First rate account of America's civil war, 30 Mar 2005
If you want to know about the civil war,how it came about? where,when and what happened? who the key player's were?Then this is the book for you!I wanted a book that was informative, yet written in an easily absorbing way.It is vivid without being boring,the only downside is that you find it very hard to put down!

An good synthesis with interesting side articles, 30 Mar 2004
I read this volume aside "Battle cry of Freedom" from James McPherson, and although it is not as complete, it is quicker to read and contains the essential military developments of the civil war. What I really appreciate, though, are the quality of the illustrations (although some of the maps could have been better and more precise), but even more, the chapters aside the main events, focusing on specific portraits of civilians and soldiers living during this war. If I were to read this book again, I would read it before "Battle cry of Freedom", as a preliminary to understand it even better. Overall, I think this Osprey collection (Essential Histories) is excellent to awake (or not) your interest on a particular war or campaign and give you an incentive to do more research on a particular subject if you like the corresponding Osprey book, providing you a short but accurate bibliography for further reading, which is always useful for the amateur historian.

First rate account of America's civil war, 30 Mar 2005
If you want to know about the civil war,how it came about? where,when and what happened? who the key player's were?Then this is the book for you!I wanted a book that was informative, yet written in an easily absorbing way.It is vivid without being boring,the only downside is that you find it very hard to put down!

An good synthesis with interesting side articles, 30 Mar 2004
I read this volume aside "Battle cry of Freedom" from James McPherson, and although it is not as complete, it is quicker to read and contains the essential military developments of the civil war. What I really appreciate, though, are the quality of the illustrations (although some of the maps could have been better and more precise), but even more, the chapters aside the main events, focusing on specific portraits of civilians and soldiers living during this war. If I were to read this book again, I would read it before "Battle cry of Freedom", as a preliminary to understand it even better. Overall, I think this Osprey collection (Essential Histories) is excellent to awake (or not) your interest on a particular war or campaign and give you an incentive to do more research on a particular subject if you like the corresponding Osprey book, providing you a short but accurate bibliography for further reading, which is always useful for the amateur historian.

Eloquent and Cheap - A Compelling Combination, 05 Jan 2004
There is little doubt that Abraham lincoln was quite an orator. In this volume, you'll find a selection of his best speeches, which of course includes the Gettysburg Address. They're a pleasure to read.

And if that is't enough to sell it to you, then the price should. Perfect if you're about 50p off qualifying for cheaper shipping.

First rate account of America's civil war, 30 Mar 2005
If you want to know about the civil war,how it came about? where,when and what happened? who the key player's were?Then this is the book for you!I wanted a book that was informative, yet written in an easily absorbing way.It is vivid without being boring,the only downside is that you find it very hard to put down!

An good synthesis with interesting side articles, 30 Mar 2004
I read this volume aside "Battle cry of Freedom" from James McPherson, and although it is not as complete, it is quicker to read and contains the essential military developments of the civil war. What I really appreciate, though, are the quality of the illustrations (although some of the maps could have been better and more precise), but even more, the chapters aside the main events, focusing on specific portraits of civilians and soldiers living during this war. If I were to read this book again, I would read it before "Battle cry of Freedom", as a preliminary to understand it even better. Overall, I think this Osprey collection (Essential Histories) is excellent to awake (or not) your interest on a particular war or campaign and give you an incentive to do more research on a particular subject if you like the corresponding Osprey book, providing you a short but accurate bibliography for further reading, which is always useful for the amateur historian.

Eloquent and Cheap - A Compelling Combination, 05 Jan 2004
There is little doubt that Abraham lincoln was quite an orator. In this volume, you'll find a selection of his best speeches, which of course includes the Gettysburg Address. They're a pleasure to read.

And if that is't enough to sell it to you, then the price should. Perfect if you're about 50p off qualifying for cheaper shipping.

Gorgeously illustrated, with some annoying flaws, 01 Jul 2008
James McPherson didn't write the 'Atlas of the Civil War'. He did, however, write introductory essays to each year of the war, as well as prologues and epilogues. They're fantastic: well-written and -argued, with lavish full-page pictures, and although there's too little reflection on certain issues (e.g. the (il)legality of secession), that's simply not the point. The rest of the atlas is also gorgeously illustrated, with highly detailed maps and well-chosen quotes. The accompanying articles, however, are inferior, especially typographically. There seems, for instance, to be no agreement as to whether a word split should be hyphenated (Con-/federate or Con/federate), and typograhpical errors also occur frequently. Apart from these minor issues, the entire atlas is great. I wish there was a little more on the civilian population and politics, but it is a work of military history, so that isn't fair

First rate account of America's civil war, 30 Mar 2005
If you want to know about the civil war,how it came about? where,when and what happened? who the key player's were?Then this is the book for you!I wanted a book that was informative, yet written in an easily absorbing way.It is vivid without being boring,the only downside is that you find it very hard to put down!

An good synthesis with interesting side articles, 30 Mar 2004
I read this volume aside "Battle cry of Freedom" from James McPherson, and although it is not as complete, it is quicker to read and contains the essential military developments of the civil war. What I really appreciate, though, are the quality of the illustrations (although some of the maps could have been better and more precise), but even more, the chapters aside the main events, focusing on specific portraits of civilians and soldiers living during this war. If I were to read this book again, I would read it before "Battle cry of Freedom", as a preliminary to understand it even better. Overall, I think this Osprey collection (Essential Histories) is excellent to awake (or not) your interest on a particular war or campaign and give you an incentive to do more research on a particular subject if you like the corresponding Osprey book, providing you a short but accurate bibliography for further reading, which is always useful for the amateur historian.

Eloquent and Cheap - A Compelling Combination, 05 Jan 2004
There is little doubt that Abraham lincoln was quite an orator. In this volume, you'll find a selection of his best speeches, which of course includes the Gettysburg Address. They're a pleasure to read.

And if that is't enough to sell it to you, then the price should. Perfect if you're about 50p off qualifying for cheaper shipping.

Gorgeously illustrated, with some annoying flaws, 01 Jul 2008
James McPherson didn't write the 'Atlas of the Civil War'. He did, however, write introductory essays to each year of the war, as well as prologues and epilogues. They're fantastic: well-written and -argued, with lavish full-page pictures, and although there's too little reflection on certain issues (e.g. the (il)legality of secession), that's simply not the point. The rest of the atlas is also gorgeously illustrated, with highly detailed maps and well-chosen quotes. The accompanying articles, however, are inferior, especially typographically. There seems, for instance, to be no agreement as to whether a word split should be hyphenated (Con-/federate or Con/federate), and typograhpical errors also occur frequently. Apart from these minor issues, the entire atlas is great. I wish there was a little more on the civilian population and politics, but it is a work of military history, so that isn't fair

Monumental, 21 Mar 2006
On July 1, 1863, leading elements of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, operating in Pennsylvania, stumbled into elements of the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Gen. George G. Meade. Against the better judgment of both commanders, the armies were drawn into a full-fledged battle which raged for three days, and left some 51,000 men killed, wounded, captured or just plain missing. More importantly, unbeknownst at the time, the battle marked a turning point in the war, the Confederates had reached their high water mark and the future moved on toward inevitable defeat.

This monumental work is, in my opinion anyway, the absolutely best book to read on the Battle of Gettysburg. The author did a great job of covering the battle in depth, giving all of the information you will need, covering the officers and their activities leading up to the battle, giving information on the topography and all of the detail necessary to truly understand what happened during those days in July.

Now, at 623 pages, this is a hefty book to read, so this is not the book for you if you want a quick understanding of the battle. But, if you want a book that will give you a deep knowledge of the battle, then it is the book for you. Plus, I must say that this book is not dry or academic, but is a wonderfully fascinating read, keeping the narrative moving along in an interesting manner.

