Civil War Book

[Virginia Dave]

What Civil War book would you recommend to a Newby under the age of 25 for a starter?

 

[John Winn]

Well, that would depend on things like the level of interest, reading ability, actual age, and such (I'm assuming you aren't the newby in question). But, assuming an average person with a general interest and that you are talking about an overview I think you couldn't go wrong with the American Heritage Picture History of The Civil War (with the Bruce Catton text and the great map illustrations). I think you can find a used copy for a good price without much trouble. That one was many CW enthusiast's first book (me included).

If your newby is more academically inclined and a good reader and maybe in his/her twenties then McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom would be my suggestion but I'd be careful about that as it could be just more than a young person with a general interest would want to wade through; and there ain't no pictures.

 

[major bill]

What Civil War book would you recommend to a Newby under the age of 25 for a starter?

This might depend on your interests. Are you more in to geneals or battles? Maybe you are interested in weapons, uniforms, or the struggles of private soldiers. Are you interested in a particular campaign or a single battle? Few books can cover the entire Civil War and all the facets of the war in a single book.

 

[Gandycreek]

Killer Angels , by Michael Shaara . Not too deep and is a good story.

 

[Rebforever]

Find the nearest battlefield close to you. Get a map of that battlefield along with the book concerning that battle. If there is interest shown, follow up battlefield visit.

 

[CavRTO]

Find the nearest battlefield close to you. Get a map of that battlefield along with the book concerning that battle. If there is interest shown, follow up battlefield visit.

And if they have a bookstore, take advantage of it.

 

[TallTallMan]

What Civil War book would you recommend to a Newby under the age of 25 for a starter?

Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. McPherson.

A rarer but favorite of mine is The American War and Peace by Emory M. Thomas.

 

[Library Lady]

Just an FYI, there is an Illustrated Battle Cry of Freedom. How that was done is described below. You may or may not find that an appealing trade-off. I read the original with no pictures, so I haven't seen this one, but if I can get into work tomorrow, I can take a look.

The Illustrated Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson

McPherson's Pulitzer Prize-winning opus is by now the standard one-volume treatment of the Civil War. Encyclopedic in scope, it ...

www.publishersweekly.com

I don't recall any "panoramic" Civil War books up in Teen Central, but I could look there, too, tomorrow if I can get into work. James L. Swanson has done Young Adult versions of his Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer (Chasing Lincoln's Killer) and Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln's Corpse (Bloody Times: The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln and the Manhunt for Jefferson Davis). A local school district did have The Killer Angels for Teen Summer Reading a couple years ago, but fiction may not be what you're looking for. I know there are people here who really don't like that book. That's fair, but please don't blow this thread up with that argument. Please help @Virginia Dave to find better books instead.

 

[DixieRifles]

I enjoyed the TIME-LIFE books because you can pick a battle or a campaign that might interest you. If he is literally starting from scrstch, then maybe he should start with a book that covers the entire war.

 

[Library Lady]

I enjoyed the TIME-LIFE books because you can pick a battle or a campaign that might interest you. If he is literally starting from scrstch, then maybe he should start with a book that covers the entire war.

These are very nice, and you can often find them in book resale shops or at Friends of the Library/AAUW book sales for extremely modest prices. Sometimes, you can even find full sets so you would get the whole war. Duh, I should have thought of this @DixieRifles !

 

[Library Lady]

William C. Davis' civil war trilogy (Battlefields of the Civil War, Commanders of the Civil War and Fighting Men of the Civil War) might be another good choice for a more panoramic view. These books can also be found in used book shops and at Friends of the Library and AAUW sales at modest prices.

The Civil War Trilogy: "Battlefields of the Civil War",…

Slipcase set with 'The Battlefields of the Civil War', …

www.goodreads.com

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

What Civil War book would you recommend to a Newby under the age of 25 for a starter?

That's a broad question. Teen or college student? Avid reader or reluctant reader? Primarily nonfiction reader or novel reader?

I liked For Cause and Comrades a lot more at 31 than 19, but I regret not reading Battle Cry of Freedom at 19 instead of 31.

 

[DixieRifles]

These are very nice, and you can often find them in book resale shops or at Friends of the Library/AAUW book sales for extremely modest prices.

Most libraries carried a large quantity of the volumes of this set —- now, I hardly see any on their shelves.

 

[Lincoln56]

These are very nice, and you can often find them in book resale shops or at Friends of the Library/AAUW book sales for extremely modest prices. Sometimes, you can even find full sets so you would get the whole war. Duh, I should have thought of this @DixieRifles !

My introduction book was the American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War published in 1960, written by Bruce Catton. Republished in 2001 under the title The American Heritage New History of the Civil War, with an introduction by James McPherson. Unsure what if any changes are in the newer version besides the introduction.

 

[Steven Rockwell]

It seems to be out of print now, but None Died in Vain: The Saga of the American Civil War by Robert Leckie gets my vote.

https://www.amazon.com/None-Died-Vain-American-Civil/dp/0060162805/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

 

[LoyaltyOfDogs]

I'd join @John Winn and @Lincoln56 in recommending "The American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War." Though I was only an elementary student when I found it in our school library and not old enough to appreciate it on the same level as your 25-yer-old reader, it was a completely absorbing introduction to the war. I imagine any reader new to studying the Civil War would similarly find it fascinating.

 

[Choatecav]

The three volume, "The Civil War, a Narrative" by Shelby Foote.

Yes, it is massive (like reading Gibbon's, "Decline and fall of the Roman Empire") but it is thorough and it keeps the time lines in order.

 

[Steven Rockwell]

I would advise against multi-volume sets like Foote's to start with. Yes, they are more thorough and in-depth, but throwing that much information at someone with no background in the subject is a good way to lose the intended audience.

 

[Choatecav]

I would advise against multi-volume sets like Foote's to start with. Yes, they are more thorough and in-depth, but throwing that much information at someone with no background in the subject is a good way to lose the intended audience.

You make a good point with this. Not sure how voracious the reader is, but I do know that in my own case, I wish I had read it earlier than I did.

 

[bankerpapaw]

What Civil War book would you recommend to a Newby under the age of 25 for a starter?

I'm currently reading "Vicksburg" by Donald Miller. One of my favorites is "Gettysburg - A Testing of Courage by Noah Trudeau.