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Elverson, Virginia T., Mary Ann McLanahan and Betty T. Duson. Revolutionary Cooking: Over 200 Recipes Inspired by Colonial Meals. New York: Skyhorse Publishing. 2013. Index, bibliography, glossary, color and b/w illustrations. 180 pages, 169 pages text, ISBN 9781626364165, $16.95. Reprinted from the original printing done in 1975 this cookbook slash history book has both pros and cons. The authors stated goal is "...to entertain the reader with highlights of American culinary heritage and to provide a collection of recipes, adapted from early sources, which are both delicious and practical." The book is divided into six chapters: The Way it Was, Breakfast, Dinner, Supper and Tea, Drinking, Entertainment. The last five all begin with some history and descriptions before showcasing a multitude of recipes. This history aspect is where I had my biggest issues. The terms "colonial" and "revolutionary" are not defined and the authors tend to use a broader time f...

  Gragg, Rod. The Illustrated Gettysburg Reader: An Eyewitness History of the Civil Wars Greatest Battle . Regnery Publishing, Washington, D.C. 2013. Index, notes, bibliography, maps, b/w photos.485 pages, 441 pages of text, ISBN 9781621570431, $29.95. Yes, it is the 150th anniversary year of the Battle of Gettysburg and the publishers are putting forth their best efforts to supply the interest of those wanting to read about the Civil War and this battle in particular. Gragg, who has written previously on the 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg, covers the Battle of Gettysburg chronologically starting with the Confederate advance into Maryland and later Pennsylvania. We learn the reason Robert E. Lee wanted to go north and we follow both Confederate and Union armies out of Confederate territory as Lee attempts to shift the battle and the opinion of the northern public. Once the opposing troops come to blows Gragg outlines the battle through thre...

Hasegawa, Guy R. Mending Broken Soldiers: The Union and Confederate Programs to Supply Artificial Limbs . Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, IL, 2012. 126 pages, 80 pages of text, 2 appendicies, index, bibliography, notes, b/w photos. ISBN 9780809331307, $24.95. The Civil War is without doubt the most deadly and life changing war that the United States has been part of. While the charged feelings on both sides were a huge part of this technology however was a major driver in the carnage that took place on the battlefield. The development and spread of rifled weapons along with the use of the minie ball led to injuries never seen before. When a soldier was struck by a minie ball the result was often shattered bone and massive tissue damage in the surrounding area. This type of damage often led to amputation of the injured limb. The Civil War led to somewhere in the neighborhood of 60,000 such amputations. With the large number of maimed soldiers returning...

Taylor, Thomas W. The Beacon of Mosquito Inlet: A History of the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse. Allandale: Self Published , 1993. Bibliography, b/w photos. 53 pages. ISBN 9781885853004.    Lighthouses have continued to hold the interest of a large number of Americans. Just look at the number of items available for sale with lighthouse images on them. The image doesnt even have to be a real lighthouse to make it sell. In The Beacon of Mosquito Inlet , author Thomas W. Taylor gives a very brief introductory history to the tallest lighthouse in the state of Florida. Brevity is both a blessing and a curse. The brevity of the book is a blessing in that it can be easily read in one sitting. For those looking for just a brief primer on the lighthouse this is perfect. There is not a large amount of detail to bog a reader down. There are some photos included with quality varying probably due to the original. I think this brevity is the goal of the book and if so it succeeds...

Hearn, Chester G. Lincoln and McClellan at War . Baton Rouge, LSU Press. 2012. Index, notes, bibliography, 4 maps, 257 pages, 221 pages of text. ISBN 9780807145524, $45. The  difficult relationship of Abraham Lincoln and George McClellan is certainly not a new one to readers of Civil War literature. Thus, while not breaking much new ground here, Chester Hearn has written an interesting and easy to read volume on the strained relationship between president and general. What we have here are two people new to their commands. Lincoln was still a relatively inexperienced politician and McClellan, despite already being called the "Young Napoleon" in some circles, was new to leading an army this large. Of course McClellan might say leading an army this small but thats another issue. Lincoln put his faith in McClellan to be able to end the war quickly. However Lincoln was unable to stay out of the way and McClellan bristled at what he considered to be the interference of Washington....

