While there are many courses and tutorials online, learning from a book is still one of the best ways to greatly improve your skills. Below I have selected top Civil War books.
- Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (2003)
- The Coming Civil War (2018)
- The War That Forged a Nation: Why the Civil War Still Matters (2017)
- Civil War II (2017)
- Civil War Volumes 1-3 Box Set (1986)
- Civil War (2007)
- The American War: A History of the Civil War Era (2016)
- The Civil War (American Heritage Books) (2004)
- Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War (A Nation Divided: Studies in the Civil War Era) (2017)
- The Complete Civil War Road Trip Guide: More than 500 Sites from Gettysburg to Vicksburg (Second Edition) (2016)
- Confederate Reckoning: Power and Politics in the Civil War South (2012)
- The Civil War: The Story of the War with Maps (2014)
- No Flinching From Fire: The 65th New York Volunteer Infantry in the American Civil War (2019)
- The Causes of the Civil War (Debating American History Series) (2019)
- Civil War On Sunday (Magic Tree House #21) (2000)
Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (2003)
Filled with fresh interpretations and information, puncturing old myths and challenging new ones, Battle Cry of Freedom will unquestionably become the standard one-volume history of the Civil War.James McPherson’s fast-paced narrative fully integrates the political, social, and military events that crowded the two decades from the outbreak of one war in Mexico to the ending of another at Appomattox.
The Coming Civil War (2018)
War is coming. The first skirmishes are already being fought. The crisis America faces is between two incompatible visions of the future, and a nation sharply divided between them. Will we become this diverse beacon of tolerance where we forget our past and embrace socialism and political correctness?
The War That Forged a Nation: Why the Civil War Still Matters (2017)
More than 140 years ago, Mark Twain observed that the Civil War had “uprooted institutions that were centuries old, changed the politics of a people, transformed the social life of half the country, and wrought so profoundly upon the entire national character that the influence cannot be measured short of two or three generations.” I…
Civil War II (2017)
When a new Inhuman named Ulysses emerges with uncanny precognitive powers, Earth’s protectors must wrestle with the dramatic consequences. And when one of Ulysses’ visions leads to tragedy, an old friendship reaches a breaking point over a devastating loss as longtime teammates Captain Marvel and Iron Man fi nd themselves at odds. What does it mean to be a hero? Is it right to act now on crimes yet to be committed? Do the ends justify the means? And how reliable is Ulysses’ gift?
Civil War Volumes 1-3 Box Set (1986)
Foote’s comprehensive history of the Civil War includes three compelling volumes: Fort Sumter to Perryville, Fredericksburg to Meridian, and Red River to Appomattox. Collected together in a handsome boxed set, this is the perfect gift for any Civil War buff.
Civil War (2007)
The landscape of the Marvel Universe is changing, and it’s time to choose: Whose side are you on? A conflict has been brewing from more than a year, threatening to pit friend against friend, brother against brother – and all it will take is a single misstep to cost thousands their lives and ignite the fuse.
The American War: A History of the Civil War Era (2016)
In The American War, renowned historians Gary W. Gallagher and Joan Waugh provide a fresh examination of the Civil War, its aftermath, and enduring memory in a masterful work that prize-winning historian William C. Davis calls, “easily the best one-volume assessment of the Civil War to date.”Nothing had prepared Americans for the fury that ensued when eleven slaveholding states seceded and formed the Confederacy in 1860-1861.
The Civil War (American Heritage Books) (2004)
Introduced by the critically acclaimed Civil War historian James M. McPherson, The Civil War vividly traces one of the most moving chapters in American history, from the early division between the North and the South to the final surrender of Confederate troops. Catton’s account of battles is a must-read for anyone interested in the war that divided America, carefully weaving details about the political activities of the Union and Confederate armies and diplomatic efforts overseas.
Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War (A Nation Divided: Studies in the Civil War Era) (2017)
Charles Dew’s Apostles of Disunion has established itself as a modern classic and an indispensable account of the Southern states’ secession from the Union.
The Complete Civil War Road Trip Guide: More than 500 Sites from Gettysburg to Vicksburg (Second Edition) (2016)
The definitive guidebook for Civil War tourists, from the novice historian to the die-hard buff For those who can’t resist trying to see it all, this indispensable book contains information on and reviews of almost 450 historical sites across the United States related to the Civil War, including all 384 of the principal battlefields listed by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission.
Confederate Reckoning: Power and Politics in the Civil War South (2012)
The story of the Confederate States of America, the proslavery, antidemocratic nation created by white Southern slaveholders to protect their property, has been told many times in heroic and martial narratives. Now, however, Stephanie McCurry tells a very different tale of the Confederate experience. When the grandiosity of Southerners’ national ambitions met the harsh realities of wartime crises, unintended consequences ensued.
The Civil War: The Story of the War with Maps (2014)
For readers addicted to histories or novels about the Civil War, a common challenge is the lack of adequate maps. This excellent volume satisfies that need, once and for all: It’s the clearest, fullest collection of strategic and tactical maps available, a fine volume on its own and an indispensable aid to understanding many another book. Few works truly are ‘must-haves’ for a Civil War collection, but this one’s essential.
No Flinching From Fire: The 65th New York Volunteer Infantry in the American Civil War (2019)
The 65th NY Volunteer infantry, trained in New York during the summer and arriving in Washington, D.C. in September 1861, saw action in most of the key battles fought by the Army of the Potomac in the Civil War. First fighting at a small skirmish at Lewinsville that very month, the regiment went on to fight at Fair Oaks/Seven Pines, Malvern Hill, and Fredericksburg in 1862.
The Causes of the Civil War (Debating American History Series) (2019)
Embracing an argument-based model for teaching history, the Debating American History series encourages students to participate in a contested, evidence-based discourse about the human past. Each book poses a question that historians debate–How democratic was the U.S. Constitution?
Civil War On Sunday (Magic Tree House #21) (2000)
The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! Cannon fire! That’s what Jack and Annie hear when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to the time of the American Civil War. There they meet a famous nurse named Clara Barton and do their best to help wounded soldiers. It is their hardest journey in time yet—and the one that will make the most difference to their own lives!
Best Civil War Books That Will Hook You
We highly recommend you to buy all paper or e-books in a legal way, for example, on Amazon. But sometimes it might be a need to dig deeper beyond the shiny book cover. Before making a purchase, you can visit resources like Library Genesis and download some civil war books mentioned below at your own risk. Once again, we do not host any illegal or copyrighted files, but simply give our visitors a choice and hope they will make a wise decision.
Ethnic Apocalypse: The Coming European Civil War
Author(s): Guillaume Faye
ID: 2440869, Publisher: Arktos Media Ltd., Year: 5 July 2019, Size: 1020 Kb, Format: epub
None Died in Vain: The Saga of the American Civil War
Author(s): Robert Leckie
ID: 2438092, Publisher: HarperCollins, Year: 25 Sept 2001, Size: 2 Mb, Format: epub
The Day the Great War Ended, 24 July 1923: The Civilianization of War
Author(s): Jay Winter
ID: 3536747, Publisher: Oxford University Press, Year: 2023, Size: 3 Mb, Format: pdf
Please note that this booklist is not definite. Some books are absolutely hot items according to Washington Post, others are written by unknown writers. On top of that, you can always find additional tutorials and courses on Coursera, Udemy or edX, for example. Are there any other relevant books you could recommend? Drop a comment if you have any feedback on the list.