So, overall, I would say that this is a great book, probably the best one that has ever been written on the Battle of Gettysburg. I give it my highest recommendations!

Outstanding!, 03 Oct 2003
There's so much written about gettysburg that it's hard to think that someone could do it again and improve. But Stephen Sear's latest is well up to the standard of his previous best, especially "Landscape Turned Red" and "Chancellorsville". Which means that this is Civil War campaign writing at its very best. If you read no other book about Gettysburg, read this one. I read it stright through in one go - it really is that good.

First rate account of America's civil war, 30 Mar 2005
If you want to know about the civil war,how it came about? where,when and what happened? who the key player's were?Then this is the book for you!I wanted a book that was informative, yet written in an easily absorbing way.It is vivid without being boring,the only downside is that you find it very hard to put down!

An good synthesis with interesting side articles, 30 Mar 2004
I read this volume aside "Battle cry of Freedom" from James McPherson, and although it is not as complete, it is quicker to read and contains the essential military developments of the civil war. What I really appreciate, though, are the quality of the illustrations (although some of the maps could have been better and more precise), but even more, the chapters aside the main events, focusing on specific portraits of civilians and soldiers living during this war. If I were to read this book again, I would read it before "Battle cry of Freedom", as a preliminary to understand it even better. Overall, I think this Osprey collection (Essential Histories) is excellent to awake (or not) your interest on a particular war or campaign and give you an incentive to do more research on a particular subject if you like the corresponding Osprey book, providing you a short but accurate bibliography for further reading, which is always useful for the amateur historian.

Eloquent and Cheap - A Compelling Combination, 05 Jan 2004
There is little doubt that Abraham lincoln was quite an orator. In this volume, you'll find a selection of his best speeches, which of course includes the Gettysburg Address. They're a pleasure to read.

And if that is't enough to sell it to you, then the price should. Perfect if you're about 50p off qualifying for cheaper shipping.

Gorgeously illustrated, with some annoying flaws, 01 Jul 2008
James McPherson didn't write the 'Atlas of the Civil War'. He did, however, write introductory essays to each year of the war, as well as prologues and epilogues. They're fantastic: well-written and -argued, with lavish full-page pictures, and although there's too little reflection on certain issues (e.g. the (il)legality of secession), that's simply not the point. The rest of the atlas is also gorgeously illustrated, with highly detailed maps and well-chosen quotes. The accompanying articles, however, are inferior, especially typographically. There seems, for instance, to be no agreement as to whether a word split should be hyphenated (Con-/federate or Con/federate), and typograhpical errors also occur frequently. Apart from these minor issues, the entire atlas is great. I wish there was a little more on the civilian population and politics, but it is a work of military history, so that isn't fair

Monumental, 21 Mar 2006
On July 1, 1863, leading elements of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, operating in Pennsylvania, stumbled into elements of the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Gen. George G. Meade. Against the better judgment of both commanders, the armies were drawn into a full-fledged battle which raged for three days, and left some 51,000 men killed, wounded, captured or just plain missing. More importantly, unbeknownst at the time, the battle marked a turning point in the war, the Confederates had reached their high water mark and the future moved on toward inevitable defeat.

This monumental work is, in my opinion anyway, the absolutely best book to read on the Battle of Gettysburg. The author did a great job of covering the battle in depth, giving all of the information you will need, covering the officers and their activities leading up to the battle, giving information on the topography and all of the detail necessary to truly understand what happened during those days in July.

Now, at 623 pages, this is a hefty book to read, so this is not the book for you if you want a quick understanding of the battle. But, if you want a book that will give you a deep knowledge of the battle, then it is the book for you. Plus, I must say that this book is not dry or academic, but is a wonderfully fascinating read, keeping the narrative moving along in an interesting manner.

So, overall, I would say that this is a great book, probably the best one that has ever been written on the Battle of Gettysburg. I give it my highest recommendations!

Outstanding!, 03 Oct 2003
There's so much written about gettysburg that it's hard to think that someone could do it again and improve. But Stephen Sear's latest is well up to the standard of his previous best, especially "Landscape Turned Red" and "Chancellorsville". Which means that this is Civil War campaign writing at its very best. If you read no other book about Gettysburg, read this one. I read it stright through in one go - it really is that good.

excellent... quite simply.., 03 Jun 2002
This book probably did more to expand my reading on the conflict than any other. As a "limey" who previously only read about the battles and leaders i can say that this book opened my eyes and understanding of the issues. Thanks to Mr Stampp my own library is now expanding considerably!

I hope that Mr Stampp will not be offended if I describe the book as an excellent primer on the subject.. simply written and without bias.. a book i would recommend to all new students to the subject..

First rate account of America's civil war, 30 Mar 2005
If you want to know about the civil war,how it came about? where,when and what happened? who the key player's were?Then this is the book for you!I wanted a book that was informative, yet written in an easily absorbing way.It is vivid without being boring,the only downside is that you find it very hard to put down!

An good synthesis with interesting side articles, 30 Mar 2004
I read this volume aside "Battle cry of Freedom" from James McPherson, and although it is not as complete, it is quicker to read and contains the essential military developments of the civil war. What I really appreciate, though, are the quality of the illustrations (although some of the maps could have been better and more precise), but even more, the chapters aside the main events, focusing on specific portraits of civilians and soldiers living during this war. If I were to read this book again, I would read it before "Battle cry of Freedom", as a preliminary to understand it even better. Overall, I think this Osprey collection (Essential Histories) is excellent to awake (or not) your interest on a particular war or campaign and give you an incentive to do more research on a particular subject if you like the corresponding Osprey book, providing you a short but accurate bibliography for further reading, which is always useful for the amateur historian.

Eloquent and Cheap - A Compelling Combination, 05 Jan 2004
There is little doubt that Abraham lincoln was quite an orator. In this volume, you'll find a selection of his best speeches, which of course includes the Gettysburg Address. They're a pleasure to read.

And if that is't enough to sell it to you, then the price should. Perfect if you're about 50p off qualifying for cheaper shipping.

Gorgeously illustrated, with some annoying flaws, 01 Jul 2008
James McPherson didn't write the 'Atlas of the Civil War'. He did, however, write introductory essays to each year of the war, as well as prologues and epilogues. They're fantastic: well-written and -argued, with lavish full-page pictures, and although there's too little reflection on certain issues (e.g. the (il)legality of secession), that's simply not the point. The rest of the atlas is also gorgeously illustrated, with highly detailed maps and well-chosen quotes. The accompanying articles, however, are inferior, especially typographically. There seems, for instance, to be no agreement as to whether a word split should be hyphenated (Con-/federate or Con/federate), and typograhpical errors also occur frequently. Apart from these minor issues, the entire atlas is great. I wish there was a little more on the civilian population and politics, but it is a work of military history, so that isn't fair

Monumental, 21 Mar 2006
On July 1, 1863, leading elements of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, operating in Pennsylvania, stumbled into elements of the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Gen. George G. Meade. Against the better judgment of both commanders, the armies were drawn into a full-fledged battle which raged for three days, and left some 51,000 men killed, wounded, captured or just plain missing. More importantly, unbeknownst at the time, the battle marked a turning point in the war, the Confederates had reached their high water mark and the future moved on toward inevitable defeat.

This monumental work is, in my opinion anyway, the absolutely best book to read on the Battle of Gettysburg. The author did a great job of covering the battle in depth, giving all of the information you will need, covering the officers and their activities leading up to the battle, giving information on the topography and all of the detail necessary to truly understand what happened during those days in July.

