Customer Reviews

Smithsonian's Great Battles & Battlefields of the Civil War: The Definitive Field Guide Based on the Award Winning Television Series by Mastervision

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I have been to many Civil War battlefields on the east coast of the U.S. and this book is highly valuable to me in my touring and researching Civil War Battlefields. The book is coauthored by two scholarly experts on the Civil War, Jay Wertz and Edwin C. Bearss who give excellent summaries to each battle that was fought during the Civil War, but what makes this book especially valuable is the current hotels, bookstores, restaurants and other points of interest near or on the battlefields that are listed. Another worthy thing that the guide has is it's listing of what each battlefiled park has for the visitor such as restrooms, picnic facilities, paths, guided tours, and museums, which are invaluable to the experience. This is a MUST have to anyone who is interested on seeing the great battlefields of Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Shiloh, New Market, etc, firsthand.

The proof of a guidebook is its use. I took this (along with a number of others) on our trip to the South last year. The others stayed in the rental car's trunk and we used this one almost exclusively. Not as in depth as some, but the directions were simple to follow and we appreciated the background information. One caveat -- call first if you absolutely have to eat at one of the recommended restaurants. We found the Kennesaw House in Marietta out of business. (Certainly not the fault of the publisher!) We also enjoyed armchair tours of the sites we didn't make it to.

I have been to several parks and this guide pointed out some new things to see. The book features good background on the battles and features excellent directions and maps. The book also has good information on the parks and surrounding areas pertaining to if their is a fee to get into the park, nearby hotels/attractions, etc. Good guide and good background info.

Living in the South, I was amazed how we would pass by Civil War sites virtually unmarked and nearly forgotten. This book gives added dimension to a drive from Atlanta to Charleston or Savannah. Excellent recounting of the men and fighting that is then mapped & landmarked for your drive.