The American Civil War: A Handbook of Literature and Research

by Steven E. Woodworth

Book Overview

The single most important volume for anyone interested in the Civil War to own and consult. (From the foreword by James M. McPherson) The first guide to Civil War literature to appear in nearly 30 years, this book provides the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and informative survey and analysis of the vast body of Civil War literature. More than 40 essays, each by a specialist in a particular subfield of Civil War history, offer unmatched thoroughness...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0313290199
• ISBN13: 9780313290190
• Release Date: December 1996
• Publisher: Greenwood
• Length: 768 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Excellent reference.

The American Civil War must be the most written-about episode in U.S. history, with as many as 70,000 titles thus far and more appearing every day. The sheer scope of the literature can be overwhelming. Where to start? The present work is an excellent jumping-off point, as it organizes the literature and research into eleven broad areas, then subdivides each into 47more specialized topics such as ordnance, social conditions, and economic factors, each of these then treated in a bibliographic essay by an expert on the subject. The result is a feast for beginner and old hand alike, opening the entire literature for browsing or focused research. Woodworth and colleagues have produced a work of enduring value, which deserves a place on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the Civil War. (The "score" rating is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

A Tome for the AGES.

This is one of those books that at first glance you might say it's too expensive. But it is an investment. This is an in depth and scholarly look at multiple genres of Civil War books of all sorts, cogently described with insightful essays. It will save many readers many tedious hours of searching through OCLC and other bibliographies. (Simply for the price of a stay overnight in a downtown Marriot.) Seriously though this distllation of years of work by a lot of heavy weight scholars will save you many hours of tedious digging. If you cannot persuade your local university or public library to buy it then by all means do so for yourself. In addition the book includes a listing of the book trade members, both publishers and dealers, who specialize in the Civil War. Carter Rila