"ACW Book For A Newbie???" Topic

Hi there,

I've been a wargamer for years but I'm fairly new to ACW wargaming. I was wondering if Forum members could suggest a single volume history of the war that covers the battles as well as the general history of the conflict? Is there a standout book that you would recommend as a starting point?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give,
Sarpedon.

link

Welcome to the lovely world of the ACW! In my opinion, James McPherson's "Battle Cry of Freedom" is the place to start. It's a bit lengthy, but it is by far the best one volume treatment of the war. Hope that helps!

Billy Yank

James For Rhodes History of the Civil War. Free here… bartleby.com/252

The Civil War – A Narrative by Shelby Foote

It is excellent, although it is 3 volumes.

Another vote for McPherson. It is the current "standard."

Another vote for McPherson's volume.

And you can't go wrong with Bruce Catton's Army of the Potomac trilogy. It's history written well!

For a trilogy, yes, but the OP was asking for a single volume.

Now for that, McPherson is the best.

For a trilogy, I'd recommend Shelby Foote's work.

Eric

"An American Iliad: The Story of the Civil War" by Charles P. Roland.

Another vote for McPherson's volume.

Foote's books are good, but not in the same league as McPherson's.

Dan

McPherson vote here too

I agree with TNE2300. The Golden Book of The Civil War is awesome. First ACW book I ever read as a kid. It is a good basic overview of the war. However, the best part is the fantastic battle drawing of all the major battles. Drawn from a Birdseye view perspective, the artist draws hundreds of tiny soldiers – reminds me of a tabletop mini game!

McPherson.

If that's too thick for you, Bruce Catton's :The Civil War".

McPherson recommended as well.

Another vote for Bruce Catton's trilogy. Excellent and entertaining! An easy read because the writing is so good!

One more vote for anything by Bruce Catton. McPherson is a bit on the dry side in my opinion. Catton's stuff is more readable for the newbie. I'm not saying ignore McPherson, but work up to him.

Good recent TMP link here

TMP link

Thanks for all your responses and tips!

I really appreciate you taking the time to reply :O)

I'm with the Bruce Catton trilogy. Very readable.

Vince

I will follow the herd and recommend McPherson for a good one-volume book. A nice coffee table book that will engage a younger audience is the American Heritage Picture History.

link

Bruce Catton's "The Civil War" is a one volume history. I got a paperback copy for my wife.

You can't beat Fletcher Pratt's "Ordeal By Fire": link

Note all the 5-star reviews!

The popular paperback version is call "Short History of the Civil War."

BTW, Pratt was a wargamer.

Agree with Bruce Catton. I took the Civil War as a class in my undergrad days and his "The Civil War" was one of the two textbooks. The other was T. Harry Williams' "Lincoln and His Generals."

The McPherson book "Battle Cry of Freedom" is a great scholarly work and should be read by all interested in the ACW. But IMHO is a bit much for a newbie.

I recommend Bruce Catton's "The Civil War" and then read his Army of the Potomac trilogy (read all three in High School) then you can move on to more advance works.

James McPherson's "Battle Cry of Freedom" is scholarly but I found that it does set the war in to the politics of the United States. The book gives a great account of not only what happened but more importantly why it happened

I may have to buy all of these…

One at a time though ;o)

I meant "scholarly' in the best sense of the word. Not as a criticism. McPherson's work is outstanding and worthy of the Pulitzer he won. The bibliography alone is worth the price of admission.

I feel his interest mostly lies in the political history of the war (nothing wrong with that.) For a newbie I still recommend Catton.

Catton is not writing for other Historians. He is writing for the general audience. Very engaging, well written and he won the Pulitzer for "A Stillness at Appomattox."

It has to be Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, or the history of Kershaw's brigade.

TNE2300 et alia are quite right – the Golden Book is excellent if only for the illustrations.

One more vote for Catton's Army of the Potomac trilogy. It's available as a single volume.

That trilogy is excellent, but it only covers the eastern theater, and only from the Union side. Catton also wrote a one-volume pocket history of the war, which is good, but I still like Pratt's book better.

Another vote for McPherson.

I find myself going back to it time and again to fit in things in the whole pagent of the War. Only McPherson gives you what well might be called "The Complete Operators Guide to the Civil War era."