Now, at 623 pages, this is a hefty book to read, so this is not the book for you if you want a quick understanding of the battle. But, if you want a book that will give you a deep knowledge of the battle, then it is the book for you. Plus, I must say that this book is not dry or academic, but is a wonderfully fascinating read, keeping the narrative moving along in an interesting manner.

So, overall, I would say that this is a great book, probably the best one that has ever been written on the Battle of Gettysburg. I give it my highest recommendations!

Outstanding!, 03 Oct 2003
There's so much written about gettysburg that it's hard to think that someone could do it again and improve. But Stephen Sear's latest is well up to the standard of his previous best, especially "Landscape Turned Red" and "Chancellorsville". Which means that this is Civil War campaign writing at its very best. If you read no other book about Gettysburg, read this one. I read it stright through in one go - it really is that good.

excellent... quite simply.., 03 Jun 2002
This book probably did more to expand my reading on the conflict than any other. As a "limey" who previously only read about the battles and leaders i can say that this book opened my eyes and understanding of the issues. Thanks to Mr Stampp my own library is now expanding considerably!

I hope that Mr Stampp will not be offended if I describe the book as an excellent primer on the subject.. simply written and without bias.. a book i would recommend to all new students to the subject..

The stories behind The Story, 02 Jan 1998
Did you know that the owner of the farm where the first Civil War fighting took place hosted the peace treaty signing in his front parlor in Appomattox? Col Wilmer McClean, seeking to escape the fighting after the First Battle at Bull Run, moved to Southern Virginia and settled in Appomattox. Little did he know the fighting would eventually follow him--and end with the meeting of Grant and Lee in his front parlor. Minutiae and the smaller aspects of the Great War Between the States is all documented in this rather small volume. This is not a stale treatment of those lesser-known facts of the Civil War, but a lively telling of those incidents and thoughts on the Great American Schism. It is hard to put the book down once you start reading it. A must read.

First rate account of America's civil war, 30 Mar 2005
If you want to know about the civil war,how it came about? where,when and what happened? who the key player's were?Then this is the book for you!I wanted a book that was informative, yet written in an easily absorbing way.It is vivid without being boring,the only downside is that you find it very hard to put down!

An good synthesis with interesting side articles, 30 Mar 2004
I read this volume aside "Battle cry of Freedom" from James McPherson, and although it is not as complete, it is quicker to read and contains the essential military developments of the civil war. What I really appreciate, though, are the quality of the illustrations (although some of the maps could have been better and more precise), but even more, the chapters aside the main events, focusing on specific portraits of civilians and soldiers living during this war. If I were to read this book again, I would read it before "Battle cry of Freedom", as a preliminary to understand it even better. Overall, I think this Osprey collection (Essential Histories) is excellent to awake (or not) your interest on a particular war or campaign and give you an incentive to do more research on a particular subject if you like the corresponding Osprey book, providing you a short but accurate bibliography for further reading, which is always useful for the amateur historian.

Eloquent and Cheap - A Compelling Combination, 05 Jan 2004
There is little doubt that Abraham lincoln was quite an orator. In this volume, you'll find a selection of his best speeches, which of course includes the Gettysburg Address. They're a pleasure to read.

And if that is't enough to sell it to you, then the price should. Perfect if you're about 50p off qualifying for cheaper shipping.

Gorgeously illustrated, with some annoying flaws, 01 Jul 2008
James McPherson didn't write the 'Atlas of the Civil War'. He did, however, write introductory essays to each year of the war, as well as prologues and epilogues. They're fantastic: well-written and -argued, with lavish full-page pictures, and although there's too little reflection on certain issues (e.g. the (il)legality of secession), that's simply not the point. The rest of the atlas is also gorgeously illustrated, with highly detailed maps and well-chosen quotes. The accompanying articles, however, are inferior, especially typographically. There seems, for instance, to be no agreement as to whether a word split should be hyphenated (Con-/federate or Con/federate), and typograhpical errors also occur frequently. Apart from these minor issues, the entire atlas is great. I wish there was a little more on the civilian population and politics, but it is a work of military history, so that isn't fair

Monumental, 21 Mar 2006
On July 1, 1863, leading elements of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, operating in Pennsylvania, stumbled into elements of the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Gen. George G. Meade. Against the better judgment of both commanders, the armies were drawn into a full-fledged battle which raged for three days, and left some 51,000 men killed, wounded, captured or just plain missing. More importantly, unbeknownst at the time, the battle marked a turning point in the war, the Confederates had reached their high water mark and the future moved on toward inevitable defeat.

This monumental work is, in my opinion anyway, the absolutely best book to read on the Battle of Gettysburg. The author did a great job of covering the battle in depth, giving all of the information you will need, covering the officers and their activities leading up to the battle, giving information on the topography and all of the detail necessary to truly understand what happened during those days in July.

Now, at 623 pages, this is a hefty book to read, so this is not the book for you if you want a quick understanding of the battle. But, if you want a book that will give you a deep knowledge of the battle, then it is the book for you. Plus, I must say that this book is not dry or academic, but is a wonderfully fascinating read, keeping the narrative moving along in an interesting manner.

So, overall, I would say that this is a great book, probably the best one that has ever been written on the Battle of Gettysburg. I give it my highest recommendations!

Outstanding!, 03 Oct 2003
There's so much written about gettysburg that it's hard to think that someone could do it again and improve. But Stephen Sear's latest is well up to the standard of his previous best, especially "Landscape Turned Red" and "Chancellorsville". Which means that this is Civil War campaign writing at its very best. If you read no other book about Gettysburg, read this one. I read it stright through in one go - it really is that good.

excellent... quite simply.., 03 Jun 2002
This book probably did more to expand my reading on the conflict than any other. As a "limey" who previously only read about the battles and leaders i can say that this book opened my eyes and understanding of the issues. Thanks to Mr Stampp my own library is now expanding considerably!

I hope that Mr Stampp will not be offended if I describe the book as an excellent primer on the subject.. simply written and without bias.. a book i would recommend to all new students to the subject..

The stories behind The Story, 02 Jan 1998
Did you know that the owner of the farm where the first Civil War fighting took place hosted the peace treaty signing in his front parlor in Appomattox? Col Wilmer McClean, seeking to escape the fighting after the First Battle at Bull Run, moved to Southern Virginia and settled in Appomattox. Little did he know the fighting would eventually follow him--and end with the meeting of Grant and Lee in his front parlor. Minutiae and the smaller aspects of the Great War Between the States is all documented in this rather small volume. This is not a stale treatment of those lesser-known facts of the Civil War, but a lively telling of those incidents and thoughts on the Great American Schism. It is hard to put the book down once you start reading it. A must read.

good social knowledge of Spain , 11 Apr 2005
You can ignore the origins of Spanish Civil War but they are absolutely known, not almost ununderstandable as I think happens with First World War. Spain, owing to complex causes beginning with the arriving of gold and silver in big amounts from America, became a country disaccustomed to work excepting the poorer people. Catholic Church, ever in the side of the powerful, attracted hate of humble people and obstructed science. This situation lasted 3- 4 centuries of revolts. It has been said the putsch was the work of army officers, not generals or admirals, excepting three or four essentials with Mola and Franco in the head. Well, in 1975 Franco died and was done the Transición, a rational but complex process, as many people lost the war and had to forgot forcefully. Brenan or Robert Graves knew well Spain. Lamentably, this very day, these spirit of the Transición is being betrayed by ambitious irrational political class of the absurd "Autonomías", perhaps favored by the previous fiasco of the European Union. People in Spain now I'm afraid is on the razor's edge of another civil war or balkanization process.

