Jun 22, 2017 in fact, according to the library of congress civil war desk reference, over 70,000 books have been published on various aspects of the civil war and more are being published every day. Posts may contain affiliate links, meaning cwba might get a commission from purchases made through those links, at no cost to you. Complete history great rebellion or civil war united. Complete history great rebellion or civil war united states. I enjoyed reading it because the military history of the civil war is among my. The great war and modern memory, by paul fussell winner of the national book award and hailed as one of twentiethcenturys 100 best nonfiction books, fussell challenges the way we. From james mcphersons definitive history to tony horwitzs adventures among obsessives, here are the 11 best books on the civil war in time for the. The american civil war 18611865 was a civil war in the united states of america.
The civil war was the bloodiest conflict in american history, turning brother against brother and devastating large regions of the country. The first great battle of the wara series of surprisesmishaps and mistakes of the confederatesbeauregards lost ordergeneral ewells ragethe most eccentric officer in the confederate armyanecdotes of his careerthe wild panic of the union troops. The great historian of american slavery, david brion davis, has written of this book. In a number of cases, we extrapolated some of the best books written by his favorite historians. This is probably the best book ever written on any single battle of the civil war. The destruction of slavery in the united states, 18611865.
The struggle for power, and the role of the legions, made great chunks of its history more or less a civil war. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon kindle store best sellers. From meticulously reconstructed battle scenes and the politics of war, to journals from slaves and all the horrors of slavery, thousands of civil war books about americas. Michael shaara shelved 5 times as historicalfictioncivilwar avg rating 4. If youve read 1776 by david mccullough, it reads much like that but greatly expanded and covering the great depth of the civil war throughout each year of it. Theres definitely no shortage of books about the american civil war. United states history civil war, 18611865 the american war. It includes comprehensive timelines and intimate firstperson accounts from soldiers and civilians, as well as key political and military leaders. Alice shirley and the story of wexford lodge by winschel, terrence ed.
A list of 100 of the best civil war books, spanning several decades and genres. On the 82nd anniversary of the outbreak of the spanish civil war, the local takes a look at the best books on the conflict. The best civil war books of all time analysis civil. For our latest newsstandonly special issue, the civil war almanac, we. Jun 23, 2019 the battle scenes in the film were actually filmed at gettysburg, lending the film great authenticity. A narrative, a threevolume history of the american civil war. These mustread books cover both fiction and nonfiction about. The red badge of courage 1951 a good place to start with any study of civil war films is with the one that adapted arguably the definitive civil war novel. A narrative, a threevolume history of the american civil. The first great battle of the wara series of surprisesmishaps and mistakes of the confederatesbeauregards lost ordergeneral ewells ragethe most eccentric officer in the.
Another great guide to the civil war is the new york times acclaimed book disunion, which has been narrating the war in a series of amazing articles coinciding roughly with the 150th anniversary for the last few years. The great war and modern memory, by paul fussell winner of the national book award and hailed as one of twentiethcenturys 100 best nonfiction books, fussell challenges the way we think about. Dec 27, 2010 trying to name the top dozen civil war books of all time is, admittedly, a brazen act on my part. May 23, 2019 most historians now agree that the slave states seceded to protect slavery. Feb, 2019 8 great novels set during the american civil war era liberty hardy feb, 2019 this list of novels about the civil war is sponsored by the cassandra, the new novel by sharma shields, winner of the washington state book award. Theres a huge market now in swordandsandal historical fiction drawing on the. The great campaigns of the civil war book series by multiple authors includes books now for the contest. There are an extraordinary number of books covering all aspects of the war from large overviews like james mcphersons.
With geographic and cultural roots in the mississippi delta, footes life and writing paralleled the radical shift from the agrarian planter system of the old. A military and political history is written in smooth but not especially compelling style. A list of notable books about the american civil war. Eleven southern slave states declared their secession from the united states and formed the confederate states of america, also known as the confederacy. For our latest newsstandonly special issue, the civil war almanac, we asked a panel of civil war historiansj. Coastal and oceanic naval operations in the civil war, banners to the breeze. This list of novels about the civil war is sponsored by the cassandra, the new novel by sharma shields, winner of the washington state book award. Nov 25, 2017 hence why this 1951 film is considered a mutilated classic in some circles.
The american civil war 18611865, also known as the war between the states and several other names. American civil war ebooks for all free ebooks download. From james mcphersons definitive history to tony horwitzs adventures among obsessives, here are the 11 best books on the civil. Top ten civil war mysteries the civil war novel is a cottage industry unto itself. There are certainly other books from these authors that are also outstanding. Gettysburg features complex characters and a superb performance by jeff daniels. Set during the 1812 invasion of russia by napoleons forces, war and peace demonstrates a rigorous historical approach to writing and is hailed as incredibly authentic unsurprising given that. Aug, 2012 civil war books for kids can help spark an interest in history or fuel a fire thats already been lit. The civil war is the most written about event in united states history.
