Rating: 
Summary: History At Its Best
Review: Mr. Footes 3 Volume set on the Civil War is one of the most indepth and informative ever done. Covering the war from it's earliest beginnings to it's final days. Mr. Foote explores not only the battles both large and small, but also the politics of both North and South and how they contributed to the wars outcome. He also gives much insight into the Generals who led the troops, their decisions, why they made them and how their own personalities influenced the tactics and battles waged during the wars blood course. For anyone who has an interest in the Civil War Mr. Foote's work is a must.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the time involved!
Review: After having just finished all three novels (a task not for the faint of heart) I feel compelled to comment on the OUTSTANDING job Mr. Foote has done in bringing to life what many consider the most perilous time in our nation's history. Like many other people, my education of the Civil War consisted ONLY of Fort Sumter, Gettysburg, the Emancipation Proclamation and Appomattox. So much more deserved to be told, and this series does it with impeccable detail and wonderful prose. The writing is wonderfully poetic with a touch of humor and irony. The main characters are masterfully brought out: Grant, the one-time brigade commander in the Mexican Wars who failed in business and, during a low point in the Civil War, actually thought of resigning until his friend, WT Sherman, talked him out of it to eventually become "the cold mathematician" that Lincoln so sorely sought out to command the Army of the Potomac; "Stonewall Jackson", the eccentric yet bold and cunning commander of the Valley brigade who would split his army and lash out at forces twice his size; Lee, the pious yet daring commander of the Southern forces who outwitted every single Northern commander until the bitter end when he simply had no men or materiel left; and finally, Lincoln, the master politician who managed to successfully win the political battles in Washington while searching and finally finding in the combination of Grant and Sherman the ruthless yet determined men necessary for ending the conflict. Yes, this is a long read (each volume over 900 pages). BUT IT'S WORTH IT!!
Rating:
Summary: A great work of scholarship.
Review: I admit I spent nearly 3 months reading this trilogy, but at least it was three months well spent. I first became aware of the author while watching Ken Burns' excellent PBS series, during which time it seemed to me that he was used as an advocate for the southern cause. Being a Yankee in the Deep South myself, I find myself drawn to both "sides" and to neither, alternatively.
I had just finished Bruce Catton's most excellent Army of the Potomac trilogy, and feeling I had allowed that Michiganer to infuse me with his views, it seemed only fair to expose myself to Mr. Foote's as well.
Neither author is anything but American, and as a result, both books tell the story with compassion for all the men who fought the battles that lingered on for four incredible years. In fact, both seem vaguely sympathetic to the south, but that too seems to be an American trait, that tendency to side with the underdog. Nonetheless, he is balanced and fair in his approach to all of the principle players on both sides.
Mr. Foote's research is excellent and his fund of knowledge is simply breathtaking (I realize he wrote from his notes). While his literary style is a half step behind that of Mr. Catton, his scholarship is not. I think no one would read this without having more than a casual interest in the conflict, and of these people, none will be disappointed with the work.
Rating:
Summary: A Herculean effort
Review: I was first introduced to Shelby Foote through his involvement with the Ken Burns Civil War documentary. These books are absolutely fascinating. The level of detail in his history is outstanding. One would think that the sheer bulk of these volumes would be a surefire cure for insomnia, but Mr. Foote has a refreshing style: a brilliant mix of historical fact and the storytelling smoothness of a gifted novelist. Over 10,000 books have been written about this war, and more are to come, but I believe that no one knows the war as does Shelby Foot.
A must for the serious Civil War buff (why are they always called that?).Should he be reading this: I salute you, sir.
Rating:
Summary: A classic.
Review: I have more of a general reader's perspective on this set, as I am not a historian, nor an academic. However, I realize this is a classic; from I've gotten through so far, rightfully so. First, this set is huge. It's taken me about two years just to get up the courage to start reading it. It's slow going, but that's because you are so enthralled in it. It is a truly great read, and I can't imagine a better narrative, nor a more descriptive one. The only problem I have is that I wish there were more of the little graphics that show troop movements throughout the books. These really help you visualize the action more. Actually, there could probably be a whole companion book with these troop movements laid out to correspond with the chapters. Overall though, you can't go wrong with this classic.
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece!
Review: Why don't they teach American History in public schools? The Civil War was mentioned in the text books of my day, the mid-20th century, but is scarcely referred to today.
To fill this void, those who want to truly be educated must do independent reading. Having just completed the first volume of Shelby Foote's trilogy (Ft. Sumter to Perryville) I have become an avid Civil War history buff. In the past month I drove to Virginia in order to visit the Fredricksburg, Chancellorsville, and Wilderness battlefields. I anticipate I will visit others in the future.
I also discovered that the National Park Service has listings of Union and Confederate soldiers. I have been able to identify 35 Union and 8 Confederate soldiers related to me, and the regiments in which they served.
The detailed accounts of the campaigns and pitched battles in this book surpass anything else I have read about the Civil War. Shelby Foote's narratives bring the war to life.
The most surprising element I found in the book was the account of political infighting among the general officers on both sides.
The only criticism I have of the writing is that the reader sometimes finds he has been reading about the activities of a particular individual for two or three pages in which the person is always referred to as "he" and it is sometimes necessary to backtrack and see who "he" is.
