Our Favorite Books

If there’s one thing that all of us here have in common, it’s that we love books about the Civil War. That isn’t limited to us; there seems to be an insatiable demand for the genre. Biographies, campaign studies, atlases, firsthand accounts, unit histories…by one estimate, there are more than 60,000 published Civil War books, with more coming out all the time.

There’s something special about the promise and anticipation of picking up a Civil War book and cracking open the cover for the first time. Whether they’re used or new, antique or still sporting that fresh-book-smell, it’s safe to say that most of us have spent too much time, money and space on our book collection.

But amidst the piles of books, which ones really stand out? Which works have had the biggest impact on us as historians? Which are the books that we’re quickest to recommend to a friend, reference the most, or re-read time and time again?

We’ve asked Emerging Civil War members, and a few surprise guests, to tell us what their favorite Civil War books are. Over the next three weeks or so, we’ll be sharing those lists with you.

Whether it helps spark some ideas for the holiday season, or just lets you add to your endless to-be-read list, we hope you come away with some new ideas for your next book to read or give as a gift.

Part of a series.