“What should I read first?”

“If I know very little about the Civil War, how do I get started in learning about it?”  Basic Summary Views about how to start learning more about the Civil War:  Recommendations and Suggestions from Members  of the Cincinnati Civil War Roundtable.

Inspired, collected, and summarized by John Steiner.  Date of revision: September 9, 2005   

CCWRT members were asked to suggest their own basic books on the Civil War for those who want a basic introduction or overview of Civil War history or who wanted to start their own library, so that a new student of the war might begin somewhere.  There are obviously thousands of books out there, and many critical topics that you=ll discover. One doesn=t erect a finished house shazzbam, but begins with a foundation. There=s still a market for new books, as some of the best books have been published within the past decade.  While many members have devoted a lifetime of personal study to this broad subject, one=s lifetime is limited, and in order for the organization to sustain itself, new members must be recruited, and learn for themselves, and rework that which wasn=t written about Aquite right@ before. 

Brinkley Alan, Current, RN, Friedel F and Williams TH.  American History: A Survey. 8^th Edition,  McGraw Hill, 1991.   [www.bookfinder.com $1.07 to $30. ] Other editions with Map, Vol 1 & II for $38.88.                                        

CCWRT Comment:          AThis is the book I keep on my desk for basic reference. The chapter on the war itself is 40 pages, an excellent overview. It is preceded by a 40-page chapter on the "impending crisis" and followed by a 30-page chapter on reconstruction.@ [From Dan Reigle]

McPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. New York, Oxford University Press, 1988  [onwww.bookfinder.comat $7 (used)]

CCWRT Comment:          A The book that rekindled my interest in the war. . . , generally reputed to be the best one-volume history of the war in its total sense: political, social, diplomatic, and economic, as well as military.  Bibliography, B&W photo section, maps, 904 pages [From Dan Reigle]

.

Also by McPherson:        you will find on bookfinder B at prices which invite mass purchase B

The Abolitionist Legacy from Reconstruction to the NAACP

              Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution

              The Atlas of the Civil War

                            Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam

                                Ordeal By Fire: The Civil War and Reconstruction, and about twenty other books by the

same author.

Roland, Charles P.  An American Iliad: The Story of the Civil War.  University of Kentucky, 1991 1^st edition, revised in 2004 by other publishers.

Comments:         This concise but comprehensive history reflects a synthesis of the major writings on the war, as refined and focused through Professor Roland's own research and interpretation. This is the story of the war with the emphasis on the military action, that element which distinguishes war from all other human activities. [www.bookfinder.comfrom $11.95 soft cover] [From Dan Reigle]

Simpson, Brooks D.   America=s Civil War. Harlan Davidson [www.bookfinder.comfrom $11.00] [From Dan Reigle]

Wagner, Margaret E, Gallagher GW, Finkelman P. (Editors). The Library of Congress Civil War Desk Reference   Simon and Schuster: A Grand Central Press Book: 2002.

CCWRT Comment:          AThe reader can quickly develop a mental outline of the broad subjects related to the war by referring to the Table of Contents.  The major headings are Civil War Timeline, Antebellum America, Wartime Politics, Battles and Battlefields, The Armies, Weaponry, The War on the Water, Prisons and POWs, Medical Care and Medicine, The Home Front, Reconstruction and the Aftermath of the war; the CW in Literature and Arts, Studying the War; Research and Publication. [From Dan Reigle]

Catton, Bruce (Narrative)             American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War. Narrative by Bruce Catton. [www.bookfinder.comB Published in various editions from $2.95 to $15.] Approximately 630 pages, 836 pictures. A Atrue@ look at the war with photographs by Matthew Brady, sketches by Winslow Homer, etc.

CCWRT Comment:          Amongst the most respected historians living today, this book is by far their most recommended work for new students of the Civil War, young or old. I cannot say enough about the perfect mix of simplicity, attractiveness, and Civil War scholarship that this book offers. Once a person starts reading it, you can't seem to stop; the pictures and the Greenspan battle maps alone make you want to go to a battlefield! [From David Mowery]

Robertson, James I. Jr                      The Concise Illustrated History of the Civil War. National Historical Society. Variously published from 1961. [www.bookfinder.comfrom $1.95 to $42 - depending on condition]. 128 pages including index.

CCWRT Comments:        This general-purpose guide to the Civil War has been offered by the National Park Service since the 60's, and has been reprinted several times since then. The reason why is clear: great illustrations, simple text, rich in facts, unbiased, and very scholarly. Dr. James Robertson, as you know, ranks amongst the top Civil War historians that ever lived, along with Bruce Catton [From David Mowery - who commented that these works attracted him to his calling as a Civil War historian, and hoped that they would do the same, even for the casual Civil War (student).]

Hagedorn, Ann.                                 Beyond the River: The untold story of the heroes of the Underground Railroad.  2002. Republished in 2004 in soft cover Simon & Schuster. [Used copies fromwww.bookfinder.comfrom $6-15 + shipping] {From John Rickert]

Sharra, Michael                                 The Killer Angels, In paperback - Ballantine Books, 1975   [Used copies fromwww.bookfinder.comfrom 754 to $2 + shipping] [From John Rickert, who said that this was required reading in his Army Officer Basic Course].

Johnson, Paul.                                    A History of the American People. Harper Collins, 1999.

CCWRT Comments:        The author is a Brit, and from that distance, he discussed the issues leading up to the American Civil War, the Lincoln Douglas Debates, what followed Lincoln=s election, the War and major battles, the aftermath of Lincoln=s death, and the Reconstruction, and clearly delineates the unfinished issues. Part IV covers the pre-war, war and reconstruction in about 100 pages, and is one of the more insightful analyses I=ve read.  You will probably find the entire book of use. (John Steiner)

Osprey Essential Histories Series:  Each volume is 95 pages, including bibliography and index.  All have a chronology of that time period, with color maps and many photographs.  Hard bound.  Botley, Oxford, Great Britain:  Osprey Publishing Limited, 2001.  I found these recently at Half Price Books, $4.98 per volume.  (Dan Reigle.)

Engle, Stephen D.  The American Civil War:  The War in the West, 1861-July 1863.

Gallagher, Gary W.  The American Civil War:  The War in the East, 1861-May 1863.

Glatthar, Joseph T.  The American Civil War:  The War in the West, 1863-1865.

Krick, Robert K.  The American Civil War:  The War in the East, 1863- 1865. 

For the ultimate in Acondensed history@, try the History Sparknotes Series:

The Civil War: 1850-1865.  New York: Sparks Educational Publishing, 2005.

Reconstruction: 1865-1877.  New York: Sparks Educational Publishing, 2005.

These are very brief summaries, about 40 pages in length, but contain helpful descriptions of key people and terms, a summary of events, and a synopsis of events.  This series is available at Barnes & Noble, $4.98 per volume, with volumes on several other topics in history. (Dan Reigle)