American Civil war books

Any recommendations

Copperhead Bernard Cornwall, fiction based around factual events as always, he wrote a couple, Starbuck Chronicles they were called.

More of an historical detail merchant to be honest

not a book but the Ken burns the civil war is superb.

Cuts across the historical narrative in some different ways and I found it quite comprehensive, but then I’m not an expert so I don’t really know.

John Keegan is a very highly regarded military historian, so I’d start with that.

Battle Cry of Freedom. James McPherson

This is very good. One of the key sources on my degree 20 years ago, I still occasionally thumb through it.

Cheers chaps

also the wikipedia entries for each specific battle makes excellent reference.

Another vote for Battle Cry of Freedom.

There’s a good list here: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/books/americas#wiki_united_states

From a slightly different perspective I’m reading Team of Rivals at the moment: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Team-Rivals-Political-Abraham-Lincoln/dp/0141043725

It’s about how the Republican party came into being, how Lincoln ended up the nominee and then President and how slavery and secession were the backdrop to the politics of the whole era. It’s about how he formed his cabinet and then led the North through the Civil War.