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Bruce Catton's America: Selections from his Greatest Works
Contains excerpts from the noted historian's most celebrated works, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning A Stillness at Appomattox, showing his unique perspective and versatility with subjects as diverse as John McGraw and the Civil War.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1979
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157 people want to read
About the author
Bruce Catton
380 books323 followersBruce Catton was a distinguished American historian and journalist, best known for his influential writings on the American Civil War. Renowned for his narrative style, Catton brought history to life through richly drawn characters, vivid battlefield descriptions, and a deep understanding of the political and emotional forces that shaped the era. His accessible yet meticulously researched books made him one of the most popular historians of the twentieth century.
Born in Petoskey, Michigan, and raised in the small town of Benzonia, Catton grew up surrounded by Civil War veterans whose personal stories sparked a lifelong fascination with the conflict. Though he briefly attended Oberlin College, Catton left during World War I and served in the U.S. Navy. He later began a career in journalism, working as a reporter, editor, and Washington correspondent. His experience in government service during World War II inspired his first book, The War Lords of Washington (1948).
Catton achieved national acclaim with his Army of the Potomac trilogy—Mr. Lincoln’s Army (1951), Glory Road (1952), and A Stillness at Appomattox (1953)—the last of which earned him the Pulitzer Prize for History and the National Book Award. He went on to publish a second trilogy, The Centennial History of the Civil War, and contributed two volumes to a biography of Ulysses S. Grant, begun by Lloyd Lewis. His other notable works include This Hallowed Ground, The American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War, and Waiting for the Morning Train, a memoir of his Michigan boyhood.
In 1954, Catton became the founding editor of American Heritage magazine, further shaping the public’s understanding of U.S. history. In 1977, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Catton’s legacy endures through his vivid portrayals of America’s most defining conflict and his enduring influence on historical writing.
Born in Petoskey, Michigan, and raised in the small town of Benzonia, Catton grew up surrounded by Civil War veterans whose personal stories sparked a lifelong fascination with the conflict. Though he briefly attended Oberlin College, Catton left during World War I and served in the U.S. Navy. He later began a career in journalism, working as a reporter, editor, and Washington correspondent. His experience in government service during World War II inspired his first book, The War Lords of Washington (1948).
Catton achieved national acclaim with his Army of the Potomac trilogy—Mr. Lincoln’s Army (1951), Glory Road (1952), and A Stillness at Appomattox (1953)—the last of which earned him the Pulitzer Prize for History and the National Book Award. He went on to publish a second trilogy, The Centennial History of the Civil War, and contributed two volumes to a biography of Ulysses S. Grant, begun by Lloyd Lewis. His other notable works include This Hallowed Ground, The American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War, and Waiting for the Morning Train, a memoir of his Michigan boyhood.
In 1954, Catton became the founding editor of American Heritage magazine, further shaping the public’s understanding of U.S. history. In 1977, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Catton’s legacy endures through his vivid portrayals of America’s most defining conflict and his enduring influence on historical writing.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 14, 2018
This is a masterful work by a historian who actually knew Civil War vets as a boy and loved their stories. It is as well written as any history I've read. One senses the read is almost like being there.
It is a wonderful book that no history buff should miss. Bruce Catton has the rare talent of making history come alive with his words.
H. Robert Rubin, memoirist, essayist and author of the e-memoir on amazon, Look Backward Angel.
It is a wonderful book that no history buff should miss. Bruce Catton has the rare talent of making history come alive with his words.
H. Robert Rubin, memoirist, essayist and author of the e-memoir on amazon, Look Backward Angel.
April 10, 2020
The book provides excerpts from several of Catton's books, articles, and other writings. Most of the excerpts are from his American Civil War writings. A few profile his early life in Michigan, concerns about the future, and the enticement of watching and playing baseball.
March 16, 2025
Bruce Catton was a fine prose stylist, and this compilation includes some excellent examples of his perceptive historical writing—most, not surprisingly, taken from his many volumes on the Civil War. The problem is that reading a host of out-of-context snippets reminds me of those recorded music compilations of the past that had titles like 100 Great Themes from Classical Music on 2, 70-minute disks.
July 6, 2017
Return. To my early 14th year. ,
Bruce Catton. Wasrevered by a young 9th grader _I just read Mr Bruce Carton 's. This Hollowed. Ground We toured Getteysburg. with National P a to Ranger rock Dr the Civil waR b a battlefield DRH feels BruceCatton. Civiil War historical. Novels the best. Truly. DRH.
Bruce Catton. Wasrevered by a young 9th grader _I just read Mr Bruce Carton 's. This Hollowed. Ground We toured Getteysburg. with National P a to Ranger rock Dr the Civil waR b a battlefield DRH feels BruceCatton. Civiil War historical. Novels the best. Truly. DRH.
April 24, 2018
A wonderful collection of works by the historian who first got me interested in the Civil War many years ago with his remarkable prose and ability to make the past come alive. Highly recommended especially to those who have never read any of this author's work.
May 15, 2017
Wonderfully clear descriptions of Civil War moments and great selection on Americas baseball history.
June 12, 2017
Excellent Read
Like everything I've read by Bruce Catton. It wasn't what I expected. It's. A book of shorts an excerpts from other books. I enjoyed it very much,
Like everything I've read by Bruce Catton. It wasn't what I expected. It's. A book of shorts an excerpts from other books. I enjoyed it very much,
May 13, 2018
I Enjoyed the trips (Snippets) of USA Civil War history. I will go back in time again and read one of Catton's novels.
