Instruct: Classify the given review as either positive or negative.
Query: Magesterial AND Engaging

This work is by far the most complete, engaging, wonderful history book I have read in quite some time!The author has copious footnotes as well. Being a person with a curious nature, I often found myself getting lost in reading the footnotes as much as the text! The author's love of his subject was apparent, and that made reading the book much more enjoyable.I only had a cursory knowledge of this time period before reading it, but did not find the details too daunting. For me they opened my eyes to the complexity and heterogeneous environment of the antebellum south.If you want a great reference for this period of history look no further! If you want to find out more on the antebellum south and the reasons for the Civil War, look no further! If you like history and are searching for that next book to read - you guessed it - look no further!I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of the second volume, which I am sure will round out my knowledge quite nicely!