Society magazine. He'd lived an eventful 90 years. There were twists and turns enough collecting the key facts: at the age of six he died (Spanish Flu; he was dead only overnight and credited a Hawaiian sea turtle with his returning to earth); until he was 70 he was almost killed in various ways six more times between Hiroshima and Virginia.
CGS had a professional editor; she discovered two incompatible family timelines during the Spanish Flu pandemic. We kids figured: he was living it, what was to be questioned? She asked other questions that might have been answered decades earlier.
The twists and (inevitable pun, sorry:) dead ends lengthened the review process by seemingly a year. For certain I am not trying any writing more vigorous than on Quora and Substack!
Those who can, are writers. Those who can't, are readers.
What a process! I'm eager to see the final project in the spring of 2026. The good news is that seems to be a clear path forward to publication! Like Suzanne, I'll start saving up for the hard copy now. 😇
Thanks, Lisa. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel right now, but I know it's there.
Thanks for the update, the sensible perseverance, and the promise of a fine contribution to Civil War memory, small initial m.
Thanks for this explanation of the academic review process. I’m entering my final semester prior to writing my thesis for my MA in Civil War Studies. I hope to use the thesis as a starting point for a book on Stevens’ Battery and some of its specific members including John F. Chase. I was aware of their being a review process but these specifics are good to know as I would prefer to publish through a University Press. Good to know what to expect!
My pleasure, Ken. Best of luck completing your studies and thesis. Sounds like a great project.
Kev, I want the name and address of the first reader.....how dare him or her dad
I've got this, Dad. LOL
Not at all surprised that you are taking these reviews in the proper spirit, and will make use of the constructive content.
As I have found with my own writing, "Writing leaves a trail that we can retrace to discover where we have been stupid" and then fix it.
What a process! Never knew this about publishing. Obviously review but not the detail. Best of luck going forward. Hopefully the next submission flys through. The amount of work and love of the subject is amazing. Looking forward to the book.
Mike
Your previous post about the removal of a Confederate monument from the Arlington National Cemetery and the extent to which that particular cemetery was recently desecrated by a past president intent on going to any lengths to remind his electorate that he is somehow owed a second term in office got me thinking about the terrible pun in the title of a poem I hadn't read since graduate school forty years ago. The poem in question was and still is called 'Ode to the Confederate Dead' written by the critic, Alan Tate, almost one hundred years ago. Tate was a student of John Crowe Ransom, author of the funereal masterpiece, 'Bell(e)s for John Whiteside's Daughter.' Tate in turn mentored another Fugitive Poet at Kenyon College near the headwaters of the Walhonding River which merges with the Tuscarawas to form the Muskingum in Coshocton County where my mother's ancestors recongregated in Ohio before, during and following the War of 1812. His student, Robert Lowell, distinguished himself by dropping out of Harvard to attend and graduate from Kenyon College. He also authored a riposte to his mentor called 'For the Union Dead.' Judging by when it was published I would hazard a guess that it could have been written while he was serving time in jail for having claimed conscientious objector status during WWII. The poem's answer to Alan Tate seems curiously preoccupied with a monument on Boston Common, a statue depicting Robert Gould Shaw. Two decades later Lowell himself was depicted in journalistic novels by WWII novelist, Norman Mailer. 'Deer Park' and 'Armies of the Night,' as I recall, featured Lowell as a key participant in the Anti-War Movement during the latter stages of the Lyndon B. Johnson presidency. I suspect that during the Viet Nam War era Lowell's 'The Quaker Graveyard in Nantucket' may have garnered more public notice than his poetic reply to his mentor, Alan Tate. Where peer review for academic submissions is concerned I wonder if this aspect of Civil War memory might have been construed by one of the reviewers as an omission.
It’s great that you shared this, Kevin. Those who write are always interested in the experience of others, and those who don’t write should be interested in the aspect of the writing and publication process that distinguishes a typical narrative history from a book that reflects the PRACTICE of history—a carefully constructed evidentiary and analytical process. The good news for people who follow you: you can both write beautifully AND execute the PRACTICE of history. Not everyone can.
As someone who constantly doubts my ability to communicate with the written word and who admires your ability to do so, I really appreciate this comment. Thanks, John.
Ah, the joys of peer review! </sarcasm>
In my professional mathematics career I had a few bad experiences with peer review, where it was clear to me that the reviewer had not read the work (journal paper, grant proposal, etc.) but had decided to be critical so returned a number of hyper-critical comments that had nothing to do with the work I had submitted. Getting that kind of thing was very frustrating, as the process does not seem to have a way for the author to register that kind of complaint
It’s never easy, but I’ve never thought that my reviews have been unfair.
That first reviewer… does Otis like to shred paper? Let him deal with those fifty-five pages! Really, I’m distressed on your behalf, but you have the right of it. I’ll save up to buy a hard cover first edition. And please hug Otis 😄
In all seriousness, it’s going to be incredibly helpful, but I will keep Otis on standby if things change. 😀