Fields of Fury: The American Civil War - Hardcover

McPherson, James M.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0689848331 ISBN 13: 9780689848339

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002

Synopsis

Pulitzer Prize award-winning historian James M. McPherson has written for young readers a stirring account of the greatest conflict to happen on our nation's soil, the Civil War, bringing to life the tragic struggle that divided not only a nation, but also friends and family. From the initial Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, to the devastating loss of life at Shiloh as Ulysses S. Grant led the Union to unexpected victory, to the brilliance of Stonewall Jackson's campaign at Shenandoah, to General Pickett's famous charge at Gettysburg, to the Union's triumph at Appo-mattox Court House, Fields of Fury details the war that helped shape us as a nation.
Also included are personal anecdotes from the soldiers at the battlefront and the civilians at home, as well as profiles of historical luminaries such as Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Ulysses S. Grant. McPherson also explores the varied roles that women played during the war, healthcare on the battlefield, and the demise of slavery.
McPherson's narrative is highlighted with black-and-white photographs taken by Civil War photographers Mathew Brady and Timothy O'Sullivan, period oil paintings, and key campaign and battlefield maps, that make Fields of Fury the consummate book on the American Civil War for kids.

About this title

About the Author

James M. McPherson, PhD, an American history expert and one of the most distinguished historians of our time, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1989 for Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. His other bestselling books include For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War, Drawn with the Sword: Reflections on the American Civil War, What They Fought For, 1861-1865; Gettysburg: The Paintings of Mort Kunstler, Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution; and Fields of Fury. An active preservationist, he has served on the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission since 1991. Dr. McPherson was named the Jefferson Lecturer in the Humanities for 2000 by the National Endowment for the Humanities. A professor at Princeton University, he lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

Reviews

Grade 5-8-A distinguished historian has used his formidable talents to produce a concise, accessible, and appealing history in an attractive format. In 41 well-written one or two page chapters, McPherson summarizes the major facts of the war and relates anecdotes that bring to life the conflict's participants, from the commanders in chief to the soldiers on the front lines. Interspersed with accounts of the principal battles are discussions of other important issues, such as slavery, how the war was financed, the roles of African Americans and women, life on the home front, treatment of prisoners of war, and the effects of Reconstruction. Each chapter contains a sidebar of "quick facts," and the book as a whole is enhanced by a profusion of illustrations, many full page, including vintage black-and-white photographs and drawings, period oil paintings in full color, and color maps depicting the locations of campaigns and battlefields. A good pick for researchers and browsers alike.
Starr E. Smith, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 6-8. This large-format book provides an attractive and readable introduction to the Civil War. A Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who has published many books on the war, McPherson writes with authority, offering a broad overview as well as many details and anecdotes that give his account a human dimension. A typical double-page spread comprises several paragraphs of text focused on a single topic; a sidebar of quick facts; a small, captioned picture; and a large, full-page picture. The many fine illustrations include period photographs, paintings, prints, some excellent maps and, on the endpapers, a time line of the war. Topics include single battles and leaders as well as broader subjects, such as the Emancipation Proclamation and African American soldiers. Completing the presentation are a lengthy glossary, a bibliography, and a list of recommended Web sites. A good balance of information and illustration on a topic of perennial interest. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0689848331
• ISBN 13: 9780689848339
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96