The best introduction available, 23 Aug 2003
This book is widely thought of as the best introduction to the Spanish Civil War around. As well as charting the basic cycles of state ranging from Isabella to Franco, it also offers specific insights to the various factions competing within each area of Spain at any given time. For those who have not grappled with the political complexity of the early 20th century in Spain, this book provides an excellent (and not so superficial) historical insight into Anarchism, Anarcho-Syndicalism, Carlism, and the Falange. It also explains the allegiances of the POUM and PCE during the course of the war, and the equally complex make-up of Franco's grand coalition.

The earlier dictatorship of Primo de Rivero is also covered, and (uniquely) the Agrarian problem (essentially the crux of all Spanish politics in this period) is properly covered.

If there are to be criticisms of this work, then perhaps the racial generalisations and assumptions made of Spaniards feel somewhat dated, and feel odd when compared to the political correctness of today. Also, the use of "anarchic" and "anarchy" to mean chaos (which is not the same thing!) is unfotunate, given that the Anarchist movement in Spain came closer than has ever been seen to giving these words their true meaning. But these are mere trifles. As well as being a seminal historical study, this is also a wonderfully readable account of one of the most interesting periods in Spanish history.

First rate account of America's civil war, 30 Mar 2005
If you want to know about the civil war,how it came about? where,when and what happened? who the key player's were?Then this is the book for you!I wanted a book that was informative, yet written in an easily absorbing way.It is vivid without being boring,the only downside is that you find it very hard to put down!

An good synthesis with interesting side articles, 30 Mar 2004
I read this volume aside "Battle cry of Freedom" from James McPherson, and although it is not as complete, it is quicker to read and contains the essential military developments of the civil war. What I really appreciate, though, are the quality of the illustrations (although some of the maps could have been better and more precise), but even more, the chapters aside the main events, focusing on specific portraits of civilians and soldiers living during this war. If I were to read this book again, I would read it before "Battle cry of Freedom", as a preliminary to understand it even better. Overall, I think this Osprey collection (Essential Histories) is excellent to awake (or not) your interest on a particular war or campaign and give you an incentive to do more research on a particular subject if you like the corresponding Osprey book, providing you a short but accurate bibliography for further reading, which is always useful for the amateur historian.

Eloquent and Cheap - A Compelling Combination, 05 Jan 2004
There is little doubt that Abraham lincoln was quite an orator. In this volume, you'll find a selection of his best speeches, which of course includes the Gettysburg Address. They're a pleasure to read.

And if that is't enough to sell it to you, then the price should. Perfect if you're about 50p off qualifying for cheaper shipping.

Gorgeously illustrated, with some annoying flaws, 01 Jul 2008
James McPherson didn't write the 'Atlas of the Civil War'. He did, however, write introductory essays to each year of the war, as well as prologues and epilogues. They're fantastic: well-written and -argued, with lavish full-page pictures, and although there's too little reflection on certain issues (e.g. the (il)legality of secession), that's simply not the point. The rest of the atlas is also gorgeously illustrated, with highly detailed maps and well-chosen quotes. The accompanying articles, however, are inferior, especially typographically. There seems, for instance, to be no agreement as to whether a word split should be hyphenated (Con-/federate or Con/federate), and typograhpical errors also occur frequently. Apart from these minor issues, the entire atlas is great. I wish there was a little more on the civilian population and politics, but it is a work of military history, so that isn't fair

Monumental, 21 Mar 2006
On July 1, 1863, leading elements of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, operating in Pennsylvania, stumbled into elements of the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Gen. George G. Meade. Against the better judgment of both commanders, the armies were drawn into a full-fledged battle which raged for three days, and left some 51,000 men killed, wounded, captured or just plain missing. More importantly, unbeknownst at the time, the battle marked a turning point in the war, the Confederates had reached their high water mark and the future moved on toward inevitable defeat.

This monumental work is, in my opinion anyway, the absolutely best book to read on the Battle of Gettysburg. The author did a great job of covering the battle in depth, giving all of the information you will need, covering the officers and their activities leading up to the battle, giving information on the topography and all of the detail necessary to truly understand what happened during those days in July.

Now, at 623 pages, this is a hefty book to read, so this is not the book for you if you want a quick understanding of the battle. But, if you want a book that will give you a deep knowledge of the battle, then it is the book for you. Plus, I must say that this book is not dry or academic, but is a wonderfully fascinating read, keeping the narrative moving along in an interesting manner.

So, overall, I would say that this is a great book, probably the best one that has ever been written on the Battle of Gettysburg. I give it my highest recommendations!

Outstanding!, 03 Oct 2003
There's so much written about gettysburg that it's hard to think that someone could do it again and improve. But Stephen Sear's latest is well up to the standard of his previous best, especially "Landscape Turned Red" and "Chancellorsville". Which means that this is Civil War campaign writing at its very best. If you read no other book about Gettysburg, read this one. I read it stright through in one go - it really is that good.

excellent... quite simply.., 03 Jun 2002
This book probably did more to expand my reading on the conflict than any other. As a "limey" who previously only read about the battles and leaders i can say that this book opened my eyes and understanding of the issues. Thanks to Mr Stampp my own library is now expanding considerably!

I hope that Mr Stampp will not be offended if I describe the book as an excellent primer on the subject.. simply written and without bias.. a book i would recommend to all new students to the subject..

The stories behind The Story, 02 Jan 1998
Did you know that the owner of the farm where the first Civil War fighting took place hosted the peace treaty signing in his front parlor in Appomattox? Col Wilmer McClean, seeking to escape the fighting after the First Battle at Bull Run, moved to Southern Virginia and settled in Appomattox. Little did he know the fighting would eventually follow him--and end with the meeting of Grant and Lee in his front parlor. Minutiae and the smaller aspects of the Great War Between the States is all documented in this rather small volume. This is not a stale treatment of those lesser-known facts of the Civil War, but a lively telling of those incidents and thoughts on the Great American Schism. It is hard to put the book down once you start reading it. A must read.

good social knowledge of Spain , 11 Apr 2005
You can ignore the origins of Spanish Civil War but they are absolutely known, not almost ununderstandable as I think happens with First World War. Spain, owing to complex causes beginning with the arriving of gold and silver in big amounts from America, became a country disaccustomed to work excepting the poorer people. Catholic Church, ever in the side of the powerful, attracted hate of humble people and obstructed science. This situation lasted 3- 4 centuries of revolts. It has been said the putsch was the work of army officers, not generals or admirals, excepting three or four essentials with Mola and Franco in the head. Well, in 1975 Franco died and was done the Transición, a rational but complex process, as many people lost the war and had to forgot forcefully. Brenan or Robert Graves knew well Spain. Lamentably, this very day, these spirit of the Transición is being betrayed by ambitious irrational political class of the absurd "Autonomías", perhaps favored by the previous fiasco of the European Union. People in Spain now I'm afraid is on the razor's edge of another civil war or balkanization process.

The best introduction available, 23 Aug 2003
This book is widely thought of as the best introduction to the Spanish Civil War around. As well as charting the basic cycles of state ranging from Isabella to Franco, it also offers specific insights to the various factions competing within each area of Spain at any given time. For those who have not grappled with the political complexity of the early 20th century in Spain, this book provides an excellent (and not so superficial) historical insight into Anarchism, Anarcho-Syndicalism, Carlism, and the Falange. It also explains the allegiances of the POUM and PCE during the course of the war, and the equally complex make-up of Franco's grand coalition.

The earlier dictatorship of Primo de Rivero is also covered, and (uniquely) the Agrarian problem (essentially the crux of all Spanish politics in this period) is properly covered.

