Synopses & Reviews
This analysis of the American Civil War pieces together a complex sequence of events, at the centre of which was slavery and the issue of its expansion into America's western territories. The author examines the political controversy that severed the bonds of union, and depicts the leading political and military figures of the era, including William Lloyd Garrison, Nat Turner, Dred Scott, John Brown and Abraham Lincoln. The text also describes the innovations of 19th century warfare and the superior resources that enabled the North to emerge victorious. The book is illustrated throughout with rare photographs from the collection of the Chicago Historical Society.
Review
"A concise history of the causes, impact and aftershocks of the Civil War--a brisk, lucid, highly readable survey. . . . Will be irresistible to Civil War aficionados. . . . [Foner] is a thoughtful historian with a novelist's eye for color and detail and a journalist's talent for cutting to the heart of his arguments. . . . An essential contribution to the Civil War bookshelf." Harold Holzer
Synopsis
"A graceful, informed overview of the antebellum U.S., the Civil War years, and the conflict's great aftermath. Best of all are the portrayed exhibit pieces." --
About the Author
Eric Foner is DeWitt Clinton Professor of History at Columbia University, where he earned his B.A. and Ph.D. In his teaching and scholarship, Foner focuses on the Civil War and Reconstruction, slavery, and nineteenth-century America. His most recent book,
The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Bancroft Prize, and the Lincoln Prize. His
Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863–1877, won the Bancroft, Parkman, and
Los Angeles Times Book prizes and remains the standard history of the period. In 2006 Foner received the Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching at Columbia University. He has served as president of the Organization of American Historians, the American Historical Association, and the Society of American Historians.
Olivia Mahoney is Associate Curator of Decorative and Industrial Arts, Chicago Historical Society.