NF Civil War fiction

[Thommo]

Hello All!

How about suggestions for some good Civil War fiction? I'm a big fan of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe, Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels and Mallinson's Hervey novels. Was wondering if anything in these styles was available.

 

[huskerblitz]

I picked up Battle Flag by Cornwell for .10 but haven't read it. It's apparently a trilogy.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

"Shiloh" by Shelby Foote
"Andersonville" and "Long Remember" by Mackinlay Kantor
"Across Five Aprils"

That's all the CW fiction I have read that is worth mentioning.....I read "Killer Angles" (a decent book) and the subsequent Shaara books.....I generally don't read CW fiction, because I, personally, don't care for the "poetic license" that some authors take too much liberty in using.

 

[Legion Para]

Outstanding Iron Brigade fiction.

 

[chellers]

Howard Bahr's trilogy:

The Black Flower:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312265077/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

The Year of Jubilo:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312280696/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

The Judas Field:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312426933/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

 

[dlavin]

Ralph Peters. Nuff said

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

Outstanding Iron Brigade fiction.

View attachment 121218

From Baraboo, Wisconsin, Sauk County?

 

[Legion Para]

From Baraboo, Wisconsin, Sauk County?

Yes.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Hello All!

How about suggestions for some good Civil War fiction? I'm a big fan of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe, Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels and Mallinson's Hervey novels. Was wondering if anything in these styles was available.

Great question !

I'm also a big fan of Benard Cornwell and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels.

However, as @Albert Sailhorst said, I don't read enough Civil War Fiction to make recommendations. But, I do agree with Albert's assessment of Shelby Foote's Shiloh. It's been many years since I've read that book, but I really enjoyed it.

The last Civil War Fiction book that I read was our own @Phiip McBride's novel Whittled Away.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/whittled-away.95572/#post-810776

I can recommend that one, great novel !

 

[Irishtom29]

Ralph Peters. Nuff said

Please elaborate.

 

[MHB1862]

Harold Coyle's books Look Away and Until the End are worth the read.
Ralph Peters stuff is excellent. His combat scenes are gritty and feel authentic.
Maybe it is heresy amongst this group, but the Gingrich/Forstchen books are entertaining as well even if some of the history is sketchy.
Last, you might want to take a look at Tom Wicker. Average in quality and history but still engaging.

There is no substitute for reading the work of historians of repute but these are a diversion.

Happy reading.

 

[dlavin]

Please elaborate.

Cain at Gettysburg
To Hell or Richmond

Great reads

 

[Irishtom29]

Cain at Gettysburg
To Hell or Richmond

Great reads

OK, I'm giving him a shot, I just bought his book on the Shenandoah Valley. Kindle.

 

[JeffBrooks]

The last Civil War Fiction book that I read was our own @Phiip McBride's novel Whittled Away.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/whittled-away.95572/#post-810776

I can recommend that one, great novel !

Phil McBride is a wonderful author (he posts on here occasionally). He's written several other novels since Whittled Away, centered on the Eastern Theater.

 

[Irishtom29]

The best novel I read on the war is "Jubilee" by John Brick, published in the 1950s. It's a story about a rookie New York regiment in the 12th Corps who see the elephant at Culp's Hill and are then transferred to Chattanooga and the Army of the Cumberland and are hardened (both physically and mentally) and "westernized" in the Georgia and Carolina campaigns.

I bought this book a dunkey's age ago and still have it.

 

[Thommo]

Harold Coyle's books Look Away and Until the End are worth the read.
Ralph Peters stuff is excellent. His combat scenes are gritty and feel authentic.
Maybe it is heresy amongst this group, but the Gingrich/Forstchen books are entertaining as well even if some of the history is sketchy.
Last, you might want to take a look at Tom Wicker. Average in quality and history but still engaging.

There is no substitute for reading the work of historians of repute but these are a diversion.

Happy reading.

I quite agree with you, actual history writing can't be beaten. What author could invent characters like Stonewall Jackson? Would we take a story seriously if the author had invented an event as spectacular as the charge of the Wolverines east of Culp's Hill? Although sometimes, a bit of fiction just hits the spot!

 

[James Brenner]

A lot of us got our start reading Harold Keith's, Rifles for Watie. Even though it was published in 1957 and is touted as a book for young adults, it's a great book. It won the Newbery Medal and is still in print. It, and Irene Hunt's, Across Five Aprils ( also a Newbery winner ) are both highly recommended.

 

[kholland]

And I am somewhat surprised that this book got "lost in the shuffle" but how about Stephen Crane' s classic "The Red Badge of Courage". It's on my Kindle and available for a buck on Amazon.

 

[huskerblitz]

And I am somewhat surprised that this book got "lost in the shuffle" but how about Stephen Crane' s classic "The Red Badge of Courage". It's on my Kindle and available for a buck on Amazon.

I'm a little surprised too it hasn't been mentioned. Sadly, I have Rifles for Watie and Across Five Aprils in my classroom library yet I have not read them. I really should do that over the summer.

 

[huskerblitz]

I'm going to through this one here as well. I have my students read a book based in history (their choice of historic fiction, non-fiction or just something that deals with historical events) and do a report and project on it. But every single girl that has read this book told me how much they liked it (even had a reluctant reader finish it early!!!!!). If you have a daughter consider it.