If there are to be criticisms of this work, then perhaps the racial generalisations and assumptions made of Spaniards feel somewhat dated, and feel odd when compared to the political correctness of today. Also, the use of "anarchic" and "anarchy" to mean chaos (which is not the same thing!) is unfotunate, given that the Anarchist movement in Spain came closer than has ever been seen to giving these words their true meaning. But these are mere trifles. As well as being a seminal historical study, this is also a wonderfully readable account of one of the most interesting periods in Spanish history.

Probably the best non-controversial account... credible enough., 26 Aug 2008
It starts long before the campaign and ends much more later on.
It lefts no stone unturned, and actually uses all the data available in a tour de force of rigour.
Actually if you are not going to read more then a book about it this one will do perfectly the job.
It is neither pro-Custer or anti-Custer, makes a good job of simply saying what is known and formulating the best plausible guesses when explaining the parts of the fight harder to establish (there other authors are perhaps much more passionate in their arguments!).
Highly Recommended for what it is fair History without undue passion.

ADB

First rate account of America's civil war, 30 Mar 2005
If you want to know about the civil war,how it came about? where,when and what happened? who the key player's were?Then this is the book for you!I wanted a book that was informative, yet written in an easily absorbing way.It is vivid without being boring,the only downside is that you find it very hard to put down!

An good synthesis with interesting side articles, 30 Mar 2004
I read this volume aside "Battle cry of Freedom" from James McPherson, and although it is not as complete, it is quicker to read and contains the essential military developments of the civil war. What I really appreciate, though, are the quality of the illustrations (although some of the maps could have been better and more precise), but even more, the chapters aside the main events, focusing on specific portraits of civilians and soldiers living during this war. If I were to read this book again, I would read it before "Battle cry of Freedom", as a preliminary to understand it even better. Overall, I think this Osprey collection (Essential Histories) is excellent to awake (or not) your interest on a particular war or campaign and give you an incentive to do more research on a particular subject if you like the corresponding Osprey book, providing you a short but accurate bibliography for further reading, which is always useful for the amateur historian.

Eloquent and Cheap - A Compelling Combination, 05 Jan 2004
There is little doubt that Abraham lincoln was quite an orator. In this volume, you'll find a selection of his best speeches, which of course includes the Gettysburg Address. They're a pleasure to read.

And if that is't enough to sell it to you, then the price should. Perfect if you're about 50p off qualifying for cheaper shipping.

Gorgeously illustrated, with some annoying flaws, 01 Jul 2008
James McPherson didn't write the 'Atlas of the Civil War'. He did, however, write introductory essays to each year of the war, as well as prologues and epilogues. They're fantastic: well-written and -argued, with lavish full-page pictures, and although there's too little reflection on certain issues (e.g. the (il)legality of secession), that's simply not the point. The rest of the atlas is also gorgeously illustrated, with highly detailed maps and well-chosen quotes. The accompanying articles, however, are inferior, especially typographically. There seems, for instance, to be no agreement as to whether a word split should be hyphenated (Con-/federate or Con/federate), and typograhpical errors also occur frequently. Apart from these minor issues, the entire atlas is great. I wish there was a little more on the civilian population and politics, but it is a work of military history, so that isn't fair

Monumental, 21 Mar 2006
On July 1, 1863, leading elements of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, operating in Pennsylvania, stumbled into elements of the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Gen. George G. Meade. Against the better judgment of both commanders, the armies were drawn into a full-fledged battle which raged for three days, and left some 51,000 men killed, wounded, captured or just plain missing. More importantly, unbeknownst at the time, the battle marked a turning point in the war, the Confederates had reached their high water mark and the future moved on toward inevitable defeat.

This monumental work is, in my opinion anyway, the absolutely best book to read on the Battle of Gettysburg. The author did a great job of covering the battle in depth, giving all of the information you will need, covering the officers and their activities leading up to the battle, giving information on the topography and all of the detail necessary to truly understand what happened during those days in July.

Now, at 623 pages, this is a hefty book to read, so this is not the book for you if you want a quick understanding of the battle. But, if you want a book that will give you a deep knowledge of the battle, then it is the book for you. Plus, I must say that this book is not dry or academic, but is a wonderfully fascinating read, keeping the narrative moving along in an interesting manner.

So, overall, I would say that this is a great book, probably the best one that has ever been written on the Battle of Gettysburg. I give it my highest recommendations!

Outstanding!, 03 Oct 2003
There's so much written about gettysburg that it's hard to think that someone could do it again and improve. But Stephen Sear's latest is well up to the standard of his previous best, especially "Landscape Turned Red" and "Chancellorsville". Which means that this is Civil War campaign writing at its very best. If you read no other book about Gettysburg, read this one. I read it stright through in one go - it really is that good.

excellent... quite simply.., 03 Jun 2002
This book probably did more to expand my reading on the conflict than any other. As a "limey" who previously only read about the battles and leaders i can say that this book opened my eyes and understanding of the issues. Thanks to Mr Stampp my own library is now expanding considerably!

I hope that Mr Stampp will not be offended if I describe the book as an excellent primer on the subject.. simply written and without bias.. a book i would recommend to all new students to the subject..

The stories behind The Story, 02 Jan 1998
Did you know that the owner of the farm where the first Civil War fighting took place hosted the peace treaty signing in his front parlor in Appomattox? Col Wilmer McClean, seeking to escape the fighting after the First Battle at Bull Run, moved to Southern Virginia and settled in Appomattox. Little did he know the fighting would eventually follow him--and end with the meeting of Grant and Lee in his front parlor. Minutiae and the smaller aspects of the Great War Between the States is all documented in this rather small volume. This is not a stale treatment of those lesser-known facts of the Civil War, but a lively telling of those incidents and thoughts on the Great American Schism. It is hard to put the book down once you start reading it. A must read.

good social knowledge of Spain , 11 Apr 2005
You can ignore the origins of Spanish Civil War but they are absolutely known, not almost ununderstandable as I think happens with First World War. Spain, owing to complex causes beginning with the arriving of gold and silver in big amounts from America, became a country disaccustomed to work excepting the poorer people. Catholic Church, ever in the side of the powerful, attracted hate of humble people and obstructed science. This situation lasted 3- 4 centuries of revolts. It has been said the putsch was the work of army officers, not generals or admirals, excepting three or four essentials with Mola and Franco in the head. Well, in 1975 Franco died and was done the Transición, a rational but complex process, as many people lost the war and had to forgot forcefully. Brenan or Robert Graves knew well Spain. Lamentably, this very day, these spirit of the Transición is being betrayed by ambitious irrational political class of the absurd "Autonomías", perhaps favored by the previous fiasco of the European Union. People in Spain now I'm afraid is on the razor's edge of another civil war or balkanization process.

The best introduction available, 23 Aug 2003
This book is widely thought of as the best introduction to the Spanish Civil War around. As well as charting the basic cycles of state ranging from Isabella to Franco, it also offers specific insights to the various factions competing within each area of Spain at any given time. For those who have not grappled with the political complexity of the early 20th century in Spain, this book provides an excellent (and not so superficial) historical insight into Anarchism, Anarcho-Syndicalism, Carlism, and the Falange. It also explains the allegiances of the POUM and PCE during the course of the war, and the equally complex make-up of Franco's grand coalition.

The earlier dictatorship of Primo de Rivero is also covered, and (uniquely) the Agrarian problem (essentially the crux of all Spanish politics in this period) is properly covered.

If there are to be criticisms of this work, then perhaps the racial generalisations and assumptions made of Spaniards feel somewhat dated, and feel odd when compared to the political correctness of today. Also, the use of "anarchic" and "anarchy" to mean chaos (which is not the same thing!) is unfotunate, given that the Anarchist movement in Spain came closer than has ever been seen to giving these words their true meaning. But these are mere trifles. As well as being a seminal historical study, this is also a wonderfully readable account of one of the most interesting periods in Spanish history.

