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Ten Favorite Civil War Books
In honor of the Sesquicentennial of the surrender at
Appomattox Courthouse, here are some favorites of mine, about, and set, during
the Civil War. Pictured above is my hardcover collection of the North and South
trilogy, and a 1967 hardcover copy of Gone
with the Wind.
A
BLUE AND GRAY CHRISTMAS by Lauralee Bliss, Vickie
McDonough, Tamela Hancock Murray and Carrie Turansky: This book is actually
four novellas in one anthology. The characters are both Union and Confederates
who are forced to deal with each other in strenuous circumstances. I liked that
the hero’s weren’t all soldiers for one side or the other, and most of the
characters didn’t have stereo-typical view points.
GIDEON’S
CALL
by Peter Leavell: Winner of the 2012 Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers guild
Operation First Novel. Chronicles the events of Gideon’s Band, a program created
to help train and educate former slaves. Historical accurate, emotionally
intense, a delightful read. I especially loved the character Tad, a former
slave child filled with abundance of gumption and spunk.
GONE
WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell: A wonderful
sweeping drama set during the war the romantic narrative draws in the reader
in. Much as I love the romance between Rhett and Scarlett, I didn’t like that
it glossed over the inhumanity of slavery and portrayed the Yankee’s as a mass
of heathens. Still, the book is very descriptive, and brimming with
emotion.
GREAT
GAMBLES OF THE CIVIL WAR by Phillip Katcher: A great
non-fiction book that gives accurate historical details and looks at famous
battles from both sides. I was surprised at how much thought Sherman put into
planning his infamous March to the Sea. It was interesting to read about lesser
known skirmishes such as the Battle of Port Gibson which took place right
before the siege at Vicksburg. What this book lacks in romance, it makes up for
with a plethora of statistics and detailed maps of battles and towns.
THE
KILLER ANGELS by Micheal Sharra: This is part of a
three book series with parts one and three written by Michael Shaara’s son
Jeff. The book gives a realistic look at the Battle of Gettysburg. Told from a
soldier’s point of view, it describes the day to day routines of those living
in an army camp. Although this book isn’t dripping with romance, there are
still plenty dramatic story lines and characters.
LITTLE
WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott: This book is about the four
March sisters and their mother, whom they call Marme. The March sister’s father
is away fighting in the Civil War. It gives an accurate account of how the war
became part of the everyday lives of women of the North and how hard it was for
the families left behind. A classic I read as a young teenager and reread many
times since.
SAVANNAH, A GIFT FOR MR. LINCOLN by John Jakes: I
loved this book, historically accurate it details the lives of Savannah’s
common residents and how they coped with the invasion of Sherman’s Army. It
didn’t paint the all Yankee’s in such dreadful light which I think is accurate.
ROOTS by Alex Haley: Another wonderful sweeping
drama with characters that come alive on the pages. Told from the point of view
of the slaves, and drawn from Haley’s family history this book makes the reader
care for the characters. Rich with emotion and poignancy, this book is an
inspiration to read. I was a teenager when I first picked up this book that
inspired a television mini-series, and I was captivated.
THE NORTH AND SOUTH TRILOGY by John Jakes: The three
books in this series are NORTH AND SOUTH, set during the antebellum era, LOVE
AND WAR, which takes place during the war itself, and HEAVEN AND HELL set
during Reconstruction.
I love the characters. The Main’s are rice
plantation owners from South Carolina and the Hazzard family owns an iron foundry
in Pennsylvania. Beginning with Orry and George’s friendship, this book paints
a vivid narrative of the families as they become friends, and eventually fall
in love and marry. Not to say everyone gets along well, especially during the
four years of the war. There are moments of great tension and strife, even
amongst Orry and George, but they find a way to stay connected and remain close
until the last page in turned and the reader is reaching for the tissue box.
The historical accuracy is so great I learned more
than just 1800’s vocabulary and ways of life. I learned what motivated those
who fought and died in the war, about the thoughts and attitudes of those who
lived at that time. The books so captivated me, I paid a good sum of money for
the DVD set. This series comes highly recommended by me to anyone who has a
hunger for knowledge about the Civil War.
WALKING TO COLD MOUNTAIN by Carl
Zebrowski: Inspired by the novel, Cold Mountain this non-fiction coffee table
book takes a close look at real people who lived during the Civil War. Filled
with pictures of actual photographs, maps, and interesting quotes of those
famous in that day and age, this book is a great resource for those wanting to
learn more about everyday life in the early 1860’s.
I’ve also included a list of Civil War books I
really want to read, but haven’t had the chance yet: ASHES IN THE WIND by
Kathleen Woodiwiss, NO GREATER GLORY by Cindy Nord, and THE CIVIL WAR, A
NARRATIVE written by famous historian, Shelby Foote.
