First published 1990
Geoffrey C. Ward examines the American Civil War through the experiences of soldiers, politicians, and civilians caught in the nation's greatest crisis. Ward weaves together personal accounts, letters, and diaries to show how the conflict transformed individuals and the country itself. He traces the war's progression from its origins in slavery and sectional tensions through major battles and political decisions that shaped its outcome. The book reveals how ordinary people responded to extraordinary circumstances, from Union and Confederate soldiers facing death on battlefields to families torn apart by divided loyalties. Ward demonstrates how the war evolved from a fight to preserve the Union into a struggle that would end slavery and redefine American democracy. The narrative shows readers both the grand sweep of military and political strategy and the intimate human cost of a war that claimed over 600,000 lives.
Genres: history, american-civil-war, 20th-century, biography-memoir, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-drama
Setting: America, United States
Period: 19th Century, 20th Century
448 pages · Paperback · Knopf