McPherson or Foote?

[WhoCares]

Also new to the topic of the ACW, I am also looking for some background information on it.
As German I am not overly familiar with the topic and so I thought I should do as I did for WitP when I read Toland's 'Rising Sun' and Churchills 'short' version of WW2 (the latter obviously for a broader => non-german/american view of the overall war).

From this perspective and reading this thread I guess I should go with McPherson - sounds like he is for the ACW what is Toland for WitP, right?! Hey, in the end they both won the Pulitzer for exactly those works

[Linenoise]

Also, for those too lazy to read the PBS mini series called The Civil War by Ken Burns is excellent for a nice overview of the war. The pictures and voice overs are very nicely done.

A good book if you want to learn more about why the Civil War came to pass is The Road to Disunion: Secessionists at Bay 1776-1854 by William W Freehling. It covers all the problems that lead up to the war. It seems to come off a little anti-south at times but still provides a good about of background.

[Pubcrawler]

At the risk of starting a heated debate...

If you were going to read a comprehensive history of the Civil War, would you start with McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom or Foote's The Civil War? I have both and can't make up my mind. I realize that Shelby Foote is much longer, but that's not really a concern.

I'd really like a detailed history that is well-written and engaging (not a dull read), and includes detailed accounts of major battles. The military history is really what interests me, but I'm trying to get some context first...

I'd go with Foote. More in depth and a better 'read' - Foote chose to write as a narrative, which places the reader in a great position to enjoy, not only historical facts, but in a close up dramatic way.

[jeff b]

If you are only going to read 1 book, I would read McPherson. Definitely puts the war in context.

For an excellent history that was ground breaking in its day, I suggest T.Harry Willams Lincoln and his Generals. I also have liked the Bruce Catton books.

There are also the campanion books -
How the North won the war, and Why the South lost the war.

[Aurelin]

The Longest Night: A military history of the civil war, is good as well.

[tagwyn]

Mr. Catton's trilogy was written about time of the 100 year anniversary of the ACW. I read it a long time ago but thought it was excellent. T

[Ian Coote]

For me anyway,no contest go Foote.Read it about thirty years ago and it was the first thing I had ever read on the Civil War.It started a great hobby thats still going strong,reading books,visiting battlefields,great stuff.

[bigus]

"Battles And Leaders Of The Civil War" 4 volume set (R. U. Johnson).
Almost every book refers to two sources, The official records and this 4 volume set.
Written in 1884 and with details of every battle of the war with OOB's
I got the set for less than $100 Cdn from Chapters.
If I had to choose between McPherson or Foote...Foote wins Hands down.


My Library contains...McPherson(Battle Cry), Foote(3 vol), Freeman(Lee's lieutenants 3vol), B&L(4 vol).

bigus

[jeff b]

So many good books, so little time.

I agree with all the recommendations. All I can say, is that if you know very little about the war, and want to come up to speed in 500 pages or less, than the McPherson is the best 1 volume history out there. If you have the time to read Foote, then you probably have time to read both.

Another good 1 volume book, is the American Heritage History of the Civil War. Great maps, pictures, plus a reasonable text. Multiple editions have been published over the years, and I can't say which is the best.

Looking at the maps and pictures is what got me hooked as a kid.

[Paul Roberts]

McPherson or Foote? Read both!

McPherson is the dean of scholarly ACW historians. He cannot be matched for presenting the causes of the war, its politics, its economic and cultural factors, or its consequences. His book is for understanding the war as a complex historical event.

Foote is a great literary stylist who brings the experience of the war alive. His books are for understanding the war as a personal, immediate, human event.

[Brochgale]

Now i envy and hate you !!! its not fair!!!

On Madrid Fnac you can only find a few history paperbacks on English, and mostly about "fashionable" themes (middle east, Islamism, spartans, you know... ) leure: leure:
I had to buy from amazon and just a paperback... i thought the hardcover costed 125 $ or so plus shipping...)

The shame is that i was on Lisbon's Fnac last autumn when on vacation... but then i wasn´t looking for books, just visiting the Chiado...
By the way, what a lovely city!!

Cheers!!

I got Footes trilogy in of all places The Phillipinnes when I was on a diving holiday there back in March. It cost me 2000 Pesos for the hard backs. So I guess you will be adding me to the hate list.
Its definitely a better read than Phersons. Now I am looking around for other things to read - now I know where I can find gems on the cheap.

[W.Barksdale]

Any of Bruce Catton's books on the civil war are a wealth of information as well.

[Brochgale]

Any of Bruce Catton's books on the civil war are a wealth of information as well.

Other suggestions most welcome!

[Jabberwock]

Any of Scribner's The Army and the Navy in the Civil War series (aka Campaigns of the Civil War):

Volume I - The Outbreak of Rebellion by John Nicolay
Volume II - From Fort Henry to Corinth by Manning Force
Volume III -The Peninsula - McClellan's Campaign of 1862 by Alexander Webb
Volume IV - The Army Under Pope by John Ropes
Volume V - The Antietam and Fredericksburg by Francis Palfrey
Volume VI - Chancellorsville and Gettysburg by Abner Doubleday
Volume VII - The Army of the Cumberland by Henry Cist
Volume VIII - The Mississippi by Francis Greene
Volume IX - Atlanta by Jacob Cox
Volume X - The March to the Sea - Franklin and Nashville by Jacob Cox
Volume XI - The Shenandoah Valley in 1864 by George Pond
Volume XII - The Virginia Campaign of '64 and '65 by Andrew Humphreys
Volume XIII - Statistical Records of the Armies of the United States by Frederick Phisterer
Volume XIV - The Gulf and Inland Waters by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Volume XV - The Atlantic Coast by Daniel Ammen
Volume XVI - The Blockade and the Cruisers by James Russell Soley

