The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Civil War

by Alan Axelrod

Book Overview

Noted historian Alan Axelrod takes readers back to the 19th century to tell the full story of the war that continues to hold the imagination of millions of Americans. In addition to information on the original causes of the war and basic facts about key generals, weaponry, and battles, the book also provides details on battlefields and historic sites. Photos and maps throughout.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0028621220
• ISBN13: 9780028621227
• Release Date: February 1998
• Publisher: Alpha Books
• Length: 407 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Where do you begin to study the Civil War?

Right here you can begin to study the Civil War AND you will have a thorough reference book for everything else you read about the Civil War era including novels, historical novels, and history books. This is probably my most used Complete Idiot's Guide and I have a lot of them. I love learning about a variety of subjects and was surprised that I didn't really know much about the Civil War. I watched Dr. Gary Gallagher's "Teaching Company" lectures on the Civil War and used this book as a reference for more background biographies of the main characters of the time. The "Voices" and "Words of War" sidebars are useful and add even more interest. Appendix A is a Who's Who of the Civil War which is helpful to remember north or south affiliations. Appendix B is Major Civil War Sites and Appendix D is further reading. Now I am reading Grant's diary (fascinating) and a three book series by Bruce Catton. This book is SO worth the price!

Rational Northern Account of Justified Union Victory

The author debunks "Southern" myths about the so-called "War Between the States" and correctly attributes the origins of the war to a greedy slave-owning patriarchy that sought to extend slavery to other parts of the US and indeed the rest of the hemisphere. He clevery refutes the Southern justifications for aggression against the US with damning authority. For example, the issue of "States' Rights" was always a red herring on the part of rapacious and racist slave-owners for the maintenence of brutal and evil slavery. The fugitive slave law could have been nullified by Northern States on the basis of "States' Rights" but the Southern States always howled about how federal law, IN THIS INSTANCE, had to be maintained. The author points out that in the South, they only obeyed those laws that suited them. This book would be a fine antidote to Foote's narrative and somewhat pro-Confederate "The Civil War" series.

"Best Ever Civil War Account"

This book is a masterpiece. It is put in a great order and makes you feel like you're a part of this historic battle. I would recommend this to any history buff or someone who likes to read true history stories.

WOW_ REVIEW

This book really helped me out for my history project on the Civil War. The book had really great details about important battles, etc. in the Civil War. I highly reccomend it.

GRANT WINS A CLOSE ONE!

As a history buff, this book intrigued me from the get-go. After minoring in American History in college, I was under the impression that I knew a great deal about the Civil War...I was wrong. "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Civil War" clarified terminology which I was unfamiliar, showed battle maps that I had never seen, and offered up some quotations from a variety of participants in this conflict that were incredibly enlightening. This was a page-turner, which is not a term that I would normally apply to a history book, but the term is appropriate. I was very impressed with the author's attention to detail, and I came away with information on the Civil War that I never knew existed. This book made such an impact on me, that I am going to purchase "The Complete Idiot's Guide to American History". If you are at all interested in the Civil War, this could be among the best investments you will ever make in both time and money.