The Divided Union: A Concise History of the American Civil War - Softcover

"A generalized popular history of the Civil War . . . The book's main strength is its illustrations, which are numerous and handsome. Recommended for YA collections." --"Library Journal" "This companion volume to the PBS series of the same title is an excellent popular history . . . an excellent first book on the Civil War for those who may want (or need) to learn more about specific aspects." --"School Library Journal"

The Divided Union is an account of five of the most dramatic and tragic years in the history of the United States of America. The fledgling superpower pitted families and neighbours against each other in a war concerned with the most fundamental of human motivations: freedom, identity and nation. While great leaders like Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant found their moment, millions of ordinary Americans suffered terribly, and more were killed than during the First and Second World Wars combined. The victory of the North determined the indivisibility of the Union and ensured its development as a nation, yet deep scars remained, and the ideals outlined by Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address failed to become a blueprint for the modern USA. This is an accessible and compelling account both of the conflict itself and of its wider implications.