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[[File:Gettysburg.jpeg|thumbnail|300px|left|<i>Gettysburg</i>]]__NOTOC__The Civil War is the most written about event in United States history. There are an extraordinary number of books covering all aspects of the war from large overviews like James McPherson's <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/019516895X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=019516895X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=e33f3bb02b609b5b80ce0c3755444af0 Battle Cry Freedom]</i>, Gary Gallagher's books on <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0674066081/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0674066081&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=de7ad6c37a2cdfff0cc474c341f422c9 The Union War ]</i> and <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0674160568/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0674160568&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=781edeb3e16fe4ea8cd7f34e566f954c The Confederate War]</i>, Allan Nevins 8 volume set on the conflict, and Shelby Foote's [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0394749138/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0394749138&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=34c399c569f5af2adb9dba9a17652804 three volume set of books ] on the war. Like a lot of people, I started with Shelby Foote's books, but over the years I have drifted towards more academic works. Unsurprisingly, all kinds of different authors have written non-fiction books on the topic. Some of these authors are academic historians such as James McPherson and Gary Gallagher, more literary authors such as Winston Groom (author of fiction works such as Forest Gump and Civil War nonfiction works Shiloh, 1862 and Vicksburg, 1863) and Shelby Foote, and an extraordinary number of independent scholars. I would not be surprised to learn that there are more self-published books on the American Civil War than any other American historical topic.

Creating this list has been both very easy and extraordinarily difficult. It is easy to find great books on Civil War Battles, but it is almost impossible to pick only ten. If you are a stickler and count the books listed, you will notice that the final is little bit higher than 10. Therefore, this list is not comprehensive. That would be impossible. Additionally, it only focuses on specific battles or campaigns of the war. Even when you intentionally restrict the number of total books on the war, you are still left with thousands of book titles. There are over 1,000 books available on Amazon discussing some aspect of just the battle of Gettysburg. The books on At the list has a focus on both traditional academic historians and independent historians. While this list has been focused on battles, there are some truly extraordinary Civil War historians who have never written about battles or military campaigns. Drew Gilpin Faust's The Republic of Suffering may be one of the most important books ever written about the Civil War and it focused people dealt with the growing numbers of dead. The number of great Civil War historians left off of the list is tragic.  Creating this list has been both very easy and extraordinarily difficult. It is easy to find great books, but it is almost impossible to pick only ten. If you are a stickler and count the books listed, you will notice that the final is little bit higher than 10.  These books have typically been lauded as some of the best books on these battles and campaigns. Even if your favorite is not listedleast, these books are fantastic a great place to startan exploration of the Civil War.

<i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/06183441950195173309/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=06183441950195173309&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=edb1d6a640423279a1d72001664a0a91 Landscape Turned Red80102c73906ceab964b0b0831e1713a2 Antietam: The Battle Crossroads of AntietamFreedom], Stephen W. Sears - Stephen Sears'</i>Landscape Turned Red<i> is considered to be , (Oxford University Press) James McPherson - McPherson has written extensively on the preeminent Civil War, but he has usually approached this topic from broader narrative. In his Pulitzer Prize winning book on Battle Cry Freedom, he masterfully wrote about the Battle entire war. In one of Antietam. When it was published in 1983his most recent books The War that Forged a Nation, Symonds book received near universal acclaim he explained how the war fundamentally changed the United States and why it still holds up extremely wellresonates today. In Antietam, McPherson took a different approach. Symonds book He not only walks the reader through the entire battle, but clearly he explains why the stakes were so high for both sides battle of this battleAntietam fundamentally altered the course of the war.

<i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/01951733090679728317/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=01951733090679728317&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=80102c73906ceab964b0b0831e1713a2 Antietam: Crossroads 0c817b7e934d7d21fdce5d684d5b36c0 Chancellorsville 1863, The Souls of Freedomthe Brave]</i>, James McPherson (Knopf) Ernest B. Furguson - McPherson Furguson's book elegantly explains the tactically complicated Battle of Chancellorsville and puts the reader into the midst of the action. Furguson, a former columnist and journalist for the <i>Baltimore Sun</i> has written extensively several other outstanding books on the Civil War, but he has usually approached this topic from broader narrativeincluding <i>[https://www. In his Pultizer Prize winning book Battle Cry Freedom, he masterfully wrote about the entire waramazon. In one com/gp/product/0679746609/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0679746609&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=eef30d1217401c560a729113f0e2470d Ashes of his most recent books The War that Forged a Nation, he explained how the war fundamentally changed the United States Glory]</i> and why it still resonates today<i>[https://www. In Antietam, McPherson took a different approachamazon. He not only walks the reader the entire battle, but he explains why the battle of Antietam fundamentally altered the course of the warcom/gp/product/0375404546/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0375404546&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=d6571b2049a36690996a15169737f671 Freedom Rising]</i>.

