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Civil War Almanac (Almanacs of American Wars)
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From
The most recent entry in Almanacs of the American Wars series is the Civil War Almanac, by Fredriksen, author of Revolutionary War Almanac (2006). The first section is a minutely detailed day-by-day chronology that covers nearly 600 pages and includes all the events pertinent to the war. Fredriksen starts the chronology on February 1, 1860, when Democrat William F. Pennington is elected after 44 ballots, noting, “This contest highlights growing factionalism within the Democratic Party.” The chronology concludes in December 1865. Events for each day are grouped under such topics as “Diplomacy,” “Politics,” “North,” “South,” “Southwest,” and “West,” with the geographic groupings primarily referring to military movements or engagements. Following the chronology are more than 100 biographies of important military and political leaders, focusing on their contributions during the Civil War. The biographies are brief, most less than two pages, and many include black-and-white photos of the subject. A short appendix contains a selection of statistics. A final section of maps is an excellent addition and one of the strengths of this volume. A wide variety of maps, all in black and white, range from large-scale maps showing the entire Confederacy to detailed maps of all the key military engagements. The maps detailing the troop movements are particularly well done, clear, and easy to read. The volume concludes with an extensive bibliography and a thorough index. The information in this volume is both accessible and of high quality, making it an outstanding resource for any history researcher or Civil War buff. Highly recommended for academic and public library collections as a complement to resources such as Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History (ABC-CLIO, 2000). --Jessica Moyer
23/06/2009
The seller shipped the book (New) immediately. It arrived quickly, well packed, and in perfect condition. I will seek this vendor out when I make additional purchases.
08/03/2008
Those of us that read history know the end. No matter how well written, detailed and moving the end is known. The problem is that we can forget the process and miss that reality. In doing so, it is easy to think, "What fools, all they had to do was ..." We cannot help this and it has colored our perceptions of events and personalities. This book treats the war not as a history but as a series of days leading from Fort Sumter to the surrender of the Confederate States armies. Starting on February 1, 1860 there is an entry for each day until July 31, 1865. From August 2 to December 27, 1865, there is an entry of major events. Almost two hundred pages of biographies follow this section. Sixteen pages of maps, a Bibliography and an index complete the book.
Daily entries contain information on the war in the east, west, south, political events and naval actions. These entries contain enough detail to provide an ongoing picture of the war. Writing is crisp, interesting and informative. I edit the local Round Table Newsletter and this book will allow me to provide a monthly column on activities. This will replace working my way through several internet sites to find the same information. This is an excellent book, great fun to read and a fine reference.
11/12/2007
First I had the pleasure of reviewing Almanacs of American Wars: Revolutionary War Almanac, and now I have the companion piece, Civil War Alamanac, in my hands. What a delight to receive this book for review. The book is laid out with the same formula, i.e., the first 601 pages detail an almost daily chronology of events starting Feb. 1, 1860, and ending Dec. 27, 1865 when "...Former Confederate admiral Raphael Semmes is arrested and brought to Washington, D.C. for allededly violationing parole conditions. He remains in custody until April 1966 and is never brought to trial..." The following few hundred pages, like the Revolutionary War Almanac, contain information on the significant people, some obscure to me, like Edward P. Alexander, one of the first Confederate officers ...employed in balloon reconnaissance...to the more popular characters like George E. Pickett and William T. Sherman.
The book is sprinkled with photos and beautifully detailed illustrations. This particular part of history always amazes me and gets my interest. I don't need another civil war book now. This has it all, A-Z. An outstanding historical journey and a must read. I have friends who do civil war reenactments and they can't wait to get their hands on this book.
I can't say enough about this historical treat. If this is not included in your civil war book collection, your collection is woefully incomplete. As a board member of the Military Writers Society of America I am humbled to have received such a fabulous read.
A HUGE five star rating for this book.
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