Favorite Civil War Books

[Virgil61]

The Civil War was mentioned on another thread as being one of the favorite areas of history buffs in the US (and the UK it seems). Which got me wondering, what books of the thousands written on that era, have stood out as favorites?

 

For me it was the old stand-by Bruce Catton's 'Stillness at Appomattox" which I still remember fondly from my high school years (Mr. Lincoln's Army isn't bad itself). The best all-in-one is "Battle Cry of Freedom" by James McPherson, very intelligent and well written volume. Lee's Lieutenants by Douglas Freeman is excellent and U.S. Grant's Memoirs is among the best military memoirs ever written, yes up there with JC's Commentaries.

 

Never read Shelby Foote as much as I'd like to.

 

Your choices?

[Primus Pilus]

Never read Shelby Foote as much as I'd like to.

 

Oh you must. It's brilliant. (though the 3 volume narrative can be quite the time consumer)

 

I too loved Grant's memoirs.

 

Though not necessarily a Civil War history, "Lincoln" by David Herbert Donald is simply one of the finest examples of single volume biography there is. For me, the politics of the era is as interesting as war itself.

 

I remember after watching Ken Burn's excellent Civil War documentary deciding to read the personal memoirs that were so integral to that film for myself. The Mary Chestnut diary (confederate) and the diary/letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes (Union) are fantastic for personal insight. (I can't quite recall the exact edition I read, it has been some time.)

[Marcus Caelius]

The Time-Life series on the Civil War is/was an excellent general reference, combining a surprisingly comprehensive text with a multitude of photographs and illustrations. The description of Lowe's balloons and portable hydrogen generators was terrific. It should be in the library of every non-specialist; I believe they can still be purchased online from Time-Life or, if all else fails, there's always eBay.

[Virgil61]

 

Never read Shelby Foote as much as I'd like to.

 

Oh you must. It's brilliant. (though the 3 volume narrative can be quite the time consumer)

 

I too loved Grant's memoirs.

 

Though not necessarily a Civil War history, "Lincoln" by David Herbert Donald is simply one of the finest examples of single volume biography there is. For me, the politics of the era is as interesting as war itself.

 

I agree, it's outstanding, perhaps the best biography I've ever read.

 

I remember after watching Ken Burn's excellent Civil War documentary deciding to read the personal memoirs that were so integral to that film for myself. The Mary Chestnut diary (confederate) and the diary/letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes (Union) are fantastic for personal insight. (I can't quite recall the exact edition I read, it has been some time.)

 

I'd forgotten all about those sources--Chestnut and Rhodes.

 

I was living in the barracks at Ft Bragg when the Ken Burns documentary came out in late '90. Being more like college dorms than what you see in the movies, there were always about 7 or 8 of us gathered around the TV in my room on the Sunday night in complete silence as each episode was played on PBS. Shelby Foote and Ed Bearss were real stand out characters.

[DecimusCaesar]

I've never read a book about the American Civil War, but I did watch the Ken Burns documentary and I have searched for some articles about it on the internet. My only other knowledge of the subject is the

(often inaccurate) portrayl of the war in films like Glory or The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

 

Here is a clip from the Ken Burns documentary on the Civil War:

 

Civil War - Honorable Manhood

 

This is the most famous part from the entire series, the letter that Sullivan Ballou sent to his wife, Sarah before the Battle of Bull Run.

[Ludovicus]

For Civil War buffs: Don't miss "Lincoln at Gettysburg by Gary Wills.

"The March," just out by E. L. Doctorow is excellent, too. It treats Sherman's march to the sea from the perspective of newly freed slaves, ruined plantation owners, free southern whites, and Boston Brahmin Union generals. This book just might win Doctorow a nobel in literature. It reminds me of the remarkable Ken Burn's series, the technique of giving the reader/listener the words of those affected.