<i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/06797283170807872695/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=06797283170807872695&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=0c817b7e934d7d21fdce5d684d5b36c0 Chancellorsville 1863, The Souls of the Bravee75411434194a906c349e1f16ab03074 Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!]</i>, Ernest B. Furguson (UNC Press) George Rable - FurgusonRable's book elegantly explains is the classic book on the tactically complicated Battle of Chancellorsville Fredericksburg. Fredericksburg was a disastrous defeat for the Union army and puts his books not only looks at the reader into military aspects of the conflict, but also the midst of social and political aspects that influenced and shaped the battle. Furguson, a former columnist and journalist for This is the best book to start with if you want learn about Fredericksburg. [[File:Landscape_Turned_Red.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|<i>Baltimore SunLandscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam</i> has written several other outstanding books on Civil War including ]]<i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/06797466091469625334/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=06797466091469625334&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=eef30d1217401c560a729113f0e2470d Ashes 5cbd7fb2ebb6d725d9af14b1b262f59af Cold Harbor to the Crater: The End of Glorythe Overland Campaign]</i> , (UNC Press) Edited by Caroline Jenner & Gary Gallagher - Jenner and Gallagher's book is one in a series the excellent Military Campaigns of the Civil War series of books published by the University of North Carolina Press. Other books in the series examine the Fredericksburg, Shenandoah Valley and <i>[https://wwwWilderness campaigns.amazonLike other books in this series it includes essays from noted Civil War and 19th Century historians including Joan Waugh, Stephen Cushman, Keith Kathryn Shively Meier, Gordon Rhea.com/gp/product/0375404546/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0375404546&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=d6571b2049a36690996a15169737f671 Freedom Rising]</i>Instead of simply describing the campaign, these essays delve deeply into a diverse array of topic including the work of Confederate engineers, enduring the life of a soldier, the resilience of Confederate soldiers after Gettysburg, and the experiences of civilians caught in the battle for Petersburg for over a year.

[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0807872695<dh-ad/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0807872695&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=e75411434194a906c349e1f16ab03074 Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!], George Rable - Rable's book is the classic book on the Battle of Fredericksburg. Fredericksburg was a disastorous defeat for the Union army and his books not only looks at the military aspects of the conflict, but also the social and political aspects that influenced and shaped the battle. This is the best book to start with if you want learn about Fredericksburg. >

[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/14696253340807128031/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=14696253340807128031&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=5cbd7fb2ebb6d725d9af14b1b262f59af e3bedc1d34a4ab0394b1409242343e9c Cold Harbor to the Crater: Grant and Lee, May 26-June 3, 1864], (LSU Press) Gordon Rhea The End of the Overland Campaign], Edited by Caroline Jenner & Gary Series - Unlike Gallagher - 's and Jenner and Gallagher's more expansive book is one in a series the excellent Military Campaigns of the Civil War series of books published by the University of North Carolina Press. Other books in the series examine the Fredericksburg, Shenandoah Valley and Wilderness campaigns. Like other books in this series it includes essays from noted Civil War and 19th Century historians including Joan Waugh, Stephen Cushman, Keith Kathryn Shively Meier, Gordon Rhea's book focuses on the battle for Cold Harbor. Instead of simply describing Despite the campaign, these essays delve deeply into a diverse array of topic including disproportionate losses by the work of Confederate engineers Union, enduring the life Battle of Cold Harbor was a soldier, stalemate. Rhea goes into extraordinary detail about the resilience of Confederate soldiers after Gettysburg, battle and the experiences of civilians caught in the battle for Petersburg for over a year. The Battle of Gettysburg. It is impossible tries to pick just one book on demystify why the Battle of Gettysburgso many Union troops were killed. While there has been a longstanding debate over which battle was more important during the war (Antietam and Gettysburg), Gettysburg Cold Harbor is part of the American consciousness. Not only did it end the ConfederacyRhea's advance into the North, it gave birth to the most famous speech in American history. Each of these books attempts to answer different questions about GettysburgOverland Campaign series published by LSU Press. The series also includes <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/08078473050807118737/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=08078473050807118737&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=99ab2cbaf9236d0f568e9341bdfd8aec Gettysburg: 1a7a074dfdfd20472c7b5bc65ad4ee79 The Second DayBattle of the Wilderness]</i>, <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/06184853840807121363/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=06184853840807121363&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=d3659b96be7588346745720a4e005e02 Gettysburg0dd2d7241d92d21a95949197fe89c647 The Battles for Spotsylvania Court House and the Road to Yellow Tavern]</i>, Sears, and <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/08078546110807125350/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=08078546110807125350&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=5a78632122521fd5b8ff8e9046e163dc Pickett’s Charge in History and Memory Carol14623c18b0d4a0619a022701fd1080d9 To the North Anna River] Reardon, [https:/</wwwi>.amazon.com/gp/product/0803270771/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0803270771&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=13f92ebb8229f28b42f9fa539ae62a3a Gettysburg: A Rhea's book on the <i>Battle Guide] Grimsley and Simpson [https:of the Wilderness<//www.amazoni> is also considered to be the classic book on this battle.com/gp/product/0199931682/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199931682&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=77557c16fc84e192ad77dc4d567da088 The Civil War at Sea], Symonds,