Ballard, Michael B. Grant at Vicksburg: The General and the Siege . Southern Illinois University Press. 196 pages, 172 pages text, Index, notes, bibliographic note, maps, b/w photos. ISBN 9780809332403, $32.95. For those of us not overly familiar with the siege at Vicksburg there really doesnt seem to be some of the standards such as there are with its time partner the Battle of Gettysburg. For the later most will refer a reader to Coddington, or Sears, or Trudeau or maybe John Hoptaks new book. For Vicksburg however: where to begin. I would have to say that Michael Ballards Grant at Vicksburg: The General and the Siege is not a bad place to start. It isnt loaded down with detail so the reader doesnt get lost but it also is not watered down to where you feel you are reading a book for teens. There is more than enough here to whet the appetite to learn more! Ballard starts with a brief outline of the two separate attacks on the city that happened in May, 1863. The Confederates ...

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Grenier, Bob. Central Floridas Civil War Veterans (Images of America Series) . Charleston, Arcadia Publishing. 2014. 128 pages, b/w photos. ISBN 9781467112024, $21.99. The state of Florida has been receiving its due lately with several excellent books coming out dealing with the states role in the Civil War. Now, from Arcadia Publishing, author Bob Grenier brings us a large collection of photos dealing with Civil War veterans, both Union and Confederate, from the Central Florida area. In 10 chapters broken down by county, Grenier gives readers soldiers, locations and reenactors. As might be expected there are very few photos of actual Florida soldiers in uniform. If you have done Florida Civil War research you will understand why. There is a nice mix of Union and Confederate men pictured. Many former Union soldiers retired to Florida. Many were also businessmen who saw the potential of the sparsely populated state, Cities like Haines City, Sanford, Hawks Park (now Edgewater),...

Horrocks, Thomas A. Lincolns Campaign Biographies (Concise Lincoln Library) Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press. 2014. 148 pages 106 pages of text, index, notes, selected bibliography, b/w illustrations. ISBN 9780809333318, $24.95. The more things change the more they stay the same. In many ways this is a truism in political campaigns. While modern technology has dramatically changed the campaign trail, often times making image more important than substance, many things are still the same. Modern Americans demand that their politicians be polished, rehearsed, and personally available. In Abraham Lincolns time this was not the case. Lincoln could hardly be called polished and most active campaigning was done by supporters rather than the candidates themselves. In four quick reading chapters and a conclusion author Thomas A. Horrocks outlines the history of politics and print and how the Lincoln campaigns played into this. Chapter one discusses the relationship b...

Hoptak, John David. Confrontation at Gettysburg: A Nation Saved, a Cause Lost (Civil War Sesquicentennial). Charleston: The History Press, 2012. Index, Selected Bibliography, Order of Battle, b/w photos, maps. ISBN 9781609494261, $16.99. John Hoptak is quite a busy man. Just a quick rundown of his roles would include author, blogger, educator (thats his face you see in the ads featured in Civil War Times and other magazines), and Park Ranger at the Antietam National Battlefield. The historiography on the battle of Gettysburg is filled with broad pieces covering the whole campaign such as those by Coddington, Sears, and Trudeau to those dealing with small aspects of the battle such as those written by Wittenberg and Cocco.  There seems to be an author for every regiment that was on the field. The choices for the student are almost overwhelming and for those who dont know anything about the battle the choices are at best problematic. Where to begin? I asked m...

Schroeder-Lein, Glenna R. The Encyclopedia of Civil War Medicine. M. E. Sharpe, Inc., Armonk, NY. 2012. Index, bibliography, b/w illustrations. 421 pages, 348 pages of text. ISBN 9780765621306, $34.95. For those of us who dont have an extensive science or medical background we will often come across a term we are unsure of or would like more information on. Where should we turn? The answer is the recently released paperback edition of The Encyclopedia of Civil War Medicine. Now available at a more wallet friendly price this is a book that any serious Civil War student should consider putting on their bookshelf. It will be referred to many times. Arranged alphabetically by subject there are a wide array of topics covered. Individual battles such as Antietam, Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and others all have their own entries. Medical issues related to the specific battle are covered in these entries. Some of the other topics covered include hospitals, various diseases, types...

Lowe, Richard, editor. Greyhound Commander: Confederate General John G. Walkers History of the Civil War West of the Mississippi . Baton Rogue: LSU Press. 2013. Maps, index, bibliography, footnotes. 135 pages, 120 pages of text, ISBN 9780807152508, $36.00. If the war in the west is overlooked in comparison to the war in the east the fighting done in the trans-Mississippi area is many times buried and forgotten about without a second thought. First hand accounts written by commanders from the area are rare thus making John G. Walkers work a must read for anybody studying the war in the trans-Mississippi theater of the war. The book opens with an interesting and easily readable treatment by editor Richard Lowe. Lowe is the author of Walkers Texas Division, C.S.A: Greyhounds of the Trans-Mississippi (Conflicting Worlds: New Dimensions of the American Civil War) and The Texas Overland Expedition of 1863 (Civil War Campaigns and Commanders Series) and is the perfect editor to have taken...

