Mitchell follows events from the motivations for men to enlist and the initial excitement and conviction of going to war. Discover the best civil war books, fiction and nonfiction alike. Civil war soldiers provides an excellent overview into the beliefs and mindsets of both northern and confederate soldiers. Pop history is an impersonator, roaming the room soused, boasting its history credentials, breathing its cheap sensibilities into your face, offering nothing but the drunks stockintrade of nostalgia, stories, emotions, drama and life lessons. The best civil war books of 2018 articles civil war. The standard survey history of how european military observers interpreted the american civil war is jay luvaass 1959 book the military. Library journal meier provides remarkable insight into the social and environmental history of common soldiers at war while simultaneously posing provocative directions for further work on civil war environmental history. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. 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. Many of the authors that served in various reallife wars and survived wrote stories that are at least somewhat based on their own experiences. Lance herdegens union soldiers in the american civil war is an introductorylevel book organized and presented along similar lines to mark hughess the new civil war handbook 2009 and the new gettysburg campaign handbook 2011 from j.
A collection of short stories, books, essays, speeches, letters, and poems that concern themselves with the american civil war 1861 1865. Theres definitely no shortage of books about the american civil war. In some cases the southern experience of the civil war as recorded in memoirs by confederate army officers also deserves a place on the literary shelf, for example, destruction and reconstruction. It is generally known in the south as the war between the states and is also called the war of the rebellion the official union designation, the war of secession, and the war for southern independence. The civil war a narrative by shelby foote, excellent condition, complete 9 volu. Sutlers goods and soldiers letters will be the topics when authors of books on the civil war present programs next month at milanofschock library, mount joy, in recognition of the 150th. 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 perspectives, personalities, and motivations behind it, as well as the ramifications. The countrys bloodiest war has been captured in novels, memoirs, and battle. Civil war books and authors coddingtons prose is as unpretentious as the faces he shares, yet authoritative. A list of 100 of the best civil war books, spanning several decades and. Back when most publishers expressed little interest in military and civilian letters, diaries, and memoirs exclusive to the civil war west of the. I found this thoroughly enjoyable book on women soldiers in the civil war. An incredible story, as well as excellent historical detailing and insight into the eastern theatre of the war in virginia.
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. We sell first edition civil war books, biographies, regimental histories and reprints as well as modern titles. Union and confederate men went to war as americans, convinced they. Wiley, who pioneered the study of the civil war common soldier, the average yank or reb was a white, nativeborn, farmer, protestant, single, between 18 and 29.
Wiley practically invented social history in the context of civil war soldiers. 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. For our latest newsstandonly special issue, the civil war almanac, we asked a panel of civil war historiansj. Some of them are outright memoirs or fictionalized accounts of their exploits. We order new books direct from publishers and have a large stock of paperback civil war books. He relates numerous examples of how the effective use of engineers led to victory while an ineffective application led to defeat. Recently, i rewatched a civil war documentary that id enjoyed some years ago and went on the hunt again. More civil war voices from york county, pathis is a companion book to their 2011 book civil war voices from york county. From james mcphersons definitive history to tony horwitzs adventures among obsessives, here are the 11 best books on the civil war in time. It is the definitive history of the us civil war it gives equal treatment to both sides, and is more than one million words, but is never boring. Personal experiences of the late war 1879 by richard dick taylor, war reminiscences and stuart cavalry campaigns 1887 by john singleton mosby. Read a civil war soldier beats the odds on the virginia peninsula.
