Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: The Civil War : The complete text of the bestselling narrative history of the Civil War--basedon the celebrated PBS television series by Kenneth Burns, RICHARD BURNS, Geoffrey C. Ward ISBN: 0-679-75543-8 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 06 September, 1994 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.45 (22 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: "The Universe of Battle"
Comment: The Civil War, written by Ken Burns, Ric Burns and historian Geoffrey C. Ward, is the companion volume to the outstanding 1990 documentary series from the Public Broadcasting System. Lavishly illustrated with paintings, photographs and maps, this book tells the dramatic and tragic story of America's bloodiest conflict.
Like the television series from which this project was derived, its narrative is both informative and awe-inspiring. Its prose is lovingly crafted, and one can almost hear the voice of historian-writer David McCullough, who narrated the TV episodes, when reading from any of its five chapters.
"By the summer of 1861, Wilmer McLean had had enough," write the authors in the introduction, The Crossroads of Our Being. "Two great armies were converging on his farm, and what would be the first major battle of the Civil War -- Bull Run, or Manassas as the Confederates called it -- would soon rage across the aging Virginian's farm, a Union shell going so far as to tear through his summer kitchen. Now McLean moved his family away from Manassas, far south and west of Richmond -- out of harm's way, he prayed -- to a dusty crossroads town called Appomatox Court House. And it was there in his living room three and a half years later that Lee surrendered to Grant, and Wilmer McLean could rightfully say, 'The war began in my front yard and ended in my front parlor.' "
Although the hardcover edition is a coffee table sized volume, it is not a terribly long or exhaustive work. There are only five chapters, each one dedicated to a year of the war and followed by an essay by an eminent historian. My personal favorite is the essay "Men at War" by Shelby Foote, whose award winning three volume history of the Civil War is considered by many to be among the best on the subject. More interview than essay, "Men at War" attempts to explain why Civil War battles were so bloody; "It was brutal stuff," Foote explains, "and the reason for the high casualties is really quite simple: the weapons were way ahead of the tactics." Foote also discusses the primitive medical techniques of the time, and has this to say about Lee at Gettysburg: "Gettysburg was the price the South paid for having Lee." On the issue of who won the war, Foote says, "I can tell you who lost it -- the South lost the war. But I'm not sure anybody won that war. It's a tragedy."
Other essay writers include Barbara J. Fields, James M. McPherson, Don E. Fehrenbacher and C. Vann Woodward.
The Civil War follows the structure of Ken Burns' documentary, and most of the individuals portrayed in the PBS series (ranging from Presidents Lincoln and Davis to Union soldier Elisha Hunt Rhodes -- who rose from private to colonel during the war -- and Confederate soldier-turned-author Sam Watkins) are wonderfully described in the text.
While definitely not a substitute for the film on which it's based, The Civil War is a fine book and a good one-volume introduction to the worst internal crisis the American people ever faced.
Rating: 5
Summary: Civil War as an illustrated history...
Comment: An outstanding book...you get all the emotion and history of the war without even watching the movie. Most accounts of the war that I've read do not approach this level of personal touch (Bruce Catton being a notable exception) and this weaving of everyday life with the battle details makes for an exceptional perspective. I especially enjoyed the integration of photos with Ward's outstanding writing style and the digressions into cultural issues (slavery, politics...)which really gives the reader an intimate "feel" of what the times and the war were all about. The war in the West is given equal billing to the more celebrated Virginia account and Ward proves that the Union momentum sprang largly from these battles. Lastly, I've never seen better maps of all the battles...these really made each confrontation stand out and gave me a better "picture" of "who went where". I bought this book thinking I'd get a summary of the movie and a brief overview of the war...I now think that this belongs on any Civil War library shelf. Highly recommended!
Rating: 5
Summary: Monumental work
Comment: This volume is absolutely fantastic. And I mean everything: pictures, diagrams, maps, selected excerpts, citations, documentary, and of course description of war times, politics, people and battles. I have improved dramatically my knowledge about the Civil War; it's immeasurable size, cruelty and influence on American future. Reading left me simply shocked, full of thoughts about tragedies of soldiers and civilians being simply unlucky by living during these times. I truly recommend this masterpiece to everyone interested in this history.
 |
Title:Baseball - A Film by Ken Burns ASIN: 0780630459 Publisher: PBS Home Video Pub. Date: 17 October, 2000 List Price(USD): $179.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $161.98 |
 |
Title: Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson ISBN: 0345359429 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 21 January, 1989 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
 |
Title:The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns ASIN: B000068UY9 Publisher: PBS Home Video Pub. Date: 17 September, 2002 List Price(USD): $129.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $110.48 |
 |
Title: A Stillness at Appomattox : The Army of the Potomac Trilogy by Bruce Catton ISBN: 0385044518 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 01 October, 1953 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
 |
Title: Civil War Volume 1-3 Box Set by Shelby Foote ISBN: 0394749138 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 12 November, 1986 List Price(USD): $75.00 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
