Ten Best Books

[samgrant]

Well, one of us admits to having read over 400 CW books, and I do not doubt it.

I have almost half that many in piles of books all over the floor.

Just for fun (or recomendations), I'd like to ask what you all think are the 10 bests CW books you can recommend to the general CWT audience.

Not best battle , or bio, or any specific type of book, but just whichever you all like the best.

I'll give it a start:

1) Shelby Foote - 3 vol. Narrative

2) Bruce Catton - AOP trillogy (Mr. Lincoln's Army, Glory Road, A Stillness at Appomattox)

3) Grant trilogy: Lloyd Lewis, Bruce Catton - ( Captain Sam Grant, Grant Moves South, Grant takes Command)

4) James M. McPherson, - Battle Cry of Freedom

5) Horace Porter - Campaigning With Grant

6) Kenneth P. Williams - Lincoln Finds a General (vols. 1-5 of unfinished projected 7-8(?) vol. series (author died before he could get to the point where that general was found, you know who!), too bad).

7) Benjamin Thomas - Abraham Lincoln

8) Edwin Coddington - The Gettysburg Campaign

9) D. S. Freeman - Lee's Lieutenants

10) Don't have to have 10 if you only have 2 or 5 or 8, whatever

[gary]

McPherson's: Battle Cry Freedom
Catton: Army of the Potomac
Catton: Grant triology (see above)
Krick: The Smoothbore Volley That Doomed the Confederacy
Nevins: The Ordeal of the Union
Rhea: His four books on the Overland Campaign.

[lrd89]

1. I like Gordon Rhea's series on the Overland Campaign of which a new one is coming out soon I think.
2. The aforementioned Catton trilogy.
3. Shelby Foote's 3 vols.
4.Douglas Southall Freeman's Lee's Lieutenants
5. Harry Pfanz on Gettysburg.

[nbforrest]

A few random books I like very much:

any of Ken Hafendorfer's books
Rhea's series
Johnson's Red River Campaign
Scaife's Atlanta Campaign and Allatoona Pass

Respectfully

[Gray Ghost]

1. Rhea – 4 books Wilderness to Cold Harbor
2. Wert -- From Winchester to Cedar Creek: The Shenandoah Campaign of 1864
3. Sears -- Chancellorsville
4. Longacre – Wade Hampton
5. Murfin -- The Gleam of Bayonets
6. Tanner -- Stonewall in the Valley
7. Symonds – Cleburne: Stonewall of the West
8. Wert – Mosby’s Rangers
9. O’Reilly – Fredericksburg Campaign
10. Bridges -- Lee’s Maverick General

[samgrant]

Originally Posted by Gray Ghost

1. Rhea – 4 books Wilderness to Cold Harbor
2. Wert -- From Winchester to Cedar Creek: The Shenandoah Campaign of 1864
3. Sears -- Chancellorsville
4. Longacre – Wade Hampton
5. Murfin -- The Gleam of Bayonets
6. Tanner -- Stonewall in the Valley
7. Symonds – Cleburne: Stonewall of the West
8. Wert – Mosby’s Rangers
9. O’Reilly – Fredericksburg Campaign
10. Bridges -- Lee’s Maverick General

Have ordered the D. H. Hill book, what do you like about it?

[lrd89]

I must add that I like everything by Stephen Sears.

[Highfly]

Historical Fiction:
* The Killer Angels - Shaara
* To Make Men Free - Croker
* Bold Son's of Erin - Parry
* Unto This Hour - Wicker

Non-Fiction:
* With Stonewall Jackson in the ANV - Smith
* Fighting for the Confederacy - Alexander
* Lee's Lieutenants - Freeman
* Hancock the Suberb - Tucker

Just for fun the Elizabeth McPhearson series by Sharyn McCrumb. They're mysteries set in the present and several involve a supporting character by the name of AP Hill and have Civil War-related themes...

~ Highfly

[Gray Ghost]

Originally Posted by samgrant

Have ordered the D. H. Hill book, what do you like about it?

In reading other books that made mention of DH Hill, he seemed like an interesting character so I ordered the book. In this biography, it goes on to explain some of his personality traits (extreme sarcasm, petulance etc...) and that he had some health problems (bad back and dyspepsia). While I knew he was fearless (from Gordon's memoirs and Longstreets written comments) this book gave more details of his battlefield exploits. The charge at Antietam and rallying his troops out front at Seven Pines come to mind.

The book is honest about his limitations as a corp commander, but it backs up the idea that he was an excellent division commander. I thought the South Mountain part was even-handed in applying blame but also credit for fixing the problems. It has a lot of detail on his exile after the Bragg/Chickamauga incident and the valuable volunteer services he provided in 1864 and 1865.

It has been at least a year since I read it, but it did make my "keeper shelf " due to being an interesting topic and a well written book.

[ole]

Grey Ghost:
You've convinced me. The "Maverick" is on the list for my very next visit to abebooks.

By the way, a hearty welcome to the warm SW from the cold Great Lakes Region.
Ole