Probably the best non-controversial account... credible enough., 26 Aug 2008
It starts long before the campaign and ends much more later on.
It lefts no stone unturned, and actually uses all the data available in a tour de force of rigour.
Actually if you are not going to read more then a book about it this one will do perfectly the job.
It is neither pro-Custer or anti-Custer, makes a good job of simply saying what is known and formulating the best plausible guesses when explaining the parts of the fight harder to establish (there other authors are perhaps much more passionate in their arguments!).
Highly Recommended for what it is fair History without undue passion.

ADB

Brilliant, 11 Nov 2005
This book is absolutely brilliant for anyone who wants to know more about the American civil war and the people who are involved with the civil war. I would reccomend this book with 100% confidence!

First rate account of America's civil war, 30 Mar 2005
If you want to know about the civil war,how it came about? where,when and what happened? who the key player's were?Then this is the book for you!I wanted a book that was informative, yet written in an easily absorbing way.It is vivid without being boring,the only downside is that you find it very hard to put down!

An good synthesis with interesting side articles, 30 Mar 2004
I read this volume aside "Battle cry of Freedom" from James McPherson, and although it is not as complete, it is quicker to read and contains the essential military developments of the civil war. What I really appreciate, though, are the quality of the illustrations (although some of the maps could have been better and more precise), but even more, the chapters aside the main events, focusing on specific portraits of civilians and soldiers living during this war. If I were to read this book again, I would read it before "Battle cry of Freedom", as a preliminary to understand it even better. Overall, I think this Osprey collection (Essential Histories) is excellent to awake (or not) your interest on a particular war or campaign and give you an incentive to do more research on a particular subject if you like the corresponding Osprey book, providing you a short but accurate bibliography for further reading, which is always useful for the amateur historian.

Eloquent and Cheap - A Compelling Combination, 05 Jan 2004
There is little doubt that Abraham lincoln was quite an orator. In this volume, you'll find a selection of his best speeches, which of course includes the Gettysburg Address. They're a pleasure to read.

And if that is't enough to sell it to you, then the price should. Perfect if you're about 50p off qualifying for cheaper shipping.

Gorgeously illustrated, with some annoying flaws, 01 Jul 2008
James McPherson didn't write the 'Atlas of the Civil War'. He did, however, write introductory essays to each year of the war, as well as prologues and epilogues. They're fantastic: well-written and -argued, with lavish full-page pictures, and although there's too little reflection on certain issues (e.g. the (il)legality of secession), that's simply not the point. The rest of the atlas is also gorgeously illustrated, with highly detailed maps and well-chosen quotes. The accompanying articles, however, are inferior, especially typographically. There seems, for instance, to be no agreement as to whether a word split should be hyphenated (Con-/federate or Con/federate), and typograhpical errors also occur frequently. Apart from these minor issues, the entire atlas is great. I wish there was a little more on the civilian population and politics, but it is a work of military history, so that isn't fair

Monumental, 21 Mar 2006
On July 1, 1863, leading elements of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, operating in Pennsylvania, stumbled into elements of the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Gen. George G. Meade. Against the better judgment of both commanders, the armies were drawn into a full-fledged battle which raged for three days, and left some 51,000 men killed, wounded, captured or just plain missing. More importantly, unbeknownst at the time, the battle marked a turning point in the war, the Confederates had reached their high water mark and the future moved on toward inevitable defeat.

This monumental work is, in my opinion anyway, the absolutely best book to read on the Battle of Gettysburg. The author did a great job of covering the battle in depth, giving all of the information you will need, covering the officers and their activities leading up to the battle, giving information on the topography and all of the detail necessary to truly understand what happened during those days in July.

Now, at 623 pages, this is a hefty book to read, so this is not the book for you if you want a quick understanding of the battle. But, if you want a book that will give you a deep knowledge of the battle, then it is the book for you. Plus, I must say that this book is not dry or academic, but is a wonderfully fascinating read, keeping the narrative moving along in an interesting manner.

So, overall, I would say that this is a great book, probably the best one that has ever been written on the Battle of Gettysburg. I give it my highest recommendations!

Outstanding!, 03 Oct 2003
There's so much written about gettysburg that it's hard to think that someone could do it again and improve. But Stephen Sear's latest is well up to the standard of his previous best, especially "Landscape Turned Red" and "Chancellorsville". Which means that this is Civil War campaign writing at its very best. If you read no other book about Gettysburg, read this one. I read it stright through in one go - it really is that good.

excellent... quite simply.., 03 Jun 2002
This book probably did more to expand my reading on the conflict than any other. As a "limey" who previously only read about the battles and leaders i can say that this book opened my eyes and understanding of the issues. Thanks to Mr Stampp my own library is now expanding considerably!

I hope that Mr Stampp will not be offended if I describe the book as an excellent primer on the subject.. simply written and without bias.. a book i would recommend to all new students to the subject..

The stories behind The Story, 02 Jan 1998
Did you know that the owner of the farm where the first Civil War fighting took place hosted the peace treaty signing in his front parlor in Appomattox? Col Wilmer McClean, seeking to escape the fighting after the First Battle at Bull Run, moved to Southern Virginia and settled in Appomattox. Little did he know the fighting would eventually follow him--and end with the meeting of Grant and Lee in his front parlor. Minutiae and the smaller aspects of the Great War Between the States is all documented in this rather small volume. This is not a stale treatment of those lesser-known facts of the Civil War, but a lively telling of those incidents and thoughts on the Great American Schism. It is hard to put the book down once you start reading it. A must read.

good social knowledge of Spain , 11 Apr 2005
You can ignore the origins of Spanish Civil War but they are absolutely known, not almost ununderstandable as I think happens with First World War. Spain, owing to complex causes beginning with the arriving of gold and silver in big amounts from America, became a country disaccustomed to work excepting the poorer people. Catholic Church, ever in the side of the powerful, attracted hate of humble people and obstructed science. This situation lasted 3- 4 centuries of revolts. It has been said the putsch was the work of army officers, not generals or admirals, excepting three or four essentials with Mola and Franco in the head. Well, in 1975 Franco died and was done the Transición, a rational but complex process, as many people lost the war and had to forgot forcefully. Brenan or Robert Graves knew well Spain. Lamentably, this very day, these spirit of the Transición is being betrayed by ambitious irrational political class of the absurd "Autonomías", perhaps favored by the previous fiasco of the European Union. People in Spain now I'm afraid is on the razor's edge of another civil war or balkanization process.

The best introduction available, 23 Aug 2003
This book is widely thought of as the best introduction to the Spanish Civil War around. As well as charting the basic cycles of state ranging from Isabella to Franco, it also offers specific insights to the various factions competing within each area of Spain at any given time. For those who have not grappled with the political complexity of the early 20th century in Spain, this book provides an excellent (and not so superficial) historical insight into Anarchism, Anarcho-Syndicalism, Carlism, and the Falange. It also explains the allegiances of the POUM and PCE during the course of the war, and the equally complex make-up of Franco's grand coalition.

The earlier dictatorship of Primo de Rivero is also covered, and (uniquely) the Agrarian problem (essentially the crux of all Spanish politics in this period) is properly covered.

If there are to be criticisms of this work, then perhaps the racial generalisations and assumptions made of Spaniards feel somewhat dated, and feel odd when compared to the political correctness of today. Also, the use of "anarchic" and "anarchy" to mean chaos (which is not the same thing!) is unfotunate, given that the Anarchist movement in Spain came closer than has ever been seen to giving these words their true meaning. But these are mere trifles. As well as being a seminal historical study, this is also a wonderfully readable account of one of the most interesting periods in Spanish history.

