Gettysburg: The Definitive Account of the Civil War's Turning Point―A Comprehensive Narrative History

A comprehensive history of the Battle of Gettysburg by one of today's leading historians.

The greatest of all Civil War campaigns, Gettysburg was the turning point of the turning point in our nation’s history. Volumes have been written about this momentous three-day battle, but recent histories have tended to focus on the particulars rather than the big picture: on the generals or on single days of battle―even on single charges―or on the daily lives of the soldiers. In Gettysburg, Sears tells the whole story in a definitive single-volume history. From the first gleam in Robert E. Lee’s eye to the last Rebel hightailing it back across the Potomac, every moment of the battle is brought to life with the vivid narrative skill and impeccable scholarship that has made Stephen Sears’s histories so successful. Based on years of research, this is the first book in a generation that brings everything together, sorts it all out, makes informed judgments, and takes stands. Even the most knowledgeable of Civil War buffs will find fascinating new material and new interpretations, and Sears’s famously accessible style will make the book just as appealing to the general reader.

This landmark account explores every facet of the pivotal three-day battle:

• Comprehensive History: Finally, the full story of the three-day battle in a single, gripping volume―from the initial strategic planning to the final retreat across the Potomac.
• Narrative History: Go beyond dry facts and figures with Stephen Sears’s vivid, accessible writing that brings the soldiers, generals, and high-stakes decisions to life.
• Strategic Overview: While other books focus on single charges or generals, Sears masterfully connects every action to the larger strategic picture of the Civil War.
• New Interpretations: Based on years of impeccable research, this account offers fresh insights and informed judgments that will engage even the most seasoned Civil War buffs.

STEPHEN W. SEARS is the author of many award-winning books on the Civil War, including Gettysburg and Landscape Turned Red. A former editor at American Heritage, he lives in Connecticut.,