The Civil War: Special Commemorative Issue from The Atlantic

by James Bennet (editor)

Marking the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, The Atlantic’s special commemorative edition, featuring an introduction by President Barack Obama, showcases some of the most iconic stories from the magazine’s archives—with contributions from some of America’s most important writers, including Mark Twain, Henry James, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglass, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Louisa May Alcott. Through reporting, essays, fiction, and poetry, The Atlantic chronicled the war firsthand—from the country’s deepening divisions in the years leading up to the conflict, to the horrors of the battlefield, to the reshaping of society after the war’s conclusion. Now this edition captures all of that—and with contemporary essays by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Jeffrey Goldberg, along with memorable images from the National Portrait Gallery, this rich collection is perfect for anyone interested in the dramatic story of America’s most transformative moment.

Genres: History

148 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

schoolmaster of Hoddeston

Reviews

[Mr. Kovach · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting collection of famous Civil War-era writers writing about America during this most tumultuous time in our country's history (bar none). All of these writings, which commented and philosophized on the amazing events of the day, appeared in the literary magazine The Atlantic before, during, and after the war (1861 to 1865). The authors include Mark Twain, Henry James, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglass, Nathaniel Hawthorne and others (they're listed on the cover, which caught my attention immediately upon seeing this). The interesting thing is to read what these authors, who were actually living during the incredible events, thought about this time in history as it unfolded. I wonder if they knew that 150 years later we would still be fascinated by this time in history (I think they did).

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I've just begun reading this book, (more like a magazine), I'm completely impressed! The book is made up of a series of manuscripts and writings from authors of the Civil War period. If you are a Civil War buff, or even someone who just enjoys history, perhaps you'll enjoy reading this superb collection of works. Interestingly enough, many of these pieces were originally published by The Atlantic Magazine during the Civil War period.
If you enjoy Civil War and short non fiction stories, this Magazine/book is worth reading. The Atlantic did a fantastic job.