[https:<b>The Battle of Gettysburg<//wwwb> - It is impossible to pick just one book on the Battle of Gettysburg.amazonWhile there has been a longstanding debate over which battle was more important during the war - Antietam or Gettysburg, Gettysburg has become part of the American consciousness.com/gp/product/0807128031/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0807128031&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=e3bedc1d34a4ab0394b1409242343e9c Cold Harbor]Not only did it end the Confederacy's advance into the North, Gordon Rhea The Overland Seriesit gave birth to the most famous speech in American history. Each of these books attempts to answer different questions about Gettysburg.

Harry Pfanz book <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/08071302140807847305/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=08071302140807847305&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=94c5ee178ab4de7693f9cc10bd4f3f7a 99ab2cbaf9236d0f568e9341bdfd8aec Gettysburg: The Second Day]</i>(UNC Press) focuses solely on the second day of the battle, while Stephen Sears takes a much more expansive look at the entire in battle <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618485384/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0618485384&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=d3659b96be7588346745720a4e005e02 Gettysburg]</i>(Mariner Books). <div class="portal" style='float:right; width:35%'>====Related DailyHistory.org Articles====*[[American Civil War Biographies Top Ten Booklist]]*[[What Were the Circumstances Surrounding the Death of "Stonewall" Jackson?]]*[[Why Was the Battle of Antietam a Pivotal event in the WildernessAmerican Civil War?]]*[[Gilded Age/Progressive Era History Top Ten Booklist]]*[[Was the Destruction Perpetrated by Lincoln, Grant, Gordon Rheaand Sherman Necessary to End the Civil War?]]*[[The Best Historians and Books According to James McPherson]]</div> Carol Reardon's book <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0807854611/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0807854611&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=5a78632122521fd5b8ff8e9046e163dc Pickett’s Charge in History and Memory]</i> (UNC Press) takes an entirely different approach by focusing on perhaps the most important charge in United States history. She explains why Pickett's Charge has been elevated to the status of an American myth and attempts to put the charge back into its proper historical place. [[File:The_Civil_War_at_Sea.jpg|thumbnail|left|200px|<i>The Civil War at Sea</i>]]Finally, Mark Grimsley and Brooks D. Simpson's <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0803270771/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0803270771&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=13f92ebb8229f28b42f9fa539ae62a3a Gettysburg: A Battle Guide]</i> (Bison Books) is the battle guide on Gettysburg. The authors help the reader make sense of confusing and complicated battlefield better than any other book. This book essential if you plan on visiting [https://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm The Gettysburg National Military Park].

<i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199931682/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199931682&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=77557c16fc84e192ad77dc4d567da088 The Civil War at Sea]</i>, (Oxford University Press) Craig Symonds - While not technically a Civil War battle book, <i>The Civil War at Sea</i> demonstrates how important the Union naval campaigns were to their victory. The book is broken up into sections covering the Union blockade of Confederate ports, the sieges of Charleston and Wilmington and the role of privateers during the war. Symonds does a fantastic job bringing a neglected aspect of the Civil War to the forefront. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081313384X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=081313384X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=ca763a4ee1a73f7e49475b2ab601d0e9 Perryville: This Grand Havoc of Battle]</i>, (University of Kentucky Press) Kenneth W. Noe (University of Kentucky Press)- The Battle of Perryville represents the high water point of the Confederacy's western campaign. Perryville was a Confederate victory, but it failed to achieve the South's strategic goal; bring Kentucky into the Confederate fold. Noenot only gives a detailed description of the battle, but he also describes the lives of the soldiers both during the western campaign and after the war.[[Category:Booklists]] [[Category:United States History]] [[Category:Civil War]][[Category:History Booklists]][[Category:African American History]] [[Category:Expert Booklists]]{{MediaWiki:AmNative}}