The Library of Congress Civil War Desk Reference - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0684863502 ISBN 13: 9780684863504

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2002

Synopsis

A single-volume resource contains a timeline of the war; biographies of important figures; listings of major campaigns and battles; coverage of political and social movements during Antebellum, wartime, and Reconstruction periods; and a resource guide for further research. 35,000 first printing.

About this title

About the Author:

Magaret E. Wagner is a writer and editor at the Library of Congress who has contributed essays on military history to many Library publications. She was coeditor of Mapping the Civil War, America's Treasures in the Library of Congress, and The Nation's Library.

From Booklist:

The Civil War remains a fascinating and controversial event in American history. The fate of the nation and of slavery hung in the balance, and the resolution affects America today. Following the popular desk reference format, this work provides a thematic approach to the war.

Beginning with the antebellum period, the 13 chapters cover topics such as "Wartime Politics," "Battles and Battlefields," "Medical Care and Medicine," "The Home Front," and "The Civil War in Literature and the Arts." Most chapters include a chronology, and these, although somewhat repetitive, help place events in proper order. Although the maps are sometimes a bit hard to read (such as "Seven Days Battles," which is jammed with information), they do help in understanding troop location, topography, and movements. A section on mapmaking illustrates the importance to both armies. The chapters end with bibliographies of sources, and a massive bibliography provides even more resources.

The final chapter, "Studying the War: Research and Preservation," is especially noteworthy in its comprehensive approach. Anyone wanting to find information on books, people, monuments, battlefields, organizations, or reenactments will find a starting point here. Both print and electronic resources are included.

Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History (ABC-CLIO, 2000) is more comprehensive. But Civil War Desk Reference, with its solid scholarship, informative approach, and broad sweep, is an excellent source for school, academic, and public libraries that cannot afford the five-volume set or need a one-volume supplemental source. Highly recommended for all Civil War collections. RBB
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About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0684863502
• ISBN 13: 9780684863504
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 949
• Editor: Wagner Margaret E., Gallagher Gary W., Finkelman Paul