Response to Scandal at Bizarre

Kierner’s book, Scandal at Bizarre, recounted an interesting view of the world of the post-War for Independence gentry in Virginia.  By using the “scandalous” behavior and associated misfortune of Richard Randolph and his sister-in-law Nancy to demonstrate the decline of the world inhabited by the landed gentry in Virginia following independence, Kierner was able to provide a window into the larger world of the Old Dominion in the late 18^th Century.  After the War for Independence, while attempting to regain their former prominence in the social and political world of Virginia, the gentry clung to their former way of life.  However, their mounting debt and adherence to old customs of honor coupled with the changes in social values brought about by republicanism hastened their decline.  Ill equipped to the survive in this new world, many of the old families of Virginia simply wilted away.  

Kierner used a combination of primary sources, to include court records, personal correspondence, newspapers, and contemporary fiction novels, and the work of other historians to tell her narrative.  As someone who appreciates narratives that use primary sources to tell the story, I found this aspect particularly enjoyable.  However, I am not sold on histories that use the works of other historians to prove the author’s point.  For me, the primary sources often speak for themselves, especially when recounting an event like in Scandal at Bizarre. 

What I found interesting about the book was the active participation in the drama of two patriots that are relatively unknown to the general public, St. George Tucker and Gouverneur Morris.  I was familiar with the military, political, and legal activities of these two men, but was unaware of the details of their personal lives and how those details shaped their public actions.  Tucker’s role was especially interesting to me.  As a reenactor of this period, it was enjoyable to learn about this veteran’s private life following the war.  It is that complete person that I am truly interested in studying.