No comments about The Civil War Letters of the Late 1st Lieut. James J. Hartley, 122nd Ohio Infantry Regiment.

No comments about Diary of a Christian Soldier: Rufus Kinsley and the Civil War.

3 comments about Cultures in Conflict--The American Civil War: (The Greenwood Cultures in Conflict Series).

1. 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



2. A Library reference tool



3. 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.)

No comments about Articles of War: Winners, Losers, and Some Who Were Both During the Civil War.

3 comments about The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Volume 19: July 1, 1868 - October 31, 1869 (U S Grant Papers).

1. "The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant" is a project begun in 1962 for the purpose of publishing all the known letters written by Ulysses S. Grant. Volume one was published in 1967 and there are now twenty-four volumes in the series. People who follow Grant's career are aware of the inestimable value of this project. The Papers contain all known correspondence written by Grant and letters received by him. The editing of the series is unparalleled and the volumes represent primary source material at its apex.

   Those who believe Grant was a "drunkard" or a "butcher" should read his own words, which show Grant's humor, pathos and unique personality. Masterfully edited by John Y. Simon, these volumes are a "must have" for anyone with an interest in U.S. Grant as a general, a politician and as a man




2. "The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant" is a project begun in 1962 for the purpose of publishing all the known letters written by Ulysses S. Grant. Volume one was published in 1967 and there are now twenty-four volumes in the series. People who follow Grant's career are aware of the inestimable value of this project. The Papers contain all known correspondence written by Grant and letters received by him. The editing of the series is unparalleled and the volumes represent primary source material at its apex.

   Those who believe Grant was a "drunkard" or a "butcher" should read his own words, which show Grant's humor, pathos and unique personality. Masterfully edited by John Y. Simon, these volumes are a "must have" for anyone with an interest in U.S. Grant as a general, a politician and as a man




3. The twenty-six (and counting!) volumes comprising all the known extant writings of Ulysses Grant are indeed a remarkable example of published primary source material. While every volume contains much material that is admittedly of trivial importance to even the most rabid Grant scholar, each book in this series also contains fascinating nuggets of information not found anywhere else. Anyone with even a casual interest in USG is sure to discover something worth reading in every volume. In gathering together not only all of Grant's known correspondence, but relevant peripheral documents, the editors of this series are doing a truly Herculean job and deserve great commendation.
   
   I have only a few quibbles with the series. The first involves something over which the editors had no control. I refer to the fact that, in the first few volumes (particularly Volume One,) Grant's descendants insisted that certain passages in Grant's letters to his fiancee-turned-wife Julia Dent that had been crossed out (either by Julia or other family members) not be published. This idiotic decision is not only extremely frustrating for the reader, but, ironically, damaging to Grant himself. By all accounts, the deleted passages contain nothing that could be considered detrimental to Grant's good name, but by leaving them out, these descendants unwittingly gave the impression that there was something to hide. Hopefully, in an "Appendix" volume at the end of the series, the editors will be sporting enough to include whatever deleted passages can be transcribed, and the series will at last be considered complete.
   
   My other complaints about this series are more minor. While each volume contains copious, and frequently illuminating, footnotes, the editors occasionally fail to provide enough context. That is to say, a brief, undetailed letter of Grant's will frequently be followed by several pages of footnotes providing other letters and documents on the same subject, without giving much information explaining what, exactly, it all meant. The reader who is not already fully informed on the subject being addressed is sometimes left feeling confused about what exactly is being discussed, and what its relevance may have been.
   
   Another drawback is, simply, the price. While these books are certainly handsomely--and obviously expensively--printed and bound, those of us who study history as a hobby rather than as a profession could wish for editions that were more cheaply done, and thus more affordable. Unless you are fortunate enough to have access to a good academic library, these extremely expensive (even when you buy second-hand) volumes are simply out-of-reach for many people. That's a great pity, because in these books is an "insider's view" of Grant that does not fully come across in any regular biography.

No comments about The Lincoln Forum: Rediscovering Abraham Lincoln (The North's Civil War, 21).

No comments about Robert E. Lee (Let Freedom Ring: Civil War Biographies).

No comments about Fighting for Time: The Battle of Monocacy.

No comments about Lee's Noble Soldier.

1 comments about Other Noted Guerrillas (of the Civil War in Missouri).

1. Written by historian Larry Wood, whose articles have appeared in "Blue and Gray Magazine" and "Missouri Historical Review" among other periodicals, Other Noted Guerrillas of the Civil War in Missouri is a close study of the more overlooked guerrilla fighters in Missouri. Most such studies focus especially upon Confederate leader William Quantrill and his close associates; Other Noted Guerrillas of the Civil War in Missouri scrutinizes fifteen guerrilla leaders who were not close to or had no association with Quantrill. From desperados and gangs to "The Notorious Sheriff Clem" and Bloody Bill's brother Jim, Other Noted Guerrillas of the Civil War in Missouri offers biographical information, highlights of major attacks and incidents undertaken by the guerrilla fighters, and a handful of black-and-white photographs. A welcome supplementary resource for Missouri Civil War reference libraries, due to its in-depth focus on fighters who carved their mark on history even though they received less renown for it.