Gettysburg: The Final Fury

By Bruce Catton

Book Overview

An incisive look at the turning point of the Civil War, when the great armies of the North and South came to Gettysburg in July 1863--from Pulitzer Prize winner Bruce Catton, one of the great historians of the Civil War. Engaging and authoritative, Catton analyzes the course of events at Gettysburg, clarifying its causes and bringing to life the most famous battle ever fought on American soil. Paying full heed to the human tragedies that occurred, Gettysburg: The Final Fury gives an hour-by-hour account of the three-day battle, from the skirmish that began the engagement, to Pickett's ill-fated charge. Catton provides context for the fateful decisions made by each army's commanders, and examines the battle's military and political consequences, placing it within the larger narrative of the Civil War and American history. Described by The Chicago Tribune as "military history...at its best," Gettysburg, The Final Fury is a classic. Features 41 illustrations and 5 maps.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345806050
• ISBN13: 9780345806055
• Release Date: June 2013
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

The classic narrative historian does it again

This is a slim, primarily narrative volume dealing with the battle of Gettysburg. It's full of great pictures (including some really gory photos)and maps. As usual, Catton writes beautifully, although his description of Pickett's Charge is a little understated for him. What this is not is seminal scholarship -- Catton's introduction, referring to the battle as "fated", is absurdly though endearingly positivist, and his analysis of the battle and its causes is quite basic. I think the book would be particularly well suited to the amateur or, as another reviewer suggested, to someone who has seen the battlefield as a tourist and wants to learn a little more about what happened there.

A clear, concise overview.

Bruce Catton guides you carefully and clearly through the whole battle. His writing is concise, yet picturesque. The book was my constant companion while visiting the Gettysburg battlefield. The maps are excellent. Bruce Catton is an even-handed chronicler of this monumental event.