[2] The book looks at the aftermath of the Civil War and argues that sectional division was lessened and reconciliation achieved at the expense of memory of slavery and the continuing effects of racial prejudice and discrimination on the United States.

[2] He describes the way Lost Cause, states rights, and the Old South myths were promoted by Southerners in literature and popular culture.

István Vida writes, "It is justified to call Professor Blight a pioneer of this field [of memory studies], and his Race and Reunion offers the most comprehensive study of the War...rel[ying] on a stupendous variety of primary sources.

"[3][4][5] In Rhetoric & Public Affairs, Wilbur C. Rich writes, "Blight's book exposes the misinformation, puffery, and distortions that characterized Southern memories and history.

The masterful and engaging style of Race and Reunion makes it extraordinarily appealing to a broad audience.