|
Post by Fingerplucked on Jan 14, 2016 21:41:35 GMT -5
“American Heritage History of the Civil War” by Bruce Catton and James M. McPherson
Reading it now. It’s fairly short and gives good treatment on the initial causes of the war as well as strategies and motivations as the war progressed.
Note: I probably wouldn’t have started a thread on this book, but the new book section needed a little attention.
|
|
|
Post by godotwaits on Feb 13, 2016 20:50:42 GMT -5
Since the subject is the "Civil War," may I toss into the mix: "The Black Flower." A stunning narrative of the battle of Franklin, Tennessee. Howard Bahr is an excellent historian and articulate writer in the Faulknerian sense. He was custodian of the Faulkner museum for many years, as a matter of fact. This book stands as an antidote to Stephan Crane's accepted classic and will become accepted to the canon of American classic literature. I'm still stunned that almost no one has heard of it.
|
|
|
Post by Fingerplucked on Feb 13, 2016 22:27:16 GMT -5
THREAD DRIFT!!!
It seems every month or so, at least once in a row, somebody stops in here and posts about a book they read.
|
|
|
Post by godotwaits on Feb 18, 2016 21:46:17 GMT -5
My apologies, plucked. I didn't mean to interrupt your concentration.
I promise to darken your door no more.
|
|
|
Post by Fingerplucked on Feb 18, 2016 22:24:00 GMT -5
I hope you’re joking. I was.
Your post was on topic. Even if it wasn’t, it’s so quiet in here I can hear my microbiota evolving, so it’s not like it’s even possible to distract anybody.
|
|
|
Post by godotwaits on Feb 21, 2016 18:37:41 GMT -5
Well yeah. Sort of. Wasn't really sure.
I've always been somewhat fascinated with the Civil War ("the War Between the States" southern preferred title) and US History in general.
May I recommend Gary W Gallagher's "Great Courses" survey of that conflagration. It's 48 lectures long. But a truly good survey from top to bottom. I got it on cassettes at a time in my life when I was driving a lot and could put 'em on while driving. I think I listened to all of them at least twice.
I would like to take an even more serious interest in World History, but heyzus!! it's so vast. My point of reference was my great great grandfather, Sen Benjamin F Wade, whose sons (which would include my great grandfather as a West Point attendee but not graduate) led the Buffalo Soldiers at the Battle of Salt Creek.
As a Vietnam veteran, I watch such things as "Gettysburg" and "Saving Private Ryan" with a genuine appreciation for "Thank God I missed that one!" Many, many many of us were born at the wrong time in history and sometimes it takes a point of reflection to appreciate our good fortune. And sometimes it takes a serious distance of reflection to appreciate where our country is coming from.
|
|
|
Post by godotwaits on Feb 21, 2016 19:29:58 GMT -5
and oh! a btw. Don't know how many denizens of this forum may have gone through the same thing, but my parents subscribed to American Heritage and collected them much like some people did National Geos. We had bookcases of them. As a kid I used to pour through them endlessly. Hardly sure how much how much of it sank into my immature mind, but I looked at all of them on many a boring day. I think it was my father who took the particular interest.
|
|
|
Post by Fingerplucked on Feb 21, 2016 21:24:18 GMT -5
I like your suggestion. I just put Gallagher’s course on my Audible wishlist.
I’m not getting in much driving time anymore, and after listening to the NYT and four daily news podcasts, I’m not getting in much book time at all. I have 4 Audible credits with another on the way, waiting to be spent while I slowly work through the book I’m on now. I can only rollover 6 credits, so by next month I’ll have to pick something new. I have plenty of nonfiction books lined up as possibles. I’m also thinking about getting the Harry Potter series.
The other Great Courses “books” I’ve listened to have all been pretty good, so there’s a good chance I’ll go with Gallagher for the next one.
|
|