Lee's Lieutenants by Freeman (edit: already recommended by bigus)
Sherman's Memoirs

[Crimguy]

One other thing I'd add (I like both McPhearson and Foote, but am only up to Volume 2 of Foote), is a set of audio books from the Great Courses series. Gary Gallagher (UVA?) does the lectures, and he is terrific. Wish he taught at my university. 40+ thirty minute lectures. Very well balanced, and those who have read Foote will notice he chooses many of the same anectdotes.

http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=885&pc=History%20-%20Modern

[Rear Rank 2]

Mr. Catton's trilogy was written about time of the 100 year anniversary of the ACW. I read it a long time ago but thought it was excellent. T

Absolutely- you can't go wrong with Bruce Catton from a readability and entertainment standpoint. I first read his Army of the Potomac trilogy about 30 years ago when I was a kid. He writes in what historians call the "Narrative" style that is easily read and interesting- causing lots of pointy headed intellectual professors to not like Catton at all- "My God- it's popular history!" I ran into that all the time when getting my history degree. These pointy heads also turn their noses up at Shelby Foote.

His other trilogy, alluded to above, covers the entire war and would be what you're looking for. It consists of The Coming Fury, Terrible Swift Sword, and Never Call Retreat.

His two books on Grant are very good too- Grant Moves South and Grant Takes Command.

I'm convinced that Bruce Catton single-handedly got more folks interested in the Civil War than any other author- and that's a pretty good recommendation.

Here is his Wikipedia article- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Catton

[TheDoctorKing]

I taught American Civil War at the college level last year and I used McPherson as my text. It is probably the best one-volume treatment of the whole war and its context. It is supposed to cover the whole period 1840-1865 though, not just 1861-1865. It is part of a multi-volume history of the United States. That's why it takes several hundred pages to get to the first shots. That being said, though, to really understand the war you need to understand what went before, both the politics and the economic development.

For a pure picture of the war, of what happened and why, Catton's got my vote. Foote is wordy and pays way too much attention to generals and tactics. His is basically a 'battle history' of the Civil War, slipping quickly over matters like logistics, manpower issues, internal politics north and south, technology, etc. that a military historian would consider essential to understand the war. I own the Foote series and I read it with interest but only really found it useful because I already had the background information from the other two works.

The biographies (Lee's Lieutenants and the Catton Grant books) are, like any biographies, tainted by the authors' appreciation for their subjects. Very few people write bios of people they don't like at least in some way. For Grant, I like his own Personal Memoirs. Doesn't say a word about his time as president...probably just as well.

Good luck on your reading.

[Ian Coote]

Another good book by McPherson, ORDEAL BY FIRE:The Civil War and Reconstuction.Very much like his Battle Cry of Freedom,and I thought a better read.Lots of charts and graphs.

[Jabberwock]

I hear his next one is going to be on the navies.

[Mangudai]

Foote and McPherson are both outstanding!

I will be rereading McPherson soon. I might not reread Foote.

[Redeemer]

There is nothing wrong with Foote, it is a good read, I am ready it again now. Just keep in mind that it is a narrative.

For a little different perspective and some flavor, I can recommend any of Jeffry D. Wert's books on various ACW subjects. He has published 7 books, written for Civil War Illistrated, etc. and been on that 90's Civil War series on TV (I forget the name) Of course I am biased, he was my high school history teacher 25 years ago and gave me my love of the ACW!

If you like maps and period sketches, I recommend "The Official Military Atlas of the Civil War"

[Major Dilemma]

3D photography was quite the rage back then. Many photographs were taken in 3D. For those interested there is a book which includes a 3D viewer:

History in 3D The Civil War in Depth by Bob Zeller

ISBN 0-8118-1348-7

[dublish]

Recently finished Foote's massive work, just picked up McPherson's new book on Lincoln. Why choose between the two? They're both worth the time to read.

[Mangudai]

Agreed! If you can afford it a Civil War atlas of period maps is a good companion to both books, especially Foote.

[bschulte]

I'd probably go with Foote hands down, but I'm a little biased. Foote's three volumes were some of the earliest books I read on the war back in Elementary School.

McPherson's history was a synthesis of current thinking at the time, and some interpretations have changed quite a bit in the ensuing two decades. He tends to present events as facts with no room for dueling interpretations

Foote, for a Southerner, shows a relatively small amount of bias. His three volume set reads more smoothly. Although, as others have said, Foote can sometimes be a little loose with details, his trilogy was a highly enjoyable read.

Although McPherson's book is probably still the best one volume history of the Civil War, why settle on reading just one?

[Ian Coote]

For a one volume military history of the civil war may I recommend THE LONGEST NIGHT by David Eicher.Almost a thousand pages,with 91 maps.

[tagwyn]

Alan Bernardo: Far be it from ol'e opinionated Tagwyn; but, if you believe Foote is writing fiction you'll want to read Das Kapital, and, the works of A. Hitler. t

[tagwyn]

Try M. Kantor's work: "Gettysburg." Excellent short treatment of America's most important battle. t

[Ian Coote]

For a really in depth look at Gettysburg,I don't think you can beat the Gettysburg Magazine.Its been going for about twenty years now,only two copies per year,but about 150 pages per issue with no advertisements.Simply superb.

[bschulte]

For a really in depth look at Gettysburg,I don't think you can beat the Gettysburg Magazine.Its been going for about twenty years now,only two copies per year,but about 150 pages per issue with no advertisements.Simply superb.

I second that notion. I recently bought the first 16 issues as two bound volumes, bought the rest as the actual issues, and subscribed. I was not sorry with my purchase.