Best book read in 2006?

[samgrant]

What is the single best Civil War book that you read in 2006?


For me, it was Nothing But Victory - The Army of the Tennessee 1861-1865 by Steven E. Woodworth.

[tackitt27]

I am currently reading this book now and enjoying it. I have not gotten very far at all, but enjoyed the story of Grant ridding the gunboat after Belmont. Grant was resting in bed after Belmont on a gunboat. He got up to see about something and on his return to bed saw a minie ball had struck through the boat and into his bed. How different could things had been had he not gotten up?

[Borderruffian]

Darkest days of the War-Battles for Iuka and Corinth. Peter Cozzens.

[johan_steele]

Sam right there w/ you on Woodward; though to be honest I don't remember when I read it. Outstanding work.

[cash]

Originally Posted by samgrant

What is the single best Civil War book that you read in 2006?

Dang, that was the year before last. Hold on while I think back that far.

Regards,
Cash

[gary]

I know I read over fifty but darn if I can tell which one I've read. There are hundreds of Civil War books at my home.

Last week I read Buckeye Blood by Richard Baumgartner and it was up to his usual standards of excellent writing. He draws a lot on individual accounts and puts you into the rifle pit with the soldier, alongside him on the march and in the field foraging. Before that I read Grandfather's Journal (Morningside Reprint) and that was enjoyable. There's some other titles but they escape me. A modern book that got me angry was Ronin: A Marine Scout-Sniper Platoon in Iraq (Mike Tucker). It's oral history and reading what the snipers of Ronin Platoon have to say will make your blood boil.

[Dred]

Since this post was a year old, maybe instead of 06 I can say what I read in 07?? Too bad I'm going to anyways.

I finally got around to reading Grant's Memoirs. Really enjoyed this as an eye opener to what was actually going on in this great man's head. Best of '07 hands down. As far as '06?? To the Gates of Richmond by Sears. Great read on Little Napolean's Penninsula campaign of 1862.

[samgrant]

Since this is about 2006 books, I guess this is as good as any a thread for my post, without opening a new thread.

I've just started Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides.
It is not a CW book per se, but there is some CW in it.

It's about the 19th century American Southwest. While most of the book centers around Kit Carson, it is not all about him.

As I said, I just started it this morning and I'm already at page 50. It's a real "page-turner", as they say.

If I had read it in 2006, it might vie with Nothing But Victory for my favorite.

-

[gary]

Field Armies and Fortifications by Earl Hess. I even carried my copy when I attended a conference at Colonial Williamsburg. Afterwards, I carried the book when I went to explore the Williamsburg line.

Best written book though is Shot Down in Flames by Wing Commander Geoffrey Page. He was a Hurricane pilot during the Battle of Britain with three kills to his credit (some shared) and was on the tail of another plane when he was blasted out of the sky. He spent two years recovering (numerous skin grafts) before he returned to operational status. He went on to collect 16 more kills (some shared) before the war ended. Page has written the best description of taking off in a Sptifire. Another good contemporary book that was just released this year is Trigger Men which is about snipers in Iraq.

I've also read Joe Bilby's Remember Fontenoy! about the Irish Brigade and the 69th New York in particular. The other book I read about the Irish Brigade is Capt. D. Coyningham's The Irish Brigade. Both were enjoyable and had a little information that I needed for my (non-sharpshooting) research. Another good Civil War read is Military Ballooning During the Civil War. I actually cited it several times in an aviation article that was submitted to a prestigious magazine.