The best an author could hope to do, whitman concluded, was offer a few stray. Natures civil war university of north carolina press. The two diseases rank 12 in deaths caused and both were considered quite mysterious at the time, as the cause of each was attributed to just about. In a guest blog post, meier describes the struggle of lt. Hartwicks quinn authors book on black civil war soldiers. Mosquito soldiers adds significantly to the history of the american civil war by presenting an informative discussion of the role played by malaria and yellow fever during the course of the war. We wanted to include a variety of volumes to appeal to many different tastes. This is a broad library containing novels like the red badge of courage and uncle toms cabin, civil war stories by ambrose pierce, ppems from julia ward howe and emily dickison, and historical documents including the. The civil war is the most written about event in united states history. The format arrived in america on the eve of the civil war, which fueled. For the civil war it was everything referring to north, the south, abraham lincoln, life during the war, etc. Sears, the author of several splendid civil war books, conveys all the human drama of the battle, skillfully shifting from generals to soldiers in the. The soldiers on both sides of the civil war were united by a common history, and yet the legacy of this past was ambiguous, upholding both rebellion and union.
Gallager talked about the life and military career of general robert e. Black civil war soldiers and the hills community, westchester county, new york. Southern audiences would no longer, in the words of the editor of the richmondbased. A list of notable books about the american civil war. Many historians argue that grant was the most important military figure. 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. Civil war authors begin march on mount joy library book. Civil war union captains yale college book sailing navigation surveying, maine. From the acclaimed author of forrest gump, this historical nonfiction work is. Any recommended reading list therefore has to be highly selective and at least somewhat arbitrary. Mcpherson, author of battle cry of freedom detailed and convincing smithsonian magazine a compelling book that belongs in every civil war library. Specializing in fine quality civil war books, cds, videos, music and collectibles. Recommended to civil war history buffs and anyone interested in soldiers adaption and survival in trying environments.
The civil war diary of a southern woman by sarah morgan dawson. And one rode west by heather graham, one wore blue by heather graham, and one wore gray by heather graham, ashes in t. Quinns meticulouslyresearched manuscript is the story of 36 african american men who drew upon their shared community of the hills for support as they fought in the civil. Gallagher is also the editor of three days at gettysburg. Six books on the civil war these six histories of the civil war that are mustreads if you want to better understand the conflict. Trying to name the top dozen civil war books of all time is, admittedly, a brazen act on my part. Lyons wakeman, 153rd regiment, new york state volunteers, 1 by sarah rosetta wakeman 3. This week marks 150th anniversary of the attack on fort sumter, s. Civil war cartridge boxes of union infantryman by paul d.
The killer angels by michael shaara, gone with the wind by margaret mitchell, cold mountain by charles frazier, gods. The best civil war books of all time analysis civil. This is a broad library containing novels like the red badge of courage and uncle toms cabin, civil war stories by ambrose pierce, ppems from julia ward howe and emily dickison, and historical documents including the emancipation proclamation, and. Reading recommendations african americans in the civil war by the end of the civil war, nearly 200,000 africanamerican men mostly former slaves had made a critical contribution to the victory of the union by serving in the army and navy of the united states. In another guest post, meier explains that civil war soldiers reported traumas from unexpected sources. A superbly readable military history by a novelist who did a massive amount of historical research. Tolkien, lancashire fusiliers, served in trench warfare at somme valley, battle at thiepval ridge and assault on. The new york times list of top civil war books may be the saddest thing you ever read but this can make you sad as well. This book includes excerpts and snippets from soldiers primary sources, mostly letters and journals. Popular authors scott mingus and jim mcclure, in conjunction with the york daily recordsunday news, york county history center and pennsylvania civil war 150, published echoing still. As usual, we enlisted the help of a handful of civil war historians and enthusiasts, avid readers all, and asked them to pick their two favorite books published in 2018. This epic threevolume masterpiece is to war what gibbons decline and fall of the roman empire was to history.
Posts may contain affiliate links, meaning cwba might get a commission from purchases made through those links, at no cost to you. Documenting the service of more than 240 women soldiers. Edythe ann quinn has seen the publication of her new book, titled freedom journey. Those who appreciate a solid overview will find much to. As exhaustive a rendering of the military history of the civil war as any ever. The civil war era, one of the ugliest periods in american history, has produced some of the most fascinating and heartbreaking books, both novels and historical accounts. 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. Faces of civil war nurses johns hopkins university press.