Good Civil War Novels?

[lgm270]

Can anyone recommend some good civil war novels?

[ro]

Any book that Shelby Foote wrote, I was at the Memphis Civil War Reclic Show years ago just walking around and looking at displays, got to talking to this older man, we walk around for a while and talking, I kept saying to myself I know this man, after a while I asked him was he Shelby Foote, he said yes I am how did you know, I told him I had and read all of his books, he said you are first here today who even knew who I am, this was just before the Ken Burns Civil War PBS show aired, I will never forget my two hours with Shelby Foote.

[Ga.windbreak]

Can anyone recommend some good civil war novels?

If you will give us an idea of where your interest lie I'm sure several of us can give you a heads up. The reading material about this war will fill several 18 wheelers and the subjects are just as varied.
 
I'm not trying to be sarcastic just want to lead you into the direction you would like to go.

[BUGEYE]

though its fiction, my favorite CW war book and movie is Gone with the wind.

[lgm270]

Can anyone recommend some good civil war novels?

If you will give us an idea of where your interest lie I'm sure several of us can give you a heads up. The reading material about this war will fill several 18 wheelers and the subjects are just as varied.
 
I'm not trying to be sarcastic just want to lead you into the direction you would like to go.

Hi Windbreak.  I am interested in writing a civil war novel based on original, primary civil war sources such as letters, diaries, etc.  I intend to write it from the southern perspective.     The white southern population suffered horribly during the war, in no small measure as a result of the Union policy of intentionally targeting the civilian population and the agricultural economy on which that population depended for food and necessaries.  Some, like Gen. Sherman, openly spoke of exterminating Southern whites.  I'm not aware of any discussion by Southern whites of ever exterminating blacks, although blacks, who suffered comparatively little in the civil war, are universally considered to be its victims.  There was, in effect, a Southern holocaust  waged against the white population and I think more needs to be said about this. 

[reliquary]

I'm a fan of alternative history, and the master of that genre' is Harry Turtledove...top of the line is "Guns of the South". 
 
He also has another series, probably 12-14 novels, with the same premise (South wins the war).  His characterizations of the historical figures are deadly accurate. 
 
+1 on Shelby Foote.  I have a lot his works and have found them to be very accurate. 

[crustylicious]

My favirite- Andersonville by McKinley Kantor.

[Spirithawk]

I always liked Across Five Aprils and Red Badge of Courage. I've got a paperback that is the story of a Civil War doctor that is interesting as heck. He started out self taught and it's about his struggle to get acredited. It gives some real insight into what every day life was like, both military and civilian, at the time and it is very well written. Can't recall the name but I'll dig it out and post it later.
 
Ok, I found it. It's called The Brooks Legend by William Donohue Ellis published by Paperback Library

[Ga.windbreak]

Can anyone recommend some good civil war novels?

If you will give us an idea of where your interest lie I'm sure several of us can give you a heads up. The reading material about this war will fill several 18 wheelers and the subjects are just as varied.
 
I'm not trying to be sarcastic just want to lead you into the direction you would like to go.

Hi Windbreak.  I am interested in writing a civil war novel based on original, primary civil war sources such as letters, diaries, etc.  I intend to write it from the southern perspective.     The white southern population suffered horribly during the war, in no small measure as a result of the Union policy of intentionally targeting the civilian population and the agricultural economy on which that population depended for food and necessaries.  Some, like Gen. Sherman, openly spoke of exterminating Southern whites.  I'm not aware of any discussion by Southern whites of ever exterminating blacks, although blacks, who suffered comparatively little in the civil war, are universally considered to be its victims.  There was, in effect, a Southern holocaust  waged against the white population and I think more needs to be said about this.

I will be back shortly with a list that may help you though some are already posted here above this post.
 
Give me some time and I'll also PM you with a site that will help even more.
 
I too think first person writings are the best and most truthful. Giving a picture of life in the south uncluttered by today's PC thinking. Though there are many of todays historians/writers who are great at the nuts and bolts type facts they put todays morals on the life style of 150 years ago which imvho warps any chance to get an actual picture of life during that colorful time.

