Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Introducing the Civil War, this pictorial almanac expresses time in a line ruled horizontally through the center of its pages. Enumerating every date from February 1, 1861, to May 31, 1865, the time line's boldface dates pertain to a captioned image above the line or a paragraph of text below the line. This graphic design imposes an economy on factual content, but it compensates by expelling inevitability about the war's course and outcome from its audience's conception of the conflict. Writer Wagner, whose prior variation on chronology was The American Civil War: 365 Days (2006), induces an appreciation for contingency by selecting images photographs, drawings, and postwar lithographs keyed to fluctuations of morale, whether it be the North or South, about the war's direction and duration, and by putting them under the rubrics of the Union's moves toward slavery's abolition, the Confederacy's food shortages, and, of course, battle. Here intervals of months on Wagner's time line, which battered armies needed to recover, visually reveal a major reason for the protraction of the war. Browsers and buffs should flock to this high-quality production.--Taylor, Gilbert Copyright 2010 Booklist

Choice
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.

This colorful, informative book by Wagner (Library of Congress) on the history of the American Civil War is a wonderful, inexpensive reference source for libraries; it would also make a fine keepsake for those celebrating the war's 150th anniversary. The time line covers all of the war's major events--not only battles, but also social, political, and other areas of life. The illustrations are the most impressive aspect of this volume, which features many color and black-and-white photographs, posters, maps, images of documents, and more. The book's four chapters split the Civil War into four periods. Civil War historian, author, and professor Gary Gallagher (Univ. of Virginia) wrote the introduction and served as the major consultant. Featured in this book are three special sections on reporting on the war, photographing the war, and medical care during the war; many endnotes; and a bibliography that includes books, manuscripts, and journals. Internet addresses link to the Library of Congress's Civil War collections. The index also indexes illustrations. A book of this size does not cover all Civil War events in great depth, but it hits the high points and provides a wonderful visual aid to the war. This is a valuable resource for academic and public libraries and for American history professors and teachers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. B. S. Exton St. Gregory's University