Recommend a good resource on Civil War history

[Anonymous]

After hiking some local battlegrounds I'd like to increase my minimal knowledge of the Civil War. So many resources. Is there one book or video series that's considered a good start?

[Anonymous]

I think McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom is still considered the standard one-volume work. Very readable.

[Anonymous]

Ken burns documentary. I'm not interested in civil war generally but it's great.

[jsteele]

If you are interested in light reading that is historically accurate, if fictional, Jeff Shaara has a series of historical fiction books about the Civil War that I enjoyed. His father also wrote a few books, but I haven't read them yet so can't comment (though they get good reviews).

[Anonymous]

Ken burns. Love his documentaries on netflix

[Anonymous]

Definitely Ken Burns. His work is the gold standard, and the Civil War series is outstanding.

For books, I agree on McPherson. His books are serious but accessible.

I would also recommend Chrles Royster, The Destructive War; Drew Faust, This Republic of Suffering; and Chandra Manning, What This Cruel War was Over.
None is a general overview, but each gives compelling, and sufficiently broad, insight.

[Anonymous]

Ken Burns' Civil War is IT

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:If you are interested in light reading that is historically accurate, if fictional, Jeff Shaara has a series of historical fiction books about the Civil War that I enjoyed. His father also wrote a few books, but I haven't read them yet so can't comment (though they get good reviews).

I agree with the Jeff Shaara recommendations, and would add his father's book, The Killer Angels. It's a great book.

Also, the Ken Burns documentary is fantastic.

[Anonymous]

Yes to ken burns. I don't like history at all and my DH is a buff and we watched it together (he for the umpteenth time) and it's great. Engaging and informative and keeps your attention. I learned a lot.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the tips. I'll get started on these.

-- OP

[Anonymous]

FYI Montgomery County library has Battle Cry of Freedom available as an audiobook for download. I stuck it on my phone and spent a month listening to it on my commute and loved it.

[Anonymous]

The only issue I had with Ken Burns is that he romanticized the war.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only issue I had with Ken Burns is that he romanticized the war.

You must not have listened to the entire series then. I think he gives a very rounded view of the war. It starts off romantic because that's what all the men going into the war thought about it.

His Dust Bowl series was incredible. I had to watch it twice in a row because I was so amazed by the videos and photos from the 1930s. My family is from Southern Missouri and were farmers who'd lost everything and I'd never even heard stories like that.

[Anonymous]

Shelby Foote for books

Ken Burns for video

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only issue I had with Ken Burns is that he romanticized the war.

You must not have listened to the entire series then. I think he gives a very rounded view of the war. It starts off romantic because that's what all the men going into the war thought about it.

His Dust Bowl series was incredible. I had to watch it twice in a row because I was so amazed by the videos and photos from the 1930s. My family is from Southern Missouri and were farmers who'd lost everything and I'd never even heard stories like that.

Except that oh so romantic letter! It's been years so I won't pretend to remember who wrote it exactly, but even now I remember that truly romantic letter from a soldier home to his wife. Beautiful.