The Matthew Brady's Illustrated History of the Civil War [Hardcover]

Matthew Brady (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2, 1994

An official photographer of the Civil War presents more than seven hundred extraordinary photographs, accompanied by a lively text that recounts the history of the war, its causes, battles, personalities, and effects.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Gramercy (October 2, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 051711979X
• ISBN-13: 978-0517119792
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,413,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wealth of Information and Photos, February 21, 2003

By 

Deborah MacGillivray "Author," (US & UK) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mathew Brady's Illustrated History of the Civil War (Hardcover)

Any buff of the US Civil War knows there is a BIG question on just how much Matthew Brandy actually shot with his camera. There is little doubt he often took credit for those working under him, and showed a bent at making the Brady name linger in history as the first to photograph a war from beginning to end. But that question pushed aside, forget who took what pictures, unless arguing that particular point, and simply sit back and get blown away by the sheer numbers of photos! Over 500 pages (often with half a dozen or more photos per page) of portraits, landscapes and even some illustrations in colour plates, this is a wonderful companion to the writings of Bruce Catton or Henry Steele Commanger.

Instead of just reading about the people and places that were the stage of the War Between the States, see them! Pictures of People, informal and formal portraits, pictures of encampments, riverboats, fortifications, bridges, of troops and the bloody aftermath of war. Brady and his contemporaries were often accused of 'stage' pictures, but it does not take away the power to move you. It was sad, 'the battles lost' often depicted Confederate dead, showing a distinct bias to further to belief the Union was invincible and the South doomed.
Regardless of the taint or copyright/ownership of the period, regardless of the yellow journalism of staging the photos, you cannot deny the value to casual historians, to writer of the period or to people wishes to see these places and the people that created some of the bloodies battles in history.

A wonderful collection.

3.0 out of 5 stars No Index, August 13, 2010

By 

Matthew Snihur - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Matthew Brady's Illustrated History of the Civil War (Hardcover)

The most annoying this about this collection is the lack of index, which turned out to be incredibly annoying.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Buy it only for the photos - otherwise don't waste your time, July 31, 2004

By 

Fruit Loop (Down South) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Mathew Brady's Illustrated History of the Civil War (Hardcover)

Matthew Brady's photos are fabulous, but the "history" by Benson Lossing is dreadful at best. It's evident that Lossing was a rabid Union sympathizer and not a soldier, and that he only interviewed high-ranking Unionists after the war for his "research." Among the phony jewels: Lincoln's assassination was a massive plot led by Jefferson Davis; Union prisoners of war were deliberately mistreated while Confederates were well-fed and housed by their captors; Jefferson Davis was gently treated after his arrested and housed in (quote) comfortable quarters during his captivity instead of the rancid, wet cell that Northern and Southern people alike criticized; no atrocities were ever committed by Union generals such as Sherman. Don't even think of using this for your book report!