The Essentials: Six Books on the Civil War
These six histories of the Civil War that are must-reads if you want to better understand the conflict
- By T.A. Frail
- Smithsonian.com, April 20, 2011, Subscribe
The literature on the war is so vast you could spend a lifetime reading really good books about it. Here are six excellent ones:
Battle Cry of Freedom (1988), by James McPherson: Widely regarded as the most authoritative one-volume history of the war.
The Fiery Trial (2010), by Eric Foner: A new Pulitzer-Prize-winning and authoritative account of President Abraham Lincoln's navigation through the politics of abolition; it won the Pulitzer Prize for History.
This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War (2008), by Drew Gilpin Faust: A moving examination of the ways in which the slaughter changed Americans' ideas on mortality and influenced the way they chose to remember the war.
Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant (1885): it "surpasses any other military memoir of the Civl War and stands alone as the best presidential autobiography every published," says Joan Waugh, author of U.S. Grant: American Hero, American Myth (2009), itself a fine biography.
Robert E. Lee: A Biography (1934-35), by Douglas Southall Freeman: A portrait of the man in full four volumes on the leader of the Army of Northern Virginia.
Mary Chesnut’s Civil War (1981), edited by C. Vann Woodward: a collection of writings, in diary form, of the doyenne whose sharp eye and tart tongue left an indelible impression of civilian life in the South during the war years.
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Comments (11)
There is a wonderful history of the Civil War ("War with the South") in three large volumes, which the first was printed in 1862 and was started to tell the history, thinking that the war would be of short duration. These volumes tell the history of:
the late rebellion, biographical sketches of leading Statesmen, distinguished Naval and military commanders, battles, etc., continuing from the beginning to the end of the War. It was published in New York by Virtue & Yorston, Publishers, 12 Dey Street (probably not there now). I have the set, which was given to my Grandfather in 1890 by his Grandmother. They are a wonderful history of so many areas and people connected to the war. Anytime I have a question regarding the Civil War, I go this set. I really do not want this published, but thought that the Smithsonian would be interested to know about the volumes and maybe you have a set already or could locate one for your records.
Thank you,
Holley
Posted by Holley Bell on December 29,2011 | 11:46 AM
Shelby Foote & Bruce Catton!
Citizen Soldier by John Beatty of the Ohio 3rd. First person account of western front Civil War day to day life of a infantry life.
Posted by Nicki on November 1,2011 | 11:23 AM
It's a gross oversight not having one entry that says: Anything by Bruce Catton. He had the right sources, incredible insight, was able to interview actual participants, and possessed an engrossing and engaging prose style that you just can't put down.
Posted by mike greggs on August 25,2011 | 03:35 PM
Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War by Charles B. Dew gives some insight into why the leaders of the Southern States chose to secede from the Union. It would be an important inclusion to the list.
ISBN 978-0-8139-2104-4
SNW
Posted by SNW on May 24,2011 | 05:42 AM
Bruce Catton!?!!
Posted by Peter Dueben on May 5,2011 | 10:10 PM
I agree heartily with John Postley about the Foote books. I was not too disturbed by their omission since the title said, after all, "book" But, how you could create a list omitting Foote in favor of Freeman is inconceivable. And if you are recommending multi-volume books, how did you omit Catton's history of the Army of the Potomac? Frail needs to re-think his list - very badly needs to. In my own humble estimation, Freeman's biography, like its subject, is over-rated. There is nothing important covered in Freeman about Lee that is not covered, adequately, by one or the other of these.
Posted by Michael Walters on May 5,2011 | 02:22 PM
JP, Egregious indeed!
Posted by Mike Thomas on April 27,2011 | 03:34 PM
Ditto JP's comment
Posted by Michael Thomas on April 27,2011 | 03:29 PM
You might be interested in a true story about an 82nd Ohio soldier told in the first person in dramatic form. The ebook is written with a discussion guide for Civil War Round Tables and you may want to check it out.
Hiram's Honor: Reliving
Private Terman's Civil War, ISBN 978-0615-27812-4.
Hiram's Honor can be examined at http://www.amazon.com/Hirams-Honor-Reliving-Private-Termans/dp/0615278124/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239221935&sr=8-1
Ebook
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/50674
Posted by Max Terman on April 23,2011 | 07:19 PM
I'd include Pickett's Charge by GR Stewart.
Posted by DM Scott on April 21,2011 | 11:17 PM
What about Shelby Foote!!!??? The Civil War: A Narrative Parts 1, 2 & 3 Don't read any of the above until you make it through his epic. An egregious omission.
-JP
Posted by John Postley on April 20,2011 | 12:00 AM