Rating: 
Summary: Big Time Rip-off
Review: Once again, a so-called "Great Historian" has ripped us off with another book with Gettysburg in the title. McPherson writes in his introduction that if he was dropped from a plane in the night on the battlefield he would know where he was in a minute. After reading the book, it is doubtful that McPherson even knows that Gettysburg was fought in Pennsylvania!!! His inaccuracies are appalling. What about "Sally, the War Dog", Professor McPherson??? Try doing a little more research before you but something in print. This book is a disgrace to Civil War Scholarship. It is about time that the public realized that these "so-called" experts are doing nothing but ripping us off. With a name and Gettysburg in the title - and also being published for the anniversary - all these guys are doing putting money in their pockets. If anybody cared to check, they would find this book filled with inaccuracies, mis-statements and downright ignorance. Again, a disgrace to Civil War Literature.
Rating: 
Summary: A Pennsylvanian's Review
Review: This is simply the best, most well written, concise story of Gettysburg I have ever read. Stop looking, you have found it! If you are a first time visitor or have been there many times, this book will refresh your memory and fill you with excitement.One mistake bothers me however. McPherson continually refers to the rock at Little Round Top and Devil's Den as "granite". It is diabase, the exact opposite of granite. Granite may sound more romantic or literary, but it is not what it is.
Rating:
Summary: A Pennsylvanian's Review
Review: This is simply the best, most well written, concise story of Gettysburg I have ever read. Stop looking, you have found it! If you are a first time visitor or have been there many times, this book will refresh your memory and fill you with excitement. One mistake bothers me however. McPherson continually refers to the rock at Little Round Top and Devil's Den as "granite". It is diabase, the exact opposite of granite. Granite may sound more romantic or literary, but it is not what it is.
Rating:
Summary: A very pleasant tour of the battlefield
Review: WARNING!!! This book is not intended to be an in depth study of the battle. It is intended to give you a guided tour of the battlefield. It succeeds quite nicely in doing this. I really enjoyed it very much. I know a lot about the battle and have been there a couple of times and next time I go, I will defenitly be taking this book along for the ride. If you have never been to the battlefield this is a good book to read and then go on a tour yourself. Of course that's just my opnion, I could be wrong.
Rating:
Summary: A very pleasant tour of the battlefield
Review: WARNING!!! This book is not intended to be an in depth study of the battle. It is intended to give you a guided tour of the battlefield. It succeeds quite nicely in doing this. I really enjoyed it very much. I know a lot about the battle and have been there a couple of times and next time I go, I will defenitly be taking this book along for the ride. If you have never been to the battlefield this is a good book to read and then go on a tour yourself. Of course that's just my opnion, I could be wrong.
Rating:
Summary: A great tour book of the battlefield
Review: Well-written. Interesting. Nice amount of details. I've been to the battlefield twice and read numerous histories and taken one class so I have no problem visualizing the battlefield in my mind. This would be an excellent addition for any visitor to the battlefield. The chapters are short enough that a thoughtful tourist would have no problem reading them as he/she stood there. It is a bit pricy for its size ($16.00 retail, I got it for $11.00 here at Amazon.com which is still quite a bit for a 140 page small hardback book) but perhaps they'll come out with a paperback. Even if they don't, I know I've seen similarly-priced tourbooks that weren't as well-written. It would have helped to have pictures to help orient the tourist, but this would necessitate editing of the book if the Parks Department begins the restoration projects McPherson mentions (and hopes for). These include removing woods that have grown up since the battle and restoring fences and orchards that have been removed. I own a number of McPherson's books. I'll be glad to put this one on the shelf with the others. Whenever I can convince my wife to let me return to Gettysburg (she gets bored after a couple of hours, I could spend days), I'll bring it along, that's for sure!
Rating:
Summary: Great Book on a Sacred Ground
Review: What a beautiful little book about a very sacred place. It covers all the major elements of the battle, and goes through some interesting anecdotes on the battle and the area. Like the story of Generals Barlow and Gordon, Sallie the dog, John Burns, the oldest combatant at Gettysburg, Amos Humiston, etc..
I like the pages on General Longstreet and his new monument erected in 1998. This is one of the high points of the book.
Of course, there are also many pages on Colonel Chamberlain and 20th Maine. But, then, other important regiments are covered like the 1st Minnesota (that lost 82% of the their ranks in a doomed charge to save the day) or the 140 New York, and Paddy O'Rorke, who came to save the day on the other side of Little Round Top from the 20th Maine. Paddy O'Rorke was killed in this action.
Then there is the beautiful scene of the Irish Brigade and the Father Colby who gave them absolution before the battle. The Irish Brigade played a key role in stopping the Confederates in the Wheatfield.
These stories are very readable tied to a trip around the battlefield and connected to markers.
This is the best tour guide book that I've ever read on what is the most sacred ground on our soul.
I highly recommend it.
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