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TormundIceBreaker t1_jdabp6b wrote

I posted this on r/suggestmeabook but figured I may get a better response here. Copying my post below:

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Looking for a non-fiction book (or a series) that covers the American Civil War, primarily covering the military campaigns of the North & South.

I have recently read When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler by Jonathan House and David Glantz*, The First World War* by John Keegan, and The Franco-Prussian War by Geoffrey Wawro (I recommend all of them to those who are interested). All of these books were well researched, densely packed with facts, but still did a good job of going over the major campaigns without getting bogged down in minutia.

I know a lot about the major battles of the American Civil War and the general ebb and flow of the conflict, but want to read a more exhaustive overview that covers everything from Bull Run to Appomattox.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

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No-Strength-6805 t1_jdebm7o wrote

The Longest Night:A Military History of the Civil War by David Eicher ,Forward and Introduction by James Macpherson

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elmonoenano t1_jdbbxc0 wrote

I'd probably start with Battle Cry Freedom by James McPherson.

It covers the whole war. It's really well written so it carries you along and is as enjoyable as such a topic can be. It covers the major events without being overwhelming and is a good book for getting a big picture view of the different campaigns. There are about a million copies floating around so finding it at the library or used won't be difficult. And even though it's somewhat dated, it was much better about avoiding Lost Cause stuff than Foote.

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