[Ga.windbreak]

As I promised:
 
http://clevelandcivilwarroundtable.com/library.htm
 
http://www.amazon.com/Berry-Bensons-Civil-War-Book/dp/0820314870
 
http://www.amazon.com/Sarah-Morgan-Civil-Diary-Southern/dp/0671785036/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319496581&sr=1-10
 
http://www.amazon.com/Life-George-Smith-Founder-Sedalia/dp/1144939909/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319496819&sr=1-14
 
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Johnny-Reb-Soldier-Confederacy/dp/0807104752/ref=sr_1_49?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319497144&sr=1-49
 
http://www.amazon.com/Josie-Underwoods-Civil-War-Diary/dp/0813125316/ref=pd_sim_b_1
 
http://www.amazon.com/Brokenburn-Journal-1861-1868-Southern-Civilization/dp/0807120170/ref=pd_sim_b_2
 
http://www.amazon.com/Gleanings-Southland-Sketches-secession-extracts/dp/B0008629AA/ref=sr_1_57?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319497684&sr=1-57
 
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Letters-Joel-Chandler-Harris/dp/111203854X/ref=sr_1_61?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319497784&sr=1-61#_
 
http://www.amazon.com/War-Time-Journal-Georgia-Girl-1864-1865/dp/080325931X
also the electronic edision of the above.
http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/andrews/andrews.html
 
The last one I've found to be most interesting, hope you will enjoy, I also hope this small list will start you on your way. The very best of luck to you.

[mdwest]

The Killer Angels - Michael Shaara
 
Required reading (for over 20 years) at West Point, The Special Forces Officers Qualification Course, The Basic School for Marine Officers, and several other notable military programs/courses..
 
It was the books that the movie "Gettysburg" was based on..
 
 
 
 

[mcwoodduck]

Jeff Shaara, also wrote two othe Civil war books.
"Gods and Generals" - The years before "the Killer Angles"  Made into the Movie of the same name  (killer Angles was the movie Gettysburg)
And the book after "Killer Angles" - "the last full measure"
There are also two Novels (fiction - Based on facts ) By Harold Coyle
"Until the End"  and "Look Away".  The stories of two Brothers from NJ that end up on opposite sides of the war.  Good books.  "Look Away" is first.

[.22-5-40]

Hello, Igm270.  With Sherman To The Sea.  This is a first hand account from the diary of a 12 year old drummer boy from Michigan..Very good read!

[wncchester]

"My favirite- Andersonville by McKinley Kantor." 
 
Agreed, an excellant read.  Ditto his 'If the South Had Won the Civil War'.  Kantor has a rare knack for weaving known facts into a very plausable story and puts human faces on the events without the frequent spin to make the South look mean and stupid.

[Spirithawk]

Just picked up a book at a local thrift store that should be interesting. It's called Co (o has a line under it) AYTCH, A Confederate Soldiers Memoirs. By Sam R. Watkins published by Collier Books. If you truly want to learn about something there is no better way than from someone who actualy experienced it.

[wncchester]

"Co AYTCH" (H) is an excellant if narrow history written from a southern grunt's point of view but it's not a novel.  Sam R. Watkins was an excellant soldier and a good but not great writer; in a way, I think his book may be all the better for that.  He comes across as a common man dealing with a very hard life without complaint.

[Jesse168]

"Co AYTCH" (H) is an excellant if narrow history written from a southern grunt's point of view but it's not a novel.  Sam R. Watkins was an excellant soldier and a good but not great writer; in a way, I think his book may be all the better for that.  He comes across as a common man dealing with a very hard life without complaint.

20 years after the war he was approched to write for local newspaper a series about his experiences during the war.  This book was compiled from that series.

[IronBrigade]

STORMING LITTLE ROUND TOP by Phillip Thomas Tucker. It's about the 15th Alabama and their fight for the high ground on little round top. Most everyone knows the story of the 20th Maine and Joshua Chamberlain defending little round top, not many know about the 15th Alabama and their Colonel William Oates. This is their story. Great Book

[renegade50]

the man behind the guns
 
 
 
 
story of mg henry hunt (vol) brvt
 
 
in charge of the army of the potomacs artillery thru out most of the war
 
 
 
story of one of the truly unrecognized generals of the civil war
and how someone can be really screwed by their own goverment for their veiws
even though he was too indespensable to ever replace