I have just bought yesterday the 3rd volume of Catton's trilogy and am now looking for the other two volumes. I'm a Brut, but American history effected the rest if the world. The Civil War technology foreshadowed our Boer War and the World Wars, so important, not just in the US, but everywhere. It's long since I decided to take more interest in US history, but your chat on the Civil War abd your presidents has enthused me. Thanks Steve for a great starter kit.

I loved anything done by Bruce Catton, My favorite is the Coming Fury, Loved Shelby Foote three volume set and Battle of Shilo. Son many more good ones out there.

I've never read any book that was just about the American Civil War so I found this very useful! I used to read a lot of history books when I was a young teenager, but they were almost exclusively about Danish history. I've been wanting to really get back into history again and these starter kits are just the thing! It's a daunting subject to tackle without a bit of guidance.

I did purchase "The Killer Angels" the first time you recommended it here, and so glad I did! This was video was great Steve, thank you.

I really appreciate your re-establishing the pre-eminence of Bruce Catton ! About 12 years ago I purchased a copy of "This Hallowed Ground " at a garage sale , while on my way to provide some fielding practice for my son while in a "Little League" team . It cost $.50 , and I made the mistake of convincing the neighbor not to sell "The Coming Fury " ( how I regret that now ! ) . I had read both around 1981/2 . I recently read "landscape Turned Red" and approve that choice as well ! How did you like Wiley Sword's " Shiloh: Bloody April" , by the way ? Peter Cozzens' " Shenandoah 1862 " is the most remarkable reassessment of any campaign or battle I have ever read , of any war . Thanks again for a highly enjoyable discussion !

Thank you, Steve, for a most helpful list of books. I have been reading about the Civil War since I was a kid in grade school. I probably read every book my school and public library had on the subject. But, as I surveyed my military history library, I realized I do not own a general history of the Civil War. I will check out your recommendations. I am currently re-reading R. L. Dabney's Life and Campaigns of Stonewall Jackson. It starts out as too much a hagiography, but my recollection is, no one has written a better account of individual battles than Dabney. Of course, the key is maps! A book on battles without maps is pretty much useless IMHO.

Loved the video. I was thrilled to find the Carl Sandburg book a few weeks ago.

This is right up my alley. Thank you.

Just thought you might want to know Amazon has The Coming Fury, Terrible Swift Sword ,and Never Call Retreat by Bruce Cotton as kindle books .

This is great. Some of my favorite reads over the past few years have been Civil War historical fiction, but I have wanted to read more non-fiction. Thanks for the recommendations.

This Hallowed Ground is beautiful! I can't say enough good things about the prose. Thank you for the recommendation

The best Civil War book I read was"The Passing of the Armies" by General Chamberlain

Thanks for the great list

Steve, I live in Australia & have a large collection of American Civil War books - at least 500 - including most of Catton's works - 3-vol History of the Army of the Potomac; 3-vol. Centennial History; and several single-vol. books including the huge American Heritage illustrated history, which was the very first Civil War book I bought. I have Douglas Southall-Freeman's 3-vol. Lee's Lieutenants & his multi-vol. biography of R.E. Lee (and also his multi-vol. bio of Washington). I find Stephen Sears' books to be the most interesting/readable of current CW authors. Have you got Mark Adkins huge book on Gettysburg ? I'm currently reading Pfanz's 3-vol work on Gettysburg.

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll have to go with Catton.

Steve, thank you so much or this! And thanks for putting up with my badgering you for months; my apologies and my thanks!! Such a great list

@saintdonoghue

7 жыл бұрын

You're free to badger me anytime you like!

A MUST READ: Passing of Armies by Joshua L. Chambelain

I really enjoyed the book “The story of a common soldier of army life in the Civil War” by Leander Stillwell

This must have been very difficult to narrow down. But you did a wonderful job! Thanks for all the great book advice you give us all the time!

@saintdonoghue

7 жыл бұрын

It was MOIDER to narrow down! I've read at least 100 military studies of the Battle of Gettysburg alone! And I hated leaving out "Battle Cry of Freedom" and about 200 other great 'Starter Kit'-friendly books! But I suspect I'll be making Civil War follow-up videos, so ...

@throughtheenchantedportal6617

7 жыл бұрын

I bet! Follow up American Civil War videos will be appreciated I'm sure.

I'm going to my library's used book store today and hoping to find a few of these. I know I've seen Bruce Catton on the shelves there before. Please do a video like this for other time periods in History. 😀

@Framer_Mike

6 жыл бұрын

Kathleen Ann im finding that u can get alot of good books on ebay.. ive been paying an average of about 4.00 free shipping.. for the likes of rebel yell, grants memoirs, harpers ferry, killing lincoln etc etc.. check it out. :)

The most important battle of the Civil War was Vicksburg because it split the Confederacy in two, gave complete control of the Mississippi to the Union and closed off the south's access to supplies smuggled through Mexico. If it wasn't for Vicksburg the south had the potential to recover from its defeat at Gettysburg. You can see why at about 1min and 45 secs in this video kzread.info/dash/bejne/Y5mHycumipute7Q.html

I've a recommendation in a category not covered here: US Civil War photography. I own the six-volume "The Image of War: 1861-1865", a project of the National Historical Society, published between 1981 and 84. These are large format hardbacks, crammed with photos, many of them newly rediscovered at the time. Well organized, with descriptive text. I bought mine as they were released. Was afraid acquiring them now might prove prohibitively expensive. A quick visit to Amazon disproves that, advertising the entire set used between $60 and $80-plus (as of early April 2020). One can, of course, dig up many of these images online nowadays, but it's nice to have them readily available in physical form. An excellent supplement to any well-rounded US Civil War library, in my opinion.

Great i would suggest actually showing the books. Thank u

Im reading Carton's book Never Call Retreat, his writing style is very different from the other books I've read...he lays out the military and political views. Killer Angels was also a great read.

Yes please do a video on Civil War fiction!

Have you read Lincoln's Melancholy about his depression and which affected him from almost the time his mother died as a child? It was fascinating to read.

Wow so many books there

Nice video. What do you think about Freeman's work on Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia?

Steve, a video on Civil War fiction for us!

The Killer Angels is on my list but I could not get the name of the non fiction author of Gettysburg. And YES Civil War fiction would be fascinating!! Also would you consider doing a Holocaust starter kit with fiction and non fiction?

@ReadingwithPugs

7 жыл бұрын

Steve Donoghue oh do your best and stop complaining Donoghue!! You remember everything about everything you've ever read.... you could manage it.

@LizSchubert

7 жыл бұрын

Jen, think he said Allen Guelzo www.goodreads.com/book/show/16071719

@ReadingwithPugs

7 жыл бұрын

Liz Schubert thank you! At least SOMEONE answered my question! After all he promises to put all the info in the description and NEVER does.... it's so fun annoying Steve

Do you still got some books I would like to buy some from you

Yes, Please do the civil war fiction.

Btw...it's nice to hear someone who suggest a bio on Lee, most today want to demonize the man simply because he fought for the south

Steve, can you do an Islamic starter kit.

Why are you critical of Lincoln?

@albertoacosta6788

2 жыл бұрын

Who was in Paris?