EDIT: 1:30PM EST
Dr. McPherson should need no introduction to those of you who have made the Civil War a subject of particular study. He is the author of numerous books on the war, the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, and other related subjects -- most recently War on the Waters: The Union & Confederate Navies, 1861-1865 (2012). Dr. McPherson won the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (1988), has served on the editorial board of Encyclopedia Britannica, as the president of the American Historical Association, and as the George Henry Davis '86 Professor Emeritus at Princeton. We are very excited to welcome him to /r/AskHistorians, and hope that you will have many interesting questions to ask.
The format of Dr. McPherson's AMA will differ somewhat from our typical ones in that it will be less "real-time" than usual; the top questions submitted by readers will be sent to him via e-mail, and his answers posted later that afternoon via a registered account with the help of one of our mods. Dr. McPherson is not yet familiar with Reddit from the inside out, but he's keen to talk with everyone here all the same; we're happy to be able to help.
I hope you will join us this Friday for Dr. McPherson's AMA, and in welcoming him to /r/AskHistorians.
Our thanks go out to /u/anastik for helping get this set up. We appreciate it immensely!
Hot dang! This is awesome. I know a lot of the mod team worked very hard on this, but a special shout out to /u/Anastik for doing so much work to get this done. Anastik pitched the idea to us and then contacted Dr. McPherson. Apparently, Anastik has a way with words. If you need someone to help you break the news that you have decided to leave your lover to go to Mars, Anastik can probably help you out.
OMG I just got a history boner
I would like to prepare a question. Since the questions will be emailed, does this mean that the top answers as of 1:30 on Friday will be emailed, or that the AMA will be open for questions starting at 1:30 on Friday and the top-voted answers thereafter will be emailed?
You think he would talk about his physical altercation with Shelby foote?
Just one question:
"Since your book Battle Cry of Freedom is often taken as the synthesis work on the Civil War, what books since 1988 would you feel compelled to account for were you to have written Battle Cry now?"
So, were do I send my question? Wait, that's two questions...
Can't wait for this AMA!
This sounds fantastic. Given that he has a limited amount of time for this and is doing it through e-mail, are there are sort of questions that we should avoid? I don't know enough about his body of work to know this off the bat, but I'd hate to ask something that would end up on the cutting room floor.
I have SO many questions. I can't wait...
Firstly, many thanks to /u/Anastik.
Is it OK to reask questions that I've posted on this sub to see if he would have anything to add?
If you have more than one question should you put it in one post to avoid spamming the thread?
Jesus Christ. I am forever in Anastik's debt.
I'm so excited for this! After taking a Civil War Course in my High School I have become captivated by this period of time and this war! I hope this AMA is going on still after school lets out! Looking foward to this so much!
Honestly concerned that none of my questions would be worthy of asking him haha
1:30 for which time zone?
Wow!
Edit: The top questions in this thread will be sent?
I took a summer class with him. Prince of a guy. Awesome lecturer, gentleman, scholar. This will be great!
That's a hell of a feather in /r/AskHistorians cap right there :)