Your Favorite Book(s) Upon the Civil War?

[O' Be Joyful]

Shelby Foote, now watch all Hell break out in three volumes.

 

[Jim Klag]

Bruce Catton's trilogy. IMHO the best writing (all his books) by any Civil War historian. It's a great story and needs a great storyteller. I also like Ed Bearss' and Stephen Sears' books. Shelby Foote's trilogy is also a great read. Noah Andre Trudeau wrote some good books and Gordon Rhea's series on the Overland Campaign is awesome. Robert Tanner's Stonewall In The Valley was great and John Hennesy's Return To Bull Run was brilliant. There are about 500 books and ebooks in my Civil War library and only a couple I would not recommend.

 

[O' Be Joyful]

Bruce Catton's trilogy. IMHO the best writing (all his books) by any Civil War historian. It's a great story and needs a great storyteller. I also like Ed Bearss' and Stephen Sears' books. Shelby Foote's trilogy is also a great read. Noah Andre Trudeau wrote some good books and Gordon Rhea's series on the Overland Campaign is awesome. Robert Tanner's Stonewall In The Valley was great and John Hennesy's Return To Bull Run was brilliant. There are about 500 books and ebooks in my Civil War library and only a couple I would not recommend.

Some young pups could learn a thing or three from a collection such as that.

 

[Jim Klag]

Some young pups could learn a thing or three from a collection such as that.

Took almost 60 years to collect them all. My mom gave me my first Civil War book when I was 13. She got it from her book club and rather than send it back she gave it to me. My wife thinks I'm nuts.

 

[Jim Klag]

These days I read mostly about WW2. In fact, because my dad was a veteran, WW2 was my first interest in reading history. Still read about the Civil War but less than I used to do. I'm reading a book right now about the Great Marianas Turkey shoot - The Battle Of The Philippine Sea.

 

[O' Be Joyful]

Took almost 60 years to collect them all. My mom gave me my first Civil War book when I was 13. She got it from her book club and rather than send it back she gave it to me.

I went mostly to the annual "retired" book sales at the main library after I got sick of the book clubs ripping me off. I found some good novels as well. They were dime on the dollar, and if I could get there on "fill your bag" day on the last day...Whoo-hoo.

 

[Jim Klag]

I went mostly to the annual "retired" book sales at the main library after I got sick of the book clubs ripping me off. I found some good novels as well. They were dime on the dollar, and if I could get there on "fill your bag" day on the last day...Whoo-hoo.

I got a bunch of my books the same way. Also at flea markets. I have two books that I "borrowed" from the main branch of the Dallas, Texas Public Library in 1963. Forgot to return them.

 

[O' Be Joyful]

I have two books that I "borrowed" from the main branch of the Dallas, Texas Public Library in 1963. Forgot to return them.

I have one or two like that--The Black Book of Communism is one of them- and the library lost the paper work. And yes I read the whole danged thing.

 

[rittmeister]

I have one or two like that--The Black Book of Communism is one of them- and the library lost the paper work. And yes I read the whole danged thing.

i read the whole shitty autobiography of erich honecker* in just under two days

---
* he has a real good ghost who hit his language spot on

 

[O' Be Joyful]

i read the whole shitty autobiography of erich honecker* in just under two days

How many pages was that one? The Black Book was over 900 pgs.

But here we are going off topic again, I will only add that going off-topic always seems to happen in the majority of threads and most of us are guilty of it, at one time or another.

-----------------

To get back on topic:
Sherman: Fighting Prophet
Lloyd Lewis

Sherman: : A Soldier's Passion for Order

John F. Marszalek

 

[rittmeister]

How many pages was that one? The Black Book was over 900 pgs.

But here we are going off topic again, I will only add that going off-topic always seems to happen in the majority of threads and most of us are guilty of it, at one time or another.

-----------------

To get back on topic:
Sherman: Fighting Prophet
Lloyd Lewis

Sherman: : A Soldier's Passion for Order

John F. Marszalek

way too many (about 500)

 

[O' Be Joyful]

way too many (about 500)

Well it was likely printed in Görman which extended the page length.

But, I will not discount the ability of görman scribes to bore the hell out of folks.

 

[rittmeister]

Well it was likely printed in Görman which extended the page length.

But, I will not discount the ability of görman scribes to bore the hell out of folks.

i needed to fact check it, too

 

[Jim Klag]

I love Professor Steven Woodworth's books on the western theater and his excellent Civil War Atlas.

 

[O' Be Joyful]

I love Professor Steven Woodworth's books on the western theater and his excellent Civil War Atlas.

Maybe I missed it or have forgotten, give me a link.

 

[Jim Klag]

Here you go.

Amazon.com: The Oxford Atlas of the Civil War: 9780195221312: Woodworth, Steven E., Winkle, Kenneth J., McPherson, James: Books

Amazon.com: The Oxford Atlas of the Civil War: 9780195221312: Woodworth, Steven E., Winkle, Kenneth J., McPherson, James: Books

www.amazon.com

 

[Nitti]

Let's throw this one out....Braxton Bragg the misted hated man in the Confederacy.this book was written by Earl J.Hess and he writes excellent stuff

 

[Matt McKeon]

I have several books I really both enjoyed for the writing and thought were enlightening:
Memoirs
U.S.Grant's.
Army Life in a Black Regiment
Reminiscences of My Life in Camp
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Slavery
Out of the House of Bondage
Out of the House of Dixie
Soul by Soul
River of Dark Dreams
The Half Has Never Been Told

The War Comes:
The Battle Cry of Freedom
Freedom National
The Scorpion's Sting

The War
Taken At the Flood
Bruce Catton: Army of the Potomac Trilogy
The 20th Maine
The Last Invasion
The Confederate War

Emancipation
Lincoln and the Fiery Trial


A partial list, but I do like these. I have a list of books I haven't read, but should, but I'm too embarrassed to post it!

 

[Jim Klag]

I have several books I really both enjoyed for the writing and thought were enlightening:
Memoirs
U.S.Grant's.
Army Life in a Black Regiment
Reminiscences of My Life in Camp
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Slavery
Out of the House of Bondage
Out of the House of Dixie
Soul by Soul
River of Dark Dreams
The Half Has Never Been Told

The War Comes:
The Battle Cry of Freedom
Freedom National
The Scorpion's Sting

The War
Taken At the Flood
Bruce Catton: Army of the Potomac Trilogy
The 20th Maine
The Last Invasion
The Confederate War

Emancipation
Lincoln and the Fiery Trial


A partial list, but I do like these. I have a list of books I haven't read, but should, but I'm too embarrassed to post it!

After Grant's, my favorite memoir is Company Aytch by Sam Watkins.

 

[Matt McKeon]

After Grant's, my favorite memoir is Company Aytch by Sam Watkins.

I loved that one, too!