Product Description

A newly updated edition of this concise but comprehensive history reflects a synthesis of the major writings on the war, as refined and focused through Professor Roland's own research and interpretation. This is the story of the war with the emphasis on the military action, that element which distinguishes war from all other human activities. Accounts of the major political, economic, diplomatic, social, and cultural developments of the epoch are covered; approximately half of the book is devoted to them. But these discussions are woven into the central narrative in a manner designed to show their role in the war effort itself.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #752831 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 312 pages

From Library Journal
Like many other Civil War historians, Roland here summarizes the results of years of research and writing in a narrative aimed at the general reading public. He tackles most of the important topics: military mobilization, governmental administration, political developments, and, primarily, the military events that have traditionally seized Americans' imaginations; he also briefly discusses the experiences of blacks, women, and dissenters. Roland's prose, while not always graceful, is clear and, especially in battle segments, quite readable. He effectively contrasts the leading figures on both sides and argues that the North won the war because of superior leadership and a more effective development of national policy and military strategy. Roland's work is less comprehensive than James McPherson's recent Battle Cry of Freedom (LJ 3/1/88; an LJ "Best Book") and less analytical than the work of Phillip Shaw Paludan and Emory Thomas, respectively, on the wartime North ( A People's Contest, Harper, 1988) and South ( The Confederate Nation 1861-1865, LJ 4/1/79), but it will be useful for general readers or for upper division history courses on the Civil War era.
- James Marten, Marquette Univ., Milwaukee
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"An extraordinary synthesis by one of the most respected historians in the field." -- James I. Robertson Jr.

"May be the best single-volume short history of the war." -- Southern Partisan

"Roland's prose is clear, and especially in the battle segments, quite readable." -- Library Journal

"The best introduction to the nation's great trauma." -- Gary W. Gallagher

"This volume is surely the best brief history of the United States and the Confederate State at war." -- Emory M. Thomas

Review

"Provides a perspective, depth, and insight remarkable for a book of its size and scope.-- Florida Historical Quarterly" -- Florida Historical Quarterly

"As an introduction, you couldn't ask for a better place to start, and for the veteran Civil War reader there are new questions to ponder.-- Richmond Times-Dispatch" -- Richmond Times-Dispatch

"May be the best single-volume short history of the war.-- Southern Partisan" -- Southern Partisan

"The best concise narrative of the war currently available.-- Journal of Mississippi History" -- Journal of Mississippi History

"New buffs will find this probably the best single volume with which to begin their journey into the war. Teachers will find it a splendid introductory.-- Journal of Southern History" -- Journal of Southern History

"Roland's prose is clear, and especially in the battle segments, quite readable.-- Library Journal" -- Library Journal

"An excellent display of clear, succinct prose... Masterfully groups the myriad of battles into a series of campaigns that introduce all the key commanders and strategic decisions.-- North Carolina Historical Review" -- North Carolina Historical Review

""This volume is surely the best brief history of the United States and the Confederate State at war."--Emory M. Thomas" -- Emory M. Thomas

"The best introduction to the nation's great trauma.-- Gary W. Gallagher" -- Gary W. Gallagher

"An extraordinary synthesis by one of the most respected historians in the field.-- James I. Robertson Jr." -- James I. Robertson Jr.

"An American Iliad is a unique addition to a conflict that has filled thousands of pages in the past century. The book is unique because it looks at the entire Civil War in a highly readable and narrative style and in only one volume...Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Roland's book is his comparison of Confederate leaders to Union leaders with a focus on why Lincoln, Grant, and Sherman were ultimately successful on a strategic and tactical level...The book also splendidly outlines the key battles of the Civil War and the impact they would have on the Union and Confederacy...This is an excellent book for those wanting to rediscover the American Civil War, and to launch the tremendous amount of reading required to understand this conflict so integral to the American character.-- The Waterline" -- The Waterline

"Roland wonderfully synthesizes the work and study of generations to produce a sharp and incisive study that will last.-- William C. Davis" -- William C. Davis

""This is an excellent book for those wanting to re-discover the American Civil War, and to launch the beginning of an intensive amount of reading to understand this conflict that is integral to the American character."-- Youssef Aboul-Enein, Great Lakes Bulletin" -- Great Lakes Bulletin

"Roland's book is the starting point for a serious student to begin his study of the Civil War." -- Larry Freiheit, Roll Call to Destiny Book Contest

Customer Reviews

Best Short Book on the American Civil War Available
Charles P. Roland in 263 pages of text gives the best overview of the American Civil War I have ever seen. Roland, in my opinion, gives the most unbiased, objective and comprehensive view of the Civil War including its origins. In "An American Iliad," he gives the major positions of the North and South on all important issues leading up to the war without being an advocate or judge.

His book is not "primarily an analytical study" but rather "a synthesis of the major writings on the war" (Preface xi). One quibble I had was his reliance on Clausewitz over Jomini, the latter being a greater influence on the war's strategy and tactics. I appreciated the academic format of the book, published by The University Press of Kentucky, which had, for me, required hallmarks including a preface, table of contents, maps and photographs, a bibliographic essay and an index. The absence of footnotes or endnotes was understandable due to the length of the book and its overview perspective, but I would have preferred being able to review his sources to enhance my understanding or for further research.

Roland's view is that the final impasse which the North and South came to in 1860 grew out of "political, economic, cultural, and social differences... [reaching] back to the very origin of the nation and beyond" (1). He does state, however, that slavery was the chief contributing factor to all these sources of tension which finally brought on war. He presents well the two, and sometimes more, sides of various arguments but concentrates on the political ones. He discusses not only the main stream ideas of the opponents but also the extremes of both sides such as the four attitudes the Senate had on the spread of slavery in the Mexican cession. Roland discusses the various machinations the politicians then went through to eventually produce the Compromise of 1850, the penultimate compromise.

My final example of his fairness is his discussion of President Buchanan's actions in 1860 giving reasons that his equivocating was not necessarily a bad thing if he was, in fact, trying to limit the damage secession of the lower South could cause. I do detect Roland's belief that war was inevitable although he never expressly said that. It may be that a logical and coherent presentation of all the actions leading to the war made it seem inevitable--a penalty of hindsight. I could find no evidence of sectional biases in his book.

Good introduction to ACW
American Iliad provides a well balanced introduction to the American Civil War despite its succinct length. It does glaze over the most important events, but still to limited to much more than a general introduction. For more in-depth research McPherson, Foote, Buell and Catton are the premiere scholars of the era.

A Good and Short Overview of the War.
This book gives a solid overview of the entire Civil War but doesn't read like a just the facts book.The book focus on the key events in both theaters of the war and has chapters on the homefronts as well as the poltical aspects of the war.