The Illustrated Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era

This is probably the best one-volume Civil War book a reader can find. James McPherson was absolutely masterful in depicting Civil War from many prospective, e.g. economics- why extending the slave trade was so important to the South; why the ending of slavery was so important to the core economic philosophy to the North. James McPherson also did an outstanding job outlining the key personalities of the war. After reading this masterpiece, it is easy to understand why the North won the war under the leadership of Lincoln and why the South lost the war under Davis. This is a must read book for those who enjoy American history.

The mistake many an author makes in relating history is to treat it as facts, as a logical progression of this-caused-that. What McPherson does here, to staggering effect, is to relate the material in a narrative fashion, bringing the era and the personages within it to life. Themes are introduced and developed, conflicts explained and expanded, historical figures speak passionately and unironically about their beliefs so that the reader almost wishes they didn't already know how the story ends--and sometimes even gets caught up enough to forget. The facts and dates are all still there, but Battle Cry of Freedom feels closer to a novel than a history text. In short, while not slacking on detail or oversimplifying for the sake of convenience, McPherson breathes such vitality into the great epic of American history. Some have compared the Civil War to the Illiad, likening the exploits of Lee and Grant to those of Achilles and Hector. If such a telling appeals to you, give this book a try.

I have read it in paper back but now I wish to own the hard copy. It is not quite the same reading experience on phone or tablet as it is in its original version, with pictures and battle layouts. It is unprecedented as a one volume, in depth civil war analysis.