The American Civil War discussion
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Favorite writer
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Lia
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Sep 01, 2014 01:24AM
That's a tough one but James McPherson is a favorite.
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I don't think I could narrow it down to just one! John Michael Priest and Stephen Sears' are but just two of my long list of favourites :)
I have a new favorite: James I. Robertson, Jr. Reading his biography of General Jackson and really like his writing style. Will be adding some of his other books to my want to read lists.
Lia wrote: "That's a tough one but James McPherson is a favorite."Yes!!! McPherson is very, very good.
Stephen Sears is exemplary. I loved "Landscape Turned Red" and hear "Gettysburg" is even better. I liked his book "Controversies and Commanders". I like Noah Andre Trudeau and OF COURSE General G. Moxley Sorrel!!
Bruce Catton, Albert Castel, Sears, absolutely!, Steven Woodworth, Gary Gallagher (although I prefer his lectures to his writings...) and did I mention Bruce Catton????
Peter Cozzens and Harry Pfanz are two more.
I'd have to put Sears at the top of my list. And add a shout out to Jeffrey Shaara. Even though his books are considered historical fiction (???), One can learn about battles (excellent maps in his books) and the men who fought them. I enjoy reading his books concurrently with history books on the same topics. Really brings history to life.
I wish Micael Shaara had lived to complete the trilogy.
I think the two writers who were my favorites when I first became interested in the Civil War were Douglas Southall Freeman and Bruce Catton. I think that Edwin Coddington's The Gettysburg Campaign may be the best single campaign study although Albert Castel's study of the Atlanta campaign and Joseph Harsh's study of the Antietam campaign are in my opinion very strong contenders for the title. James McPherson, Gordon C. Rhea, Stephen Sears, Peter Cozzens, Ethan Rafuse, Carol Reardon, Joseph Glathaar, Mark Bradley, and Stephen Woodworth are among the authors who also rate high plaudits. I try to read everything they write. This is a long list, but I have probably left off some names that I really should have included. I cannot think of any other period of American history that has attracted as many first-rate scholars
To hear Shelby Foote's voice in videos or old interviews changes the reading experience. I hear his voice when I'm reading his words. It's a complex tragedy told in simple beauty.
"The Stars in their Courses" unfolds like a song.