Rating:
Summary: the Civil War Historians Bible
Review: I have to say, I found one really bad thing about this book. That is, that the book had to end. This book is over 3,000 pages if you get the 3 volumn edition, and close to 3,800 if you find the 14 volumn 40th edition of it. There is nothing disparanging to say, with this book. The best Civil War historians quote this book, and like Douglas Freeman, and the O.R. it is their Bible. When I read mine, I was aware of this, and carefully used a yellow highlighter so as to be able to more easily find references, for debates, articles, and quotes. This book does not present a Northern OR a Southern side of the Civil War. JUST FACTS, That is the true beauty of great history books. Some people have two sets of these books, one for the office, to go over in our spare time, and another in our homes. My warning to those that undertake to read this wonderful set of books, is don't be surprised, when you feel let down, and a little depressed, as this story has to come to an end. As a good read, there were many pages that made me shed a tear; ( When Lincoln lay dying, and Senator Sumner was crying like a baby); to the anger at the vivid description of Shermans army burning Columbia. ( This is very descriptive, as is much of the book) Shelby Foote painstakingly took 20 years to write this book, and did a phenomal job.
Rating:
Summary: Breath-taking in scope and detail
Review: I am not a Civil War buff. In the past I've read just a couple books on the subject - one was "Killer Angels" about Gettysburg by Michael Shaara, another great book - so I decided to learn about the entire war from beginning to end. This series of books does a fantastic job of covering all the major aspects, military, civilian, political, international, etc. Foote's detailed research and true understanding of how all the pieces fit together is what, in my opinion, makes this series sing. What I enjoyed most was seeing how the various generals moved through the ranks and became the legends we think of today. Sherman, Grant, Longstreet, Stuart, Jackson, Lee, Meade, Bragg and all the rest are here in vivid detail; some stabbing each other in the back, others showing their genius for tactics and leading men. I laughed out loud reading about how Jeb Stuart, after his horse was struck in the neck by a bullet, stuck his finger in the bullet hole to stop the spurting blood, continued riding for a mile and then dismounted (removing his finger) and the horse collapsed. I bet it was a sight to behold! The full breath of heroism, bad decisions and outright luck of the civil war is here to behold. It's long, but if you enjoy to act of reading you'll enjoy every minute of this series.
Rating:
Summary: Foote's American Iliad...
Review: This three volume set is, without a doubt, one of the greatest literary and historical achievements ever. I think it's one of the five most important works ever written on the Civil War. Flawlessly written, carefully paced and plotted, it's weds the art and craft of a novelist along with the meticulous research of an exacting historian.
Approached by Bennet Cerf in 1954 about writing a short one volume history of the war, Foote accepted and like Douglas Southall Freeman, discovered that a much longer treatment would be the only way he could do the subject justice . He asked Cerf if he could "go spread eagle, whole hog" on it. Cerf gave him the go ahead. Twenty years later, he completed the third volume, "Red River to Appomattox" in 1974.
His narrative reads quickly, it's detailed, yet never in a flogging way. Foote reveals his characters in pieces. He never bogs the reader down with five pages of background on a particular character, but instead, he gives them snapshots which serve to illuminate them.
"The Civil War: A Narrative" is probably 75% military and 25% political. Foote is a southerner, yet I don't think the books lean in any particular direction. Foote also doesn't divulge in opinions on any figures. He usually let's the story do the talking, a difficult thing to do in such an opinionated war- and he pulls it off.
If you've read Companion Volume to the PBS series, then to McPherson, you're then ready for Foote. I can't imagine a better, more thorough and detailed treatment that is so gripping. This masterpiece deserves no less than five stars. SUPERB!
Rating: 
Summary: Certainly, this is a
Review: No doubt about it, if you really want to know about the Civil War, you can't ignore Shelby Foote's tome. I agree with several other reviewers, however, that this is "nuts and bolts" about each and every battle which will tickle the fancy of those interested in knowing them. But for all the gazillions of pages and (obviously) years of work Shelby Foote put into this unequaled effort, there isn't as much as I had expected about the politcal and social aspects of the war. Structure is too often a problem. Not only, as a previous reviewer notes, are there references to details mentioned once 400 pages earlier, but keeping track of Foote's ideas is difficult even in single sentences. He is, undoubtedly, the master of "nesting" several subjects into one l-o-n-g sentence. He will start out with a subject, then add necessary information to that subject after starting out to talk about it (rather than before), and then, eventually, many "commas" later, gets back to saying what he originally set out to say about the original subject -- which makes you go back and re-read the whole sentence (sometimes paragraph) over and over again so you can follow the flow. (This sentence is a mild example!) This sort of "super-digression," although grammatically correct, gets to be a chore. Foote's work is written with obvious sympathy for the South, while, at the same time, is careful not to understate the legitimacy of the North's cause. Not much about how the South won the peace even though they lost the war. Andersonville isn't mentioned except at the very end, and only in passing when a reference is made to its commanding officer. The message Foote sends is that he was wrongly executed. Regarding books about the Civil War, I am a bigger fan of McPherson's work (Battle Cry Freedom) for several reasons. But if you really want to immerse yourself in the details of the battles, and if you really want to experience the impact of just about each of the 600,000 lives lost, and you want to learn how deep the "peculiar institution" was ingrained within a people, so much so that even the loss of so many lives would not result in any definitive change in that way of life (which explains in part why there was another 100 years tacked on to the war after the shooting stopped), don't miss reading Shelby Foote!
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