The Civil War

by Ken Burns, Geoffrey C. Ward

Release Date: 06 March, 1991

Edition: Audio Cassette

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When Hell was Incarnate on Earth

Gepffrey Ward's narrative is a complete departure from the textbook Civil War stories that we tend to read today. His is a fascinating account that deals with the ordinary people and the history that they lived through. I found this book an especially rewarding buy because of it's very interesting and absorbing language and illustrations. Overall, this book has made a particularly deep impact and led me to look at the civil war as a time, when hell was truly incarnate on earth.

In view of Ward's excellence in writing I would give him five stars, and also because he tells the full stories of Gettysburg, Bull Run (both of them), Antietam, Shiloh, and Appamattox Court House. He brings the Civil War to life like nobody else can. I am especially touched by his quotation from the letter of Col. Sullivan Ballou of Rhode Island, it was a tear-jerking moment for me when I saw the series and when I read this book over and over again. This book is an amazing readable account of a gone-by era and I appreciate the effort that Ken Burns and Geoffrey Ward to bringing this bloody, romantic, and adventurous era to life just as they have in The West with Dayton Duncan, Baseball, and Lewis & Clark.

Read this book for the story and the pictures!

Good 1-Volume Starting Point

This book is a wonderful 1-volume history of the Civil War. It succeeds in many ways, it gives a strong historical base and perspective regarding the reasons for the war. It follows the war's strategies with great skill, and it looks at the aftermath as well.

The book is a visual delight, with pictures and maps everywhere. As someone who has complained vigorously of the lack of maps in other war books (see my complaints about Keegan's World War I history), I was quite happy with the care shown in this area. There is great first-hand information on the life of the grunt. You really get a feel for what the war felt like, from a wide variety of perspectives.

I also appreciated how the political/military relationship in the Union is covered. Lincoln did many things militarily due to political reasons. Those reasons are explained wonderfully.

Two major flaws in the book. The Shelby Foote interview is a waste of paper, he comes across sounding like a senile old man in a wheelchair, rambling on and on. The other issue I have is the way Gettysburg is covered. In the book, Gettysburg comes from nowhere. Why did both the Union and the Rebels see this as a big battle BEFORE it was fought. What did each side hope to gain from the battle outside killing the other army? There had to be some overall strategy, but the book gives none.

Overall, a great 1-volume starting point to learn about this time in American History.