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Rating: 
Summary: A worthwhile but uneven treatment of the campaign
Review: "War in Kentucky" describes and interprets events in the western theater of the Civil War following the Battle of Shiloh through the end of Bragg's invasion of Kentucky. As an analysis of the complex strategic issues involved, the book is generally disappointing. The text is uneven in depth, and is broken by too many needless quotations from other secondary works. Though the big picture is weak, McDonough is at his best in describing events and conditions up close. For example, his chapter on the Federal occupation of Huntsville, Alabama, is fascinating. The book is very well illustrated, but inexcusably deficient in maps. "War in Kentucky" is recommended for those interested in the Kentucky campaign, but it is not in the same class as the works of Peter Cozzens, Wiley Sword, or Larry Daniel on similar topics.
Rating:
Summary: A worthwhile but uneven treatment of the campaign
Review: "War in Kentucky" describes and interprets events in the western theater of the Civil War following the Battle of Shiloh through the end of Bragg's invasion of Kentucky. As an analysis of the complex strategic issues involved, the book is generally disappointing. The text is uneven in depth, and is broken by too many needless quotations from other secondary works. Though the big picture is weak, McDonough is at his best in describing events and conditions up close. For example, his chapter on the Federal occupation of Huntsville, Alabama, is fascinating. The book is very well illustrated, but inexcusably deficient in maps. "War in Kentucky" is recommended for those interested in the Kentucky campaign, but it is not in the same class as the works of Peter Cozzens, Wiley Sword, or Larry Daniel on similar topics.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Book--with exceptions
Review: I found this book to be the best that I have read of McDonough's (I have read three of his, besides this one). His description of conditions preceding the campaign were fantastic. I also found that McDonough treated Bragg fairly--unlike many other historians. Although I wish the accounts of the battles had been longer, the ones there were terrific. On the other hand, I found the few maps too be not enough, and the ones provided were not too good. A nice compliment to the book were the several photos of the battlefields (Richmond, Munfordville, and Perryville). Overall, I believe this book is worth the $12.57, plus shipping. I actually bought my copy elsewhere, at the full price of $17.98. Just the fact that this is one of the few books on the Kentucky campaign makes it worth the money. If you are a serious Civil War buff, or are interested in the Kentucky Campaign specifically, I highly recommend that you buy this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book--with exceptions
Review: I found this book to be the best that I have read of McDonough's (I have read three of his, besides this one). His description of conditions preceding the campaign were fantastic. I also found that McDonough treated Bragg fairly--unlike many other historians. Although I wish the accounts of the battles had been longer, the ones there were terrific. On the other hand, I found the few maps too be not enough, and the ones provided were not too good. A nice compliment to the book were the several photos of the battlefields (Richmond, Munfordville, and Perryville). Overall, I believe this book is worth the $12.57, plus shipping. I actually bought my copy elsewhere, at the full price of $17.98. Just the fact that this is one of the few books on the Kentucky campaign makes it worth the money. If you are a serious Civil War buff, or are interested in the Kentucky Campaign specifically, I highly recommend that you buy this book.
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