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The Civil War: An Illustrated History Paperback – September 29, 1992

by Geoffrey C. Ward (Author), Ric Burns (Author), Ken Burns (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 558 ratings
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"A treasure for the eye and mind" (The New York Times) about the greatest war in American history—and a magnificent companion volume to the celebrated PBS television series by one of our most treasured filmmakers. • With more than 500 illustrations: rare Civil War photographs—many never before published—as well as paintings, lithographs, and maps reproduced in full color.

It was the greatest war in American history. It was waged in 10,000 places—from Valverde, New Mexico, and Tullahoma, Tennessee, to St. Albans, Vermont, and Fernandina on the Florida coast. More than 3 million Americans fought in it and more than 600,000 men died in it. Not only the immensity of the cataclysm but the new weapons, the new standards of generalship, and the new strategies of destruction—together with the birth of photography—were to make the Civil War an event present ever since in the American consciousness. Thousands of books have been written about it. Yet there has never been a history of the Civil War quite like this one.

A wealth of documentary illustrations and a narrative alive with original and energetic scholarship combine to present both the grand sweep of events and the minutest of human details. Here are the crucial events of the war: the firing of the first shots at Fort Sumter; the battles of Shiloh, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg; the siege of Vicksburg; Sherman’s dramatic march to the sea; the surrender at Appomattox. Here are the superb portraits of the key figures: Abraham Lincoln, claiming for the presidency almost autocratic power in order to preserve the Union; the austere Jefferson Davis, whose government disappeared almost before it could be formed; Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant, seasoned generals of fierce brilliance and reckless determination. Here is the America in which the war was fought: The Civil War is not simply the story of great battles and great generals; it is also an elaborate portrait of the American people caught up in the turbulence of the times.

An additional resonance is provided by four essays by prominent Civil War historians, and Shelby Foote talks to filmmaker Ken Burns about wartime life on the battlefield and at home.
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  1. Print length
    425 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Knopf
  4. Publication date
    September 29, 1992
  5. Dimensions
    9.3 x 1.1 x 10.9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0679742778
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0679742777
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"An absorbing experience ... A fine work of scholarship." —Boston Globe

"Succeeds in evoking both the grandeur of the war and its basic humanity." —Chicago Tribune

From the Inside Flap

This magnificent pictorial history portrays the Civil War as never before, from the events leading to the firing of the first shot at Fort Sumter, through the battles at Shiloh and Gettysburg, the siege of Vicksburg, Sherman's march to the sea, and Lee's surrender at Appomattox. 500 photos. 1 map, suitable for framing.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf (September 29, 1992)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 425 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0679742778
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0679742777
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.77 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.3 x 1.1 x 10.9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 558 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Bruce Catton

    Bruce Catton

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    Charles Bruce Catton (October 9, 1899 – August 28, 1978) was an American historian and journalist, best known for his books on the American Civil War. Known as a narrative historian, Catton specialized in popular history, featuring colorful characters and historical vignettes, in addition to the basic facts, dates, and analyses. Although his books were well researched and supported by footnotes, they were not generally presented in a rigorous academic style. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1954 for A Stillness at Appomattox, his study of the final campaign of the war in Virginia.

    Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Library of Congress (File:Bruce Catton LC-USZ62-132904.jpg) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons.

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  2. Geoffrey C. Ward

    Geoffrey C. Ward

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    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

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  3. Ken Burns

    Ken Burns

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    Ken Burns has been making documentary films for almost forty years. Since the Academy Award nominated Brooklyn Bridge in 1981, Ken has gone on to direct and produce some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made, including The Civil War; Baseball; Jazz, Statue of Liberty; Huey Long; Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery; Frank Lloyd Wright; Mark Twain; Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson; The War; The National Parks: America’s Best Idea; The Roosevelts: An Intimate History; and, most recently, Jackie Robinson.

    Future projects include films on the Vietnam War, the history of country music, Ernest Hemingway, and the history of stand-up comedy.