Probably the best non-controversial account... credible enough., 26 Aug 2008
It starts long before the campaign and ends much more later on.
It lefts no stone unturned, and actually uses all the data available in a tour de force of rigour.
Actually if you are not going to read more then a book about it this one will do perfectly the job.
It is neither pro-Custer or anti-Custer, makes a good job of simply saying what is known and formulating the best plausible guesses when explaining the parts of the fight harder to establish (there other authors are perhaps much more passionate in their arguments!).
Highly Recommended for what it is fair History without undue passion.

ADB

Brilliant, 11 Nov 2005
This book is absolutely brilliant for anyone who wants to know more about the American civil war and the people who are involved with the civil war. I would reccomend this book with 100% confidence!

A British Scholar Looks at Robert E. Lee, 13 Apr 2006
It is easy to overlook the many contributions that non-Americans have made to the study of the American Civil War. Brian Holden Reid's outstanding study "Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation" brings an informed, fresh and balanced perspective to bear upon the Confederacy's greatest general. Reid is Professor of American History and Military Institutions and Head of the Department of War Studies at Kings College, London. He has taught military strategy and tactics and written extensively about America's Civil War.

Any new study of Lee must work on two levels. First, of course, it must examine Lee himself, his life, his career, and his generalship. Second, any study must come to terms with the extensive writing and radically shifting perspectives about Lee over the years. Following the Civil War, Lee quickly became an icon to Southern partisans in the "Lost Cause" tradition. His character and success, for a time, against long military odds soon elevated Lee into a figure respected and revered by many Americans, north and south. Then, in mid-20th Century a reaction set in against Lee, questioning some of the mythology that had grown around him and challenging his agressive conduct of the War, his focus on the Eastern theater, his alleged lack of broad strategic vision, and the high casualty rate to which he subjected the Army of Northern Virginia, among other things. The reasons underlying the reassessment were complex. They included correcting an overly iconic and uncritical account, the changing perspective with which Americans viewed the Civil War, and a general and, I think, unhappy tendency to debunk and to criticise important historical figures.

In clear, elegant prose, Reid examines Lee and Lee historiography. Although Reid avoids hero worship, he clearly admires greatly Robert E. Lee as a person and as a general. He finds that much, but not all, of the traditional picture of Lee has merit: he was an imaginative, agressive, savvy, and gifted commander who, importantly, inspired the love and the trust of his men. He fought and won many battles against long odds and prolonged the life of the Confederacy, giving it its best chance to achieve independence. Reid is far from uncritical as he points to flaws in, among other things, the command structure of Lee's army, the commander's frequent over-confidence, his tendency to overdelegate to subordinates, his conduct of the Battle of Gettysburg, and the failure to make the most of his opportunites in battles such as Seven Days, Second Manassas, Fredricksburg, and Chancellorsville. For all these faults, Lee emerges in this study as a remarkable, charismatic commander whom Reid believes is properly regarded as one of the greatest in history.

The book opens with a chapter on Lee the icon with a summary of how historians of the "Lost Cause" school have viewed him, under the influence of the writings of Confederate General Jubal Early. The book then discusses Lee's pre-Civil War career, focusing on his service in Mexico, but gathers force in its consideration of Lee's three-year career as the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee's assumption of command in June, 1862, and the battles for which he is famous -- Seven Days, Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness Campaign, Petersburg, and Appatomatox, are discussed clearly and with sufficient detail. Reid keeps his and the reader's focus on the main themes of his study: showing Lee's greatness as a leader but his shortcomings as well.

In common with most books about Lee, his military exploits are discussed in detail but we see little of his inmost thoughts and feelings. Lee was a highly reserved individual. I would have also liked more emphasis on Lee's pre-Civil War career and, particularly, a fuller discussion of Lee's life and career as President of Washington University following the Civil War. The book includes some basic maps of the key theatres of Lee's operations -- placed at the beginning of the book to avoid cluttering the text -- a good, basic bibliography, and no footnotes.

Reid has written an excellent study of a great commander which argues convincingly that Lee deserves most of the esteem that he has traditionally received. This book will appeal to serious students of the Civil War.

Robin Friedman

First rate account of America's civil war, 30 Mar 2005
If you want to know about the civil war,how it came about? where,when and what happened? who the key player's were?Then this is the book for you!I wanted a book that was informative, yet written in an easily absorbing way.It is vivid without being boring,the only downside is that you find it very hard to put down!

An good synthesis with interesting side articles, 30 Mar 2004
I read this volume aside "Battle cry of Freedom" from James McPherson, and although it is not as complete, it is quicker to read and contains the essential military developments of the civil war. What I really appreciate, though, are the quality of the illustrations (although some of the maps could have been better and more precise), but even more, the chapters aside the main events, focusing on specific portraits of civilians and soldiers living during this war. If I were to read this book again, I would read it before "Battle cry of Freedom", as a preliminary to understand it even better. Overall, I think this Osprey collection (Essential Histories) is excellent to awake (or not) your interest on a particular war or campaign and give you an incentive to do more research on a particular subject if you like the corresponding Osprey book, providing you a short but accurate bibliography for further reading, which is always useful for the amateur historian.

Eloquent and Cheap - A Compelling Combination, 05 Jan 2004
There is little doubt that Abraham lincoln was quite an orator. In this volume, you'll find a selection of his best speeches, which of course includes the Gettysburg Address. They're a pleasure to read.

And if that is't enough to sell it to you, then the price should. Perfect if you're about 50p off qualifying for cheaper shipping.

Gorgeously illustrated, with some annoying flaws, 01 Jul 2008
James McPherson didn't write the 'Atlas of the Civil War'. He did, however, write introductory essays to each year of the war, as well as prologues and epilogues. They're fantastic: well-written and -argued, with lavish full-page pictures, and although there's too little reflection on certain issues (e.g. the (il)legality of secession), that's simply not the point. The rest of the atlas is also gorgeously illustrated, with highly detailed maps and well-chosen quotes. The accompanying articles, however, are inferior, especially typographically. There seems, for instance, to be no agreement as to whether a word split should be hyphenated (Con-/federate or Con/federate), and typograhpical errors also occur frequently. Apart from these minor issues, the entire atlas is great. I wish there was a little more on the civilian population and politics, but it is a work of military history, so that isn't fair

Monumental, 21 Mar 2006
On July 1, 1863, leading elements of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, operating in Pennsylvania, stumbled into elements of the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Gen. George G. Meade. Against the better judgment of both commanders, the armies were drawn into a full-fledged battle which raged for three days, and left some 51,000 men killed, wounded, captured or just plain missing. More importantly, unbeknownst at the time, the battle marked a turning point in the war, the Confederates had reached their high water mark and the future moved on toward inevitable defeat.

This monumental work is, in my opinion anyway, the absolutely best book to read on the Battle of Gettysburg. The author did a great job of covering the battle in depth, giving all of the information you will need, covering the officers and their activities leading up to the battle, giving information on the topography and all of the detail necessary to truly understand what happened during those days in July.

Now, at 623 pages, this is a hefty book to read, so this is not the book for you if you want a quick understanding of the battle. But, if you want a book that will give you a deep knowledge of the battle, then it is the book for you. Plus, I must say that this book is not dry or academic, but is a wonderfully fascinating read, keeping the narrative moving along in an interesting manner.

So, overall, I would say that this is a great book, probably the best one that has ever been written on the Battle of Gettysburg. I give it my highest recommendations!