June 17, 2018
Bruce Catton was simply a wonderful writer, no matter what the topic. This collection of excerpts from some of his books illustrates that well.
May 17, 2018
Selected excerpts from writings by Bruce Catton, with emphasis on his history of the American Civil War. Outstanding in this are the glimpses readers get of Mr Catton's careful research, his love and respect for all people, and his beautiful writing style.
May 4, 2018
New light
Most of my reading, if not all from Bruce Catton has centered on the Civil War. Reading this particular book, has deepen my appreciation of an excellent author. To coin a phrase as Mr.Catton boards the train, " Well done, good and faithful servant".
Most of my reading, if not all from Bruce Catton has centered on the Civil War. Reading this particular book, has deepen my appreciation of an excellent author. To coin a phrase as Mr.Catton boards the train, " Well done, good and faithful servant".
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August 25, 2013This is purely a celebration of this famous Civil War historian's finest writings; focusing on selections from his great works. Unfortunately Catton is much forgotten today, but he remains a giant in research and writing about this great conflict.
April 29, 2017
If you’ve never read anything written by Bruce Catton, you couldn’t do better than beginning with this book. Mr. Catton doesn’t simply rehash history, he brings it to life in a way that makes you feel like you are there, deftly inserted into the action.
This book is a collection of items previously authored by Mr. Catton. Editor Oliver Jensen explains in the Introduction that he wanted to present examples of Bruce Catton’s best work without feeling that he had to include any of the “…chapters, articles, or speeches in their entirety.” Much of the book covers the Civil War (Catton’s expertise), but one would be remiss to skip Chapter 1 – Morning Train, which is a brief history of Mr. Catton’s early life, and written by the author. It is a wonderful remembrance of his youth, ending with an appropriate section concerning the Civil War veterans he had known in his home town. You will be rewarded with portents of his writing style, such as this entry describing America moving into the 20th century:
“On the eve of this terrible century of mass slaughter and wholesale collapse, of concentration camps and bombing raids, of cities gone to ruin and race relations grown desperate and poisonous, of the general collapse of all accepted values and the unendurable tension of the age of nuclear fission – on the eve of all of this, it was possible, even inevitable, for many people to be optimistic. The world was about to take off its mask, and our worst nightmares did not warn us what we were going to see.”
It is this same skilled description that escorts us through the Civil War, where we meet heroes and villains, generals and politicians. Mr. Jensen briefly introduces each chapter before allowing the author to introduce us to the many different (and interesting) stories of this war between the states. It would be impossible for any reader not to gain a deeper insight into the reasons for this war, as well as learn more about the personalities of the leading as well as the bit players. There are countless anecdotes relating incidents about household names (Grant, Lincoln, etc.) as well as nameless men who, for different reasons, grabbed their guns and marched off to fight. At times the book reads like an exciting novel, and it almost feels disappointing when a chapter comes to an end.
The book concludes with an excerpt from Mr. Catton’s book, “Waiting for the Night Train,” which focuses on his memories of his father’s last few years. It provides a fitting ending to a memorable book. Five stars.
This book is a collection of items previously authored by Mr. Catton. Editor Oliver Jensen explains in the Introduction that he wanted to present examples of Bruce Catton’s best work without feeling that he had to include any of the “…chapters, articles, or speeches in their entirety.” Much of the book covers the Civil War (Catton’s expertise), but one would be remiss to skip Chapter 1 – Morning Train, which is a brief history of Mr. Catton’s early life, and written by the author. It is a wonderful remembrance of his youth, ending with an appropriate section concerning the Civil War veterans he had known in his home town. You will be rewarded with portents of his writing style, such as this entry describing America moving into the 20th century:
“On the eve of this terrible century of mass slaughter and wholesale collapse, of concentration camps and bombing raids, of cities gone to ruin and race relations grown desperate and poisonous, of the general collapse of all accepted values and the unendurable tension of the age of nuclear fission – on the eve of all of this, it was possible, even inevitable, for many people to be optimistic. The world was about to take off its mask, and our worst nightmares did not warn us what we were going to see.”
It is this same skilled description that escorts us through the Civil War, where we meet heroes and villains, generals and politicians. Mr. Jensen briefly introduces each chapter before allowing the author to introduce us to the many different (and interesting) stories of this war between the states. It would be impossible for any reader not to gain a deeper insight into the reasons for this war, as well as learn more about the personalities of the leading as well as the bit players. There are countless anecdotes relating incidents about household names (Grant, Lincoln, etc.) as well as nameless men who, for different reasons, grabbed their guns and marched off to fight. At times the book reads like an exciting novel, and it almost feels disappointing when a chapter comes to an end.
The book concludes with an excerpt from Mr. Catton’s book, “Waiting for the Night Train,” which focuses on his memories of his father’s last few years. It provides a fitting ending to a memorable book. Five stars.
April 30, 2017
I have read Bruce Catton’s trilogy on the Army of the Potomac twice and I may just read it again. I think that only Stephen W. Sears can approach Catton’s ability to entertain and captivate on the subject of the Civil War. I own this book and I have read it twice as well. Everything he writes I find myself revisiting. Chapter 1 - The Morning Train - beckons us to our past. While reading this story I almost felt like I could reach out and touch the past. The Civil War was not that long ago.
September 18, 2017
I've set this one aside in favor of another: West of the Revolution: An Uncommon History of 1776.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews