I just finished reading Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara last night - it is part one of a series about the civil war. Michael Shaara, Jeff Shaara's father wrote Killer Angels which depicts the battle of Gettysburg (a Pulitzer prize winning book). Later Jeff Shaara wrote companion books - Gods and Generals that covers events before Gettysburg and The Last Full Measure that covers events after. Gods and Generals begins in November 1858 and covers some of the battles through June 1863. Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson are the main confederate soldiers in the book and on the side of the Union is that of Winfield Hancock and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.
The prose was well written and I enjoyed seeing the perspective of both sides of the war. However, before I read the next books in the series I need to take some time to better understand some military war lingo. I had a difficult time following the events in the battles and visualizing the battle grounds. Thankfully there were some very easy-to-follow maps depicting the placement and marching of soldiers. There were many names of Generals and Colonels thrown at me that I sometimes couldn't remember who was fighting on which side but I think by the end of the book I had it pretty much sorted out.
I was amazed at reading all of the blunders made by high-ranking Union generals during the first few years of the war. I'm afraid that if I don't read the next two books that history might be rewritten in my mind because right now I'm sure the Confederacy is going to win.
I recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about the Civil War and the lives of those who fought. But I do suggest you may need a dictionary or a lesson in military lingo before starting so that it is easier to follow.
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