Hardy, Michael C. Watauga County, North Carolina in the Civil War .  Charleston, The History Press. 2013. 123 pages, 114 pages of text, index, notes, b/w photos. ISBN 9781609498887, $19.99. When it comes to Civil War North Carolina it is hard to find someone more knowledgeable than Michael C. Hardy. He has currently published 18 books and has another scheduled for early this year. Not all are Civil War related but the majority are. He knows his subject. His most recent book deals with Watauga County and the Civil War. Located in the upper northwest portion of North Carolina, Watauga County shares a border with eastern Tennessee, an area known for Union sympathies. In fact Hardy outlines that some "Union" men went over the mountain to either join Union forces or avoid service in the Confederate army. The book has nine chapters along with two appendices. Chapters include: 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, The Life of Watauga Countys Johnny Rebs, Reconstruction, Remembering...

Barcousky, Len. Civil War Pittsburgh: Forge of the Union (PA) . Charleston, The History Press., 2013. Index, bibliography, b/w photos, 128 pages, 122 pages text, ISBN 9781626190818, $19.99. Certainly Pittsburgh is not in the top dozen cities one would name when discussing the Civil War. Author Len Barcousky however shows us that while there were no battles fought here and that no Confederate army seriously threatened the area the Pennsylvania city played a role in the Union success. While heavily for the Republican party and Abraham Lincoln, Pittsburgh did have a strong states rights wing. This difference is borne out buy the city having two newspapers, one supporting each party: the Gazette was Republican with the Post being Democratic. They each spun events their way. Author Len Barcousky, an editor and reporter with what is now the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had access to both papers and has used this archive in creating his interesting look at "The arsenal of the Union." ...

Woodworth, Steven E. and Charles D. Grear, series editors. The Vicksburg Campaign, March 29-May 18, 1863 (Civil War Campaigns in the Heartland). Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press . 2013. Index, end notes, 9 maps, b/w photos. 239 total pages, 228 pages of text. ISBN 9780809332694, $32.50. Here in the first of a planned five volume series of essays editors Steven E. Woodworth and Charles D. Grear have gathered a strong, interesting, and for the most part easily read series of pieces. For somebody, such as myself, who has read more on the eastern theater of the war this is a breath of fresh air. I am already eagerly awaiting the second volume and in the mean time will have to search for some of the standard works such as those by Edwin Bearss and Michael Ballard. Eleven chapters are included in this volume: Gary Joiner writes about the relationship of Ulysses S. Grant and naval commander David Dixon Porter, Charles Grear covers Griersons cavalry raid, Jason Frawley tells the...

Schmidt, James M. Galveston and the Civil War: An Island City in the Maelstrom . The History Press,  Charleston, SC. 2012. 155 pages, 129 pages of text, index, bibliography, notes, b/w photos, 1 map. ISBN 9781609492830, $19.99. James M. Schmidt has earned a reputation for quality Civil War writing whether it be his medical column in Civil War News , his regularly updated blog Civil War Medicine (and Writing), his guest posts on various blogs, or his wide range of books. In his new book Galveston and the Civil War Mr. Schmidt sets out three main goals: First is to provide readers a lively and well illustrated account of Galveston and the Civil War. Second is to add to the scholarship of Galveston by addressing subjects that have previously received little coverage. These include slavery, Unionist dissent, yellow fever, and the heroic actions of the Ursuline sisters. Lastly, to further add to the literature on the city by using previously unpublished primary...

Zuckoff, Mitchell. Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II. Harper Collins, New York, NY, 2013. B/W photos, index, bibliography, notes. ISBN 9780062273833, $28.99. The name Greenland evokes the thought of lush trees and plants, flowers, and a paradise area. The fact is Greenland is a harsh and almost uninhabitable area frozen over with ice and with temperatures and winds that should not be braved except by those with proper gear and training. The men from the B-17 that crashed in Greenland during a World War II search and rescue mission had neither. Mitchell Zuckoff is no stranger to World War II writing, having written the book Lost in Shangri-La , and here tells the little known story of nine men pitted against the elements and the struggle to survive and the struggle of the United States military to rescue them. Mitchell Zuckoff Courtesy: http://www.mitchellzuckoff.com/ The book is told from two different time frames. Th...