From james mcphersons definitive history to tony horwitzs adventures among obsessives, here are the 11 best books on the civil war in time. Grant captures the tumultuous times of the midnineteenth. The book that started the entire concept of cyberpunk, the hugo award, nebula award and philip k. The best historians and books according to james mcpherson. To me, accuracy when making a top 10top 100 all time list is extremely important. The best civil war books of all time analysis civil war monitor.
War, runaway slaves, blacks in uniform 18611865 37. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Politics and war, science and sports, memoir and biography theres a great big world of nonfiction books out there just waiting to be read. 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. 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. Lee robert edward lee was an american and confederate soldier, best known as a commander of the confederate states army. For those who dont know of glenn and his work, he is the richard frockt family professor of civil war history and director of the institute for civil war studies at western kentucky university and a. 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. The american civil war is not the stuff of musty old history books, it is still claiming lives in america today.
The best civil war books of all time analysis civil. The best an author could hope to do, whitman concluded, was offer a few. Dick awardwinning neuromancer remains one of the best scifi. No wonder, then, that the war has been the subject of so many dramatic films and documentaries. Mcpherson is considered to be the dean of civil war historians.
Top 12 civil war books ever written realclearhistory. In 2014, the new york times published a brief interview with noted civil war historian james mcpherson, the george henry davis 1886 professor of american history at princeton university. Top 25 greatest war movies of all time the ultimate list. 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. The top 10 civil war novels from roman legions to medieval mayhem, cavaliers and roundheads to the crushing of ideals in the 20th century, there. 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. I used many of these to recreate my civil war ancestor story in first person.
The civil war book series oclc 20080930 chronicles in great detail the american civil war. The timechart history of the civil war time charts. Were in some very elite company, and it is both humbling and flattering to make a list like that. The countrys bloodiest war has been captured in novels, memoirs, and battle narratives.
My top choice did win a pulitzer for its author, bruce catton. It includes comprehensive timelines and intimate firstperson accounts from soldiers and civilians, as well as key political and military leaders. 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. Subtitled a memorable history of england, comprising all the parts you can remember, including 103 good things, 5 bad kings and 2 genuine dates. The first great book on war in all its aspects, and still one of the best. Marvel loved this story so much it was adapted to film in the blockbuster captain america. The civil war was the deadliest ever fought on american soil. Jeb stuarts controversial ride to gettysburg made the list.
Broke in 1854 and a national hero just ten years later, the ragstoriches story of civil war general and twoterm president ulysses s. I happened to read the alligators of abraham by robert kloss, which is an incredible novel set during the american civil war era, and that led me to grab the killer angels by michael shaara. What you do have in the timechart history of the civil war is a brief, but nottoo brief narrative timechart chock full of interesting and informative sidebar themes on weapons, guerrillas, the brownwater and bluewater navies, and the cavalry to name just a few of the selections. The books below are numbered but not in rank order. On war represents the most ambitious effort ever made by a theorist of human conflict to systematize war and. Richmond national battlefield park spans 1900 acres of civil war sites, including famous battle sites such as cold harbor, drewrys bluff and gaines mill, as well as the chimborazo medical museum, which commemorates the work done at chimborazo hospital. The centennial history of the civil war, 186165, 3 vols. Published by time life the series was simultaneously released in the usa and canada between 1983 and 1987, with subsequent identical reprints in the late 1980s early 1990s following suit for foreign, though untranslated, dissemination as well. I know why the caged bird sings, by maya angelou 7.
He is best known for his pulitzer prize winning book battle cry of freedom which is the best overview of the civil war. This 1937 pulitzerwinning epic novelwhich goodreads calls one of the most popular books ever writtentells the story of headstrong leading lady scarlett ohara. We polled a panel of contributors to military history for their choices of the top 10 war books of all time. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Featured top civil war books of all time voting thread. Although the following list is far from definitivethe great civil war read. Tolstoys depiction of the 1812 battle of borodino and the events leading up to that terrible. Before taking on this chronicle of americas defining conflict, foote was a novelist of some repute, and it shows. For our latest newsstandonly special issue, the civil war almanac, we asked a panel of civil war historiansj.
