Books on the Civil war.

[Costello]

Was wondering if anyone has any recommended reading on the civil war. A list of the more readable histories? Also soldiers biographies? I have only one book on the Civil war in my library but it's in storage along with most of my life. & I can't get at it!  Picked it up on a whim in Waterstones as it was a complete history full of maps along with some first hand accounts. Wish I could get at it now. How about a list of the best readable ones?

[Pinball Wizard]

One of my favorite books of all times "Killer Angels", its about generals during Gettysburg. Read it in 3 days, looks like a long book, but when you get drawn in it, its really not long enough.

[MackCW]

Two of my favorites.

Si Klegg, you can buy it or read part of it here. A novel written by a civil war veteran.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31771/31771-h/31771-h.htm

A Volunteers adventures by Deforest, best soldiers biography ever written. He was already a published novelist when the war broke out so his attention to detail is unmatched.

http://www.amazon.com/Volunteers-Adventures-Union-Captains-Record/dp/0807120847

[Costello]

Thanks for those. Unfortunately the volunteer adventures is unavailable here in the at least on amazon. Though I may track it down. Not sure about the other two yet. Would like to know a bit more before battle! Have a great love of reading history.

[Costello]

In case anybody else is interested. Here in the uk Waterstones online have the Deforest book. It's on my Christmas list!

[TheZach_Attack]

If you want a veryyyy long read try Shelby Foote's Novel it covers a lot.

[Sir Lyra]

Well, I don't know how attainable the set is, but I happen to have a copy of "The Photographic History of the Civil War," though it isn't just photographs and covers quite a lot of information.

Amazon has a few of the books, though not first edition.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/179-4567544-0149956?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The%20Photographic%20History%20of%20the%20Civil%20War

It does cover a wide variety of topics with many pictures strewn about here and there, covers everything from the beginning of the war, to soldiers life, to the existing secret services at the time.

Here is a few pictures of the book set I have, if anyone is curious:
https://i.imgur.com/NYTCL
https://i.imgur.com/RGYfz
https://i.imgur.com/ol1Vu
__________________
http://www.civilwardigital.com/html/photographic_history_of_the_ci.html
(Sorry if this is a bit gloat-y, I'm excited and I recently found these books, and this is also my first post.)

[DeoVindice61]

Last  year, started my epic journey of civil war books.

Heres What I've read or bought

Gods and General
Killer Angels
Last Full Measure
(They were wonderfully written and kept me looking forward to the next page)

Co. Aytch, 1st Tennessee Regiment, Maury's Gray or The Slideshow of Big Show
(Personal first person written of a private in 1stTenn, very detailed)

Eyewitness of Pickett's Charge
(Excellent collection of all report of anyone involving the charge)

Chancellorsville (Stephen W. Sears)
(Haven't read but I grabbed it because I heard its pretty good book on Chancellorsville)

The Red Badge of Courage
(A classic lol)

Longstreet: From Manassas to Appamatox
(Suppose to be his complete recollection of the war)

Mosby's Memior
(John Singleton Mosby of the Mosby Rangers (47th VA Batt. Cav) he had a quite of adventure)

This is what I have so far. I'm half way done with Pickett's Charge, coming up next is Chancellorsville then time for me to hit up the stores for more CW books.

[Bonnie Blue Casterline]

"The Civil War: A Narrative" in its 3 volume entirety is the standard for me. Some may be intimidated by the daunting task of beginning such a massive read (almost 3,000 pages), but I can assure you that after just the first few pages it stops being about simply reading and becomes more of a frenzied desire to consume all 1.2 million words.

Anything by Bruce Catton deserves a look in my opinion, he set the standard in the 1950s/1960s that is still what modern writings on the subject are measured to this day.  A personal favorite of mine is also "Gettysburg" by Stephen W Sears. That book stands a full head and shoulders above "The Killer Angels", no other historic account of any event is as easy and enjoyable to read as Sears' work. Sears also penned "Landscape Turned Red" which is based around the Battle of Antietam/Sharpsburg, it's very good as well.

Avoid anything by James McPherson like the plague. This is obviously just a suggestion based on opinion, but seriously the guy is awful.