    Ken’s films have been honored with dozens of major awards, including fourteen Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards and two Oscar nominations; and in September of 2008, at the News & Documentary Emmy Awards, Ken was honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
558 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Susan Sorenson
5.0 out of 5 stars book review
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2009
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The Civil War: The complete text of the bestselling narrative history of the Civil War--based on the celebrated PBS television series
This i a very complete review. I had borrowed it from our library and realized it was a book I would like to own. I can more leisurely refer to it through the years. We are taking a trip to some of the war sites and it was very helpful to review the history. Pictures are excellent. Some of the facts I had learned in school as a history major but in time you forget things. It has helped me understand the reasons for the war and how slavery contributed to the division between the north and the south.
One person found this helpful
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Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth Reading
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2024
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Terrific scope and pace.
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williamdemas
4.0 out of 5 stars Critique
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2011
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This is an excellent book covering the civil war, however if you are looking for a definitive history it will not fit the bill. This book offers a look into separate perceptions about the war, but is not a battle by battle account of what took place. It's strength comes from copious illustrations of the war and specific essays devoted to separate outlooks about it. As an over view it is excellent because of it's richness. I would recommend the DVD over the actual book, as is better seen than read.
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EMR
5.0 out of 5 stars The Civil War Book
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2023
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Perfect condition!😀
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in1ear (John Row)
5.0 out of 5 stars KINDLE EDITION HDX 8.9
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2015
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KINDLE EDITION. Often times the Kindle edition of books like this one fail to live up to the print edition of that book. This one is a SUCCESS!, I'm glad to say. Active maps of each day of the Gettysburg battles. Hours of video from the acclaimed PBS series, interviews with historians like Shelby Foote, clear sharp photographs and an outstanding narrative that you would expect. And you can't beat the value. The PBS series is widely available for free from Amazon Prime and other streaming services.
Kudos to the publisher for putting out an outstanding product.
16 people found this helpful
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Derglitzken
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Synopsis!
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2018
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This is an excellent book giving the full history of the civil war! The illustrations are beautiful. I supplemented this with the audio book as well as the video documentary presently on Netflix. I also am reading Shelby Foote's 3 volume set on the Civil War which helps me to form a complete picture of the war. A++++.
10 people found this helpful
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Harold J.
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2022
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The book is really detailed very interesting to read.
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Top reviews from other countries

N. N. Light
5.0 out of 5 stars The Civil War comes alive...
Reviewed in Canada on March 26, 2018
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I eagerly watched the Series when it debuted on PBS last century and was blown away by the quality and became a fan of Ken Burns then. This book was never on my radar and I have a superb Civil War library but now I am proud to have this comprehensive history in a place of honor.

This book does a superb job of telling the history of the Civil War chronologically. The book is more than that though because, like the tv series, this work comes alive with the words and feelings of men and women who were there. There are new essays from amazing historians including Shelby Foote that help make this a must purchase for even those who know the TV series well.

A fantastic read that will be on my re-read list and a candidate for a desert island.

My Rating: 5+ stars
3 people found this helpful
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DRK
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Stand Alone Narrative of a Complex Issue
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 16, 2016
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I ordered this with a little trepidation as some reviews said this related to the Ken Burns documentary while others suggested not. Having both the documentary and the book now, I can confirm that the book I received was effectively the narrative, the photos, battle maps, diary and memoir extracts of the documentary,with a few additional items.

Some have noted this is too much of a one stop shop, but it really doesn't claim to anything other than that, and in that it does really well.

The topic is very complex both in terms of the lead up to the war, the battles, the generals, troopers and other colourful characters and the politics on both sides before, during and after the conflict. If it is detail you are after there are a myriad of books and websites that cover each of these in greater detail than this book.
10 people found this helpful
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G.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, no punches pulled!
Reviewed in Canada on October 4, 2020
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Discover the perspectives and history for both North and South. Brutal, harsh conditions for soldiers and civilians, field hospitals were "amputation stations" not M*A*S*H units. Watch the Ken Burns documentary, it really brings Shelby Foote's narrative to life.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 22, 2021
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Good accompaniment to the tv series
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Serge A. Simard
4.0 out of 5 stars Yes, worth reading
Reviewed in Canada on October 17, 2022
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I must say this is not my favorite book on the subject since it is many authors covering many subjects.
However it offers interesting insights, a few very interesting details about life in the 1860s and a reasonably good resume of the cessesion war.
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