Six books on the civil war these six histories of the civil war that are mustreads if you want to better understand the conflict a group of officers in culpeper, virginia reading. An incredible story, as well as excellent historical detailing and insight into the eastern theatre of the war in virginia. For our latest newsstandonly special issue, the civil war almanac, we. Goodbye to all that,band of brothers e company, 506th regiment, 101st airborne from normandy to hitlers eagles nest,utah beach the amphibious landing and airborne operations on dday, june 6, 1944,omaha beach dday, june 6, 1944,masters of the air americas bomber boys who fought the air war against nazi germany,given up for dead americas. All quiet on the western front, by erich maria remarque the iliad, by homer the lightning thief, by rick riordan the sea of monsters, by rick riordan the titans curse. It follows henry fleming, a young man eager to show his courage on the civil war battlefield. The civil war by shelby foote alltime 100 nonfiction. Unlike most texts on the subject, this one doesnt ignore the skirmishes that took place out west. Civil war, and published a comic book sequel in civil war ii. I dont recall ever seeing a list of top 1015 books on the coming of the civil war or on reconstruction.
For the 1001st post on this blog, i thought i would follow prof. The best singlevolume survey of the political events that led to secession and war. One great book for each month of 2011, the sesquicentennial of the war between the states. This epic threevolume masterpiece is to war what gibbons decline and fall of the roman empire was to history. A fastpaced chronicle of the fighting on the battlefield and the infighting in the political capitals of washington and richmond. The best examples bring this fascinating period of history to life and illuminate the many ways in which the war changed the course of u. The 50 greatest civil war books civil war memory the. Little round top is the smaller of two rocky hills south of gettysburg, pennsylvaniathe companion to the adjacent, taller hill named big round top.
Division means tension, choice the things that stories feed on. Five years ago, i learned something surprising about myself. And to top it all off, this edition has an introduction written by the late christopher hitchens. 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. There are things wrong with this epic trilogyfoote isnt reliable on. The civil war books that should have been assigned reading. Yes, the killer angels is classified as fiction, but its a great primer for learning about the civil war. Featured top civil war books of all time voting thread vote now. Far more books have been written about the civil war than about any other event. It was the site of an unsuccessful assault by confederate troops against the union left flank on july 2, 1863, the second day of the battle of gettysburg, during the american civil war little round top was successfully defended by a brigade. 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. This was one of the largest hospitals of its time, treating over 76,000 confederates.
If you want to gain an understanding of americas war with radical islamists, look no further than the forever war by journalist dexter filkins. The southern belle fights for the love of her life and for the preservation of her familys plantation in the midst of the civil war and the reconstruction era. All quiet on the western front, by erich maria remarque remarque served in the german army during the war and was wounded five times. From james mcphersons definitive history to tony horwitzs adventures among obsessives, here are. The best civil war story told from the perspective of the common soldier. More than likely the majority of the books read were published at the time of the civil war centennial along with a few recent titles. Trying to name the top dozen civil war books of all time is, admittedly, a brazen act on my part. Do we need books like this about black civil war soldiers. Some titles focused on a specific topic, such as the. This book originally appeared in serialized form but was then edited for release as a novel. Here are the books about the civil war that we should have read in school, because.
Any recommended reading list therefore has to be highly selective and at least somewhat. The civil war is the most written about event in united states history. From there, i began grabbing everything i could find, both fiction and nonfiction, and i now have a library. Nevertheless, the books on this list are, indeed, my alltime favorites cherished works that. Glenn has gone way out on a limb, and has published a list of his top 12 civil war books of all time. Nevertheless, the books on this list are, indeed, my alltime favorites cherished works that have informed and inspired me, sometimes leaving me awestruck. And tango makes three, by justin richardsonpeter parnell 5.
The civil war was the bloodiest conflict in american history, turning brother against brother and devastating large regions of the country. A tough assignment but these books especially faust made the journey of writing like reliving the conflict up close and personal. Fiction and nonfiction books about or set during the american civil war. 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. Their thoughtful responses, some of which are quoted herein, resulted in a long list of worthy, mustread books and a clear consensus on the 10 best, which are listed on. He commanded the army of northern virginia in the american civil war from 1862 until his surrender in 1865. 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. A list of 100 of the best civil war books, spanning several decades. Recently, the newsletter of the old baldy civil war roundtable of philadelphia published the results of an update poll as to the 50 greatest books on the civil war of all time, and j.