Exploring Method Acting and Historical Immersion

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This chapter delves into the concept of method acting and the importance of immersion in understanding historical events, using Fort Sumter as a key example. It discusses the events of December 1860 in South Carolina following Lincoln's election, focusing on Major Robert Anderson as a critical figure anticipating threats to federal forts like Fort Sumter.

Erik Larson is probably the most successful popular historian working today. His books, which include “The Devil in the White City” and “The Splendid and the Vile,” have sold a staggering 12 million copies. His latest, “The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War,” debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestsellers list this week. It’s a gripping account of the five months between Abraham Lincoln’s election and the outbreak of the Civil War — a 163-year-old chapter in our history that Erik says is alarmingly relevant.

Host: Caleb Bissinger

Guest: Erik Larson

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