A Short History of the Civil War

“Stokesbury’s rare combination of scholarship and readability merits the highest recommendation.”
—Booklist

In commemoration of the 150^th anniversary of America’s bloody War Between the States, Harper Paperbacks is republishing A Short History of the Civil War by noted historian James L. Stokesbury with a new photo insert. A concise and compelling full account of the brutal conflict that redefined the nation, Stokesbury covers the war’s causes and major battles (Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg, etc.), the important players and generals (Grant, Lee, McClellan and others), as well as the weaponry, the unsung heroes, and a wealth of fascinating, little-known details in what is the definitive, one-volume history of the momentous struggle between the Confederacy and the Union.

The Definitive One-Volume History of the American Civil War

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the pivotal conflict of the nation’s history. It was a wardefined by savage brutality, untold human costs, and monumental political crises that left theliteral and social landscape of the nation forever changed. One hundred fifty years later, itcontinues to hold a powerful grip on the American psyche. In A Short History of the Civil War, notedhistorian James L. Stokesbury dramatically and concisely chronicles the important events leading upto the war and, using maps, recounts its decisive battles while describing the strategies and tactics ofthe North’s and South’s prominent commanders. Drawing on fascinating details and little-known facts,Stokesbury also brings to life the generals—Grant, Lee, Hooker, McClellan, Jackson—and the unsungheroes of this great struggle between the Union and the Confederacy.

“Perceptive and concise... Stokesbury describes the Civil War as America’s defining experience both for the causes involved and for the tremendous human and material costs.” - Publishers Weekly

“Stokesbury accomplishes what few American history teachers can boast-he covers the entire Civil War in a mere 350 pages....Concise....Important....Invaluable.” - School Library Journal

“Stokesbury manages to encompass all the major events and personalities, discuss the origins of the war in slavery and sectionalism, maintain balance in coverage of both sides, and add an excellent brief bibliographic essay. As are his other works, this one is distinguished by a pleasant dry wit that readers may seek in vain from most contemporary historians. No less remarkable, Stokesbury accomplishes everything he does in considerably fewer pages than any of his three major coevals used in their books, let alone in less space than is taken by many of the ponderous texts on lightweight topics that burden the shelves of Civil War collections. Stokesbury’s rare combination of scholarship and readability merits the highest recommendation.” - Booklist