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IRL (In Real Life) => Books & Reading => Topic started by: WallysWorld on June 15, 2021, 03:46:15 PM

Title: Shelby Foote's ACW trilogy if you've already read McPherson's book?
Post by: WallysWorld on June 15, 2021, 03:46:15 PM
So I've read and re-read James M. McPherson's "Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era" many times and obviously thoroughly enjoy it.

I'm looking at ordering some stuff from Amazon and thinking of ordering Foote's trilogy while I'm am it. If you've read McPherson, is it worth it to get Foote's trilogy? Obviously Foote's books are way bigger, but would I just be almost repeating what McPherson wrote?

Any opinions are welcome and thanked for.
Title: Re: Shelby Foote's ACW trilogy if you've already read McPherson's book?
Post by: Tripoli on June 15, 2021, 08:19:27 PM
I might suggest How the North Won by Hattaway and Jones (Used copies available for $2.09 here

https://www.amazon.com/How-North-Won-Military-History/dp/0252009185/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ZQ7QYHCBSJ6B&dchild=1&keywords=how+the+north+won&qid=1623806262&s=books&sprefix=How+the+North%2Cstripbooks%2C188&sr=1-1

It is a 1 volume work, and has some good insights
Title: Re: Shelby Foote's ACW trilogy if you've already read McPherson's book?
Post by: nelmsm on June 15, 2021, 08:40:44 PM
I loved Foote's books.  Thought they were well worth the read.  Might have a slight Confederate bias but just something about his style grabbed me and they just flow so well.
Title: Re: Shelby Foote's ACW trilogy if you've already read McPherson's book?
Post by: bobarossa on June 15, 2021, 08:50:30 PM
I also loved Foote's books.  I'm from the North and still felt he was fairly balanced.
Title: Re: Shelby Foote's ACW trilogy if you've already read McPherson's book?
Post by: JasonPratt on June 15, 2021, 09:17:10 PM
I would think any in-depth account of the war would be better, as such, than McPherson's Battle Cry. That's a great book, but not really focused on the ACW.
Title: Re: Shelby Foote's ACW trilogy if you've already read McPherson's book?
Post by: WallysWorld on June 16, 2021, 09:52:24 AM
Thanks for the replies. I went ahead and ordered Foote's first book and will see later if I want the other two books in the series.
Title: Re: Shelby Foote's ACW trilogy if you've already read McPherson's book?
Post by: Toonces on June 16, 2021, 01:19:41 PM
Foote's trilogy gives you way, way more information on the war and the battles than in McPherson.  I think the portion on Gettysburg alone is like 150 pages.  It's a real commitment to get through all three volumes, but if you're an ACW fan I can't see how you can pass up those iconic books.

Bruce Catton's books are also very well written.
Title: Re: Shelby Foote's ACW trilogy if you've already read McPherson's book?
Post by: JasonPratt on June 16, 2021, 03:23:13 PM
I'm hoping to get to my collection of Catton's books next year (after finishing Churchill's WW2).