A Stillness at Appomattox
Written by Bruce Catton
Narrated by Michael Kramer
5/5
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About this audiobook
Utilizing various collections of unpublished letters written by soldiers, personal diaries of spouses and relatives, memoirs of soldiers and their families, and official war records, Catton follows Grant's campaigns from early 1864 to the end of the war, detailing many crucial battles along the way.
Bruce Catton
Bruce Catton (1899–1978) was a Pulitzer Prize–winning author, historian, and journalist. He served in the navy during World War I and was the director of information for the War Production Board during World War II. Catton’s military and government experience inspired his first book, TheWar Lords of Washington, and he is best known for his acclaimed works on the Civil War, including Mr. Lincoln’s Army and Glory Road. His most celebrated Civil War history, A Stillness at Appomattox, won both the National Book Award for Nonfiction and the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1954. Catton was also the founding editor of American Heritage magazine. Among his other works are Grant Moves South; Grant Takes Command; and a three-part chronicle endorsed by the US Civil War Centennial Commission, The Coming Fury, Terrible Swift Sword, and Never Call Retreat.
Reviews for A Stillness at Appomattox
55 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book opened my eyes and heart to both sides of the conflict. I was on the march ( emotionally )with these men, my brothers
Heroes all. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Written in a very engaging manner and details the fascinating success of the Army of the Potomac after years of failure. Highly recommend if at all interested in this period of US history. Most enjoyable! Excellent audio recording.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I remember reading this in 8th grade. I’d forgotten much
It’s amazing to me how inept a politically driven army can be. Grant and a few other generals found a way to win in spite of that. If history interests you, this book is for you - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Now that’s a great book. Enjoyed it immensely. Great read
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is the first Bruce Catton I have read and I found it wonderful. The narrator was wonderful as well. I am from Virginia and could easily visualize the Battle of the Wilderness and all the areas the armies trapsed through and ravaged. Poor Shenandoah Valley! I had never heard of it's utter destruction and wonder how many years it took for it to come back to life. Imo, how dare anyone give this book less than 5* as it received a Pulitzer Prize. I look forward to rereading this volume and tackling some of Mr. Catton's other works.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It is not often that histories can keep one up at night. This whole trilogy could be the best books I've ever read on the Civil War. If you read this series in corelation with Shelby Foote's trilogy, you've got the whole picture.
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