#348031 in Books Jeff Shaara 2011 2006-04-25Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.10 x .60 x 7.10l; 1.41 #File Name: 0345464885288 pagesJeff Shaara s Civil War Battlefields Discovering America s Hallowed Ground
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Very Enjoyable Civil War Battlefiels GuideBy DustyOverall a great book! Each battlefield is well explained with an intro of the 'whys' of the battle; followed by a well detailed 'what happened' during the battle followed by the overall significance of the battle with relation to the war. After the historical background; the actual guide to the battlefield is plenty in-depth withoug getting into details that are better understood by actually walking the ground; which is ultimately the intent of the book. Jeff Shaara knows his history and his Civil War battlefields and this book is as much a pleasure to read as his historical Civil War novels. I highly recommend this guide for any battlefield visitor who wants more insight into the major battles portrayed and who wants to dig deeper into that period of US history.9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. "Over Hill; Over Dale; as we Beat the Dusty Trail"By Dr.Charles DusenburyGreat book! Why 4 stars instead of 5? I read the Kindle version. My pleasure was attenuated by the frustration of reading the poorly reproduced illustrations. Have a map near at hand; especially of Virginia. I was struck by the geographic compactness of the caldron of events out of which our proud nation was forged. Read on. It's worth it.This book gave me the cleanest; most compact view of the Civil War I have ever read. This is not a big volume; every battle fought book; but a ten concise chapter geographic and chronologic guide. Jeff Shaara takes the reader from the April 6; 1862 Shiloh Tennessee bloodletting reality of the struggle ahead to the tenth chapter tactical chess game around Petersburg Virginia that lead to the April 9; 1865 check mate of General Lee at nearby Appomattox.Each chapter begins with; "What Happened Here" followed by; "Why Is The battle Important"; giving a broader context relative to the progress of the war; and finally; "What You Should See". This last section is a good guide for the traveler; yet is so descriptive that even the arm chair traveler gets a real sense of the terrain and a visualization of the events that transpired.I recommend this book both to the generally curious and the studiously serious of the Civil War. It inspired me to specifically travel through the battlegrounds in the order Mr. Shaara so vividly portrays.Dr. Charles Dusenbury3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Shaara Perfects Historical Fiction of WartimesBy GeppettoI have read ALL of Jeff Shaara's books and just wish there were more. His historical fiction accounts are just riveting and so educational. I love the way he writes about events from the view of different and divergent personalities of the time. I wish these books were recommended reading when I was in school (72 years old now) because I would have had a MUCH higher level of interest in history. And I always think of Harry Truman's oft referenced quote as he read Plutarch's Lives...."There is nothing new in the world. It is all in the history books."