The three year long bloody conflict that divided spain. Books about the civil war, including fiction and nonfiction selections. Nevertheless, the books on this list are, indeed, my alltime favorites cherished works that. This account of americas most costly conflict by historian shelby foote sheds light on both the specifics of how each battle was fought and the ideology and politics that drove our country to nearly rip itself. A narrative the civil war may have occurred well over a century ago, but its reverberations are still strongly felt. These days scholarly disagreement arises over what motivated the. The civil war was the deadliest ever fought on american soil. The killer angels by michael shaara, the last full measure by jeff shaara, mrs. Any recommended reading list therefore has to be highly selective and at least somewhat arbitrary. The top 12 civil war books ever written one great book for each month of 2011, the sesquicentennial of the war between the states. There are an extraordinary number of books covering all aspects of the war from large overviews like james mcphersons battle cry freedom, gary gallaghers books on the union war and the confederate war, allan nevins 8 volume set on the conflict, and shelby footes three volume set of books on the war.
Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Like any good war history book, the civil war books on this list take a deep dive not only into the untold horrors of warfare, but also the. Search the worlds most comprehensive index of fulltext books. The virginia campaign, mayjune 1864, and several more. Hardliving john huston had returned from the great war of his lifetime, of the wwii variety, and his cynical outlook. Its origin, cause and probable results, considered specially with regard to slavery dunedin, nz. Jun 11, 2018 war and peace is inarguably one of the greatest books of all time it also happens to be about war, conflict and its impact upon all involved. Gone are the days when the socalled revisionist historians argued that the south left the union in defense of states rights or because of high protective tariffs that favored northern industry over southern agriculture. His most recent book, defining duty in the civil war. With great music and an excellent screenplay, the movie is a mustsee for civil war buffs. The history books can tell us much about the trauma of war, but for those who prefer the emotional truths that can be conveyed by a good novel, here are 10 classic stories of. Yet another distinct type of civil war book takes a very narrow focus, looking at a single year, a single battle, or a single city in great detail. Mackay, 1863, by thomas halliwell pdf in australia. The best historians and books according to james mcpherson.
Discover the best american civil war history in best sellers. The kentucky campaign, corinth, and stones river, and keep moving on. History of the great civil war, 16421649, volume 1 history of the great civil war, 16421649, samuel rawson gardiner. While some of the earliest works written about the war tended to. In fact, according to the library of congress civil war desk reference, over 70,000 books have been. Hulbert, james marten, and amy murrell taylorfor their opinions on a variety of popular topics, including the wars most overrated and underratred commanders, top turning points, most influential women, and best depictions on film. November 17, 1916 june 27, 2005 was an american writer and journalist who wrote the civil war. Eleven southern slave states declared their secession from the united states and formed the. The 14 best books about the spanish civil war the local. Unlike most texts on the subject, this one doesnt ignore the skirmishes that took place out west.
The civil war was not only the last war fought entirely on u. By carefully examining a short period of time, a limited number of events, or a single geographical area, a talented writer can reveal a microcosm of the civil war years that is in fact illustrative. Another great guide to the civil war is the new york times acclaimed book disunion, which has been narrating the war in a series of amazing articles coinciding roughly with the 150th. Personal choice, popular culture, and the union home front 2105, won the bobbie and john nau book prize in american civil war era history. War and peace is inarguably one of the greatest books of all time it also happens to be about war, conflict and its impact upon all involved. Nevertheless, the books on this list are, indeed, my alltime favorites cherished.
As result, if you want to learn more about the civil war, it may be hard to know where to start. What other book might you compare the american civil war to and why. Far more books have been written about the civil war than about any other event in american history, and lincolns stack of books towers over that of any other american figure. Matthew gallman is a professor of history at the university of florida. A list for general readers of some of the finest books on the civil war. Trying to name the top dozen civil war books of all time is, admittedly, a brazen act on my part. A narrative by shelby foote as exhaustive a rendering of the military history of the civil war as any ever attempted, footes 2,968page, 1. The best civil war books of all time analysis civil war monitor.
Civil war books for kids can help spark an interest in history or fuel a fire thats already been lit. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. From james mcphersons definitive history to tony horwitzs adventures among obsessives, here are the 11 best books on the civil war in time. The literature on the war is so vast you could spend a lifetime reading really good books about it. For civil war fundamentalists, secessionists understood clearly what lincoln stood for and concluded, not unreasonably, that his electionalong with the growing number of. Oct 22, 2014 the struggle for power, and the role of the legions, made great chunks of its history more or less a civil war. Where does the american civil war rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far. The best singlevolume survey of the political events that led to secession and war.
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