Outstanding!, 03 Oct 2003
There's so much written about gettysburg that it's hard to think that someone could do it again and improve. But Stephen Sear's latest is well up to the standard of his previous best, especially "Landscape Turned Red" and "Chancellorsville". Which means that this is Civil War campaign writing at its very best. If you read no other book about Gettysburg, read this one. I read it stright through in one go - it really is that good.

excellent... quite simply.., 03 Jun 2002
This book probably did more to expand my reading on the conflict than any other. As a "limey" who previously only read about the battles and leaders i can say that this book opened my eyes and understanding of the issues. Thanks to Mr Stampp my own library is now expanding considerably!

I hope that Mr Stampp will not be offended if I describe the book as an excellent primer on the subject.. simply written and without bias.. a book i would recommend to all new students to the subject..

The stories behind The Story, 02 Jan 1998
Did you know that the owner of the farm where the first Civil War fighting took place hosted the peace treaty signing in his front parlor in Appomattox? Col Wilmer McClean, seeking to escape the fighting after the First Battle at Bull Run, moved to Southern Virginia and settled in Appomattox. Little did he know the fighting would eventually follow him--and end with the meeting of Grant and Lee in his front parlor. Minutiae and the smaller aspects of the Great War Between the States is all documented in this rather small volume. This is not a stale treatment of those lesser-known facts of the Civil War, but a lively telling of those incidents and thoughts on the Great American Schism. It is hard to put the book down once you start reading it. A must read.

good social knowledge of Spain , 11 Apr 2005
You can ignore the origins of Spanish Civil War but they are absolutely known, not almost ununderstandable as I think happens with First World War. Spain, owing to complex causes beginning with the arriving of gold and silver in big amounts from America, became a country disaccustomed to work excepting the poorer people. Catholic Church, ever in the side of the powerful, attracted hate of humble people and obstructed science. This situation lasted 3- 4 centuries of revolts. It has been said the putsch was the work of army officers, not generals or admirals, excepting three or four essentials with Mola and Franco in the head. Well, in 1975 Franco died and was done the Transición, a rational but complex process, as many people lost the war and had to forgot forcefully. Brenan or Robert Graves knew well Spain. Lamentably, this very day, these spirit of the Transición is being betrayed by ambitious irrational political class of the absurd "Autonomías", perhaps favored by the previous fiasco of the European Union. People in Spain now I'm afraid is on the razor's edge of another civil war or balkanization process.

The best introduction available, 23 Aug 2003
This book is widely thought of as the best introduction to the Spanish Civil War around. As well as charting the basic cycles of state ranging from Isabella to Franco, it also offers specific insights to the various factions competing within each area of Spain at any given time. For those who have not grappled with the political complexity of the early 20th century in Spain, this book provides an excellent (and not so superficial) historical insight into Anarchism, Anarcho-Syndicalism, Carlism, and the Falange. It also explains the allegiances of the POUM and PCE during the course of the war, and the equally complex make-up of Franco's grand coalition.

The earlier dictatorship of Primo de Rivero is also covered, and (uniquely) the Agrarian problem (essentially the crux of all Spanish politics in this period) is properly covered.

If there are to be criticisms of this work, then perhaps the racial generalisations and assumptions made of Spaniards feel somewhat dated, and feel odd when compared to the political correctness of today. Also, the use of "anarchic" and "anarchy" to mean chaos (which is not the same thing!) is unfotunate, given that the Anarchist movement in Spain came closer than has ever been seen to giving these words their true meaning. But these are mere trifles. As well as being a seminal historical study, this is also a wonderfully readable account of one of the most interesting periods in Spanish history.

Probably the best non-controversial account... credible enough., 26 Aug 2008
It starts long before the campaign and ends much more later on.
It lefts no stone unturned, and actually uses all the data available in a tour de force of rigour.
Actually if you are not going to read more then a book about it this one will do perfectly the job.
It is neither pro-Custer or anti-Custer, makes a good job of simply saying what is known and formulating the best plausible guesses when explaining the parts of the fight harder to establish (there other authors are perhaps much more passionate in their arguments!).
Highly Recommended for what it is fair History without undue passion.

ADB

Brilliant, 11 Nov 2005
This book is absolutely brilliant for anyone who wants to know more about the American civil war and the people who are involved with the civil war. I would reccomend this book with 100% confidence!

A British Scholar Looks at Robert E. Lee, 13 Apr 2006
It is easy to overlook the many contributions that non-Americans have made to the study of the American Civil War. Brian Holden Reid's outstanding study "Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation" brings an informed, fresh and balanced perspective to bear upon the Confederacy's greatest general. Reid is Professor of American History and Military Institutions and Head of the Department of War Studies at Kings College, London. He has taught military strategy and tactics and written extensively about America's Civil War.

Any new study of Lee must work on two levels. First, of course, it must examine Lee himself, his life, his career, and his generalship. Second, any study must come to terms with the extensive writing and radically shifting perspectives about Lee over the years. Following the Civil War, Lee quickly became an icon to Southern partisans in the "Lost Cause" tradition. His character and success, for a time, against long military odds soon elevated Lee into a figure respected and revered by many Americans, north and south. Then, in mid-20th Century a reaction set in against Lee, questioning some of the mythology that had grown around him and challenging his agressive conduct of the War, his focus on the Eastern theater, his alleged lack of broad strategic vision, and the high casualty rate to which he subjected the Army of Northern Virginia, among other things. The reasons underlying the reassessment were complex. They included correcting an overly iconic and uncritical account, the changing perspective with which Americans viewed the Civil War, and a general and, I think, unhappy tendency to debunk and to criticise important historical figures.

In clear, elegant prose, Reid examines Lee and Lee historiography. Although Reid avoids hero worship, he clearly admires greatly Robert E. Lee as a person and as a general. He finds that much, but not all, of the traditional picture of Lee has merit: he was an imaginative, agressive, savvy, and gifted commander who, importantly, inspired the love and the trust of his men. He fought and won many battles against long odds and prolonged the life of the Confederacy, giving it its best chance to achieve independence. Reid is far from uncritical as he points to flaws in, among other things, the command structure of Lee's army, the commander's frequent over-confidence, his tendency to overdelegate to subordinates, his conduct of the Battle of Gettysburg, and the failure to make the most of his opportunites in battles such as Seven Days, Second Manassas, Fredricksburg, and Chancellorsville. For all these faults, Lee emerges in this study as a remarkable, charismatic commander whom Reid believes is properly regarded as one of the greatest in history.

The book opens with a chapter on Lee the icon with a summary of how historians of the "Lost Cause" school have viewed him, under the influence of the writings of Confederate General Jubal Early. The book then discusses Lee's pre-Civil War career, focusing on his service in Mexico, but gathers force in its consideration of Lee's three-year career as the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee's assumption of command in June, 1862, and the battles for which he is famous -- Seven Days, Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness Campaign, Petersburg, and Appatomatox, are discussed clearly and with sufficient detail. Reid keeps his and the reader's focus on the main themes of his study: showing Lee's greatness as a leader but his shortcomings as well.

In common with most books about Lee, his military exploits are discussed in detail but we see little of his inmost thoughts and feelings. Lee was a highly reserved individual. I would have also liked more emphasis on Lee's pre-Civil War career and, particularly, a fuller discussion of Lee's life and career as President of Washington University following the Civil War. The book includes some basic maps of the key theatres of Lee's operations -- placed at the beginning of the book to avoid cluttering the text -- a good, basic bibliography, and no footnotes.

Reid has written an excellent study of a great commander which argues convincingly that Lee deserves most of the esteem that he has traditionally received. This book will appeal to serious students of the Civil War.

Robin Friedman




Brilliant!, 30 Jun 200