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Gettysburg: A History for the People
The battle of Gettysburg continues to captivate the American imagination. After 150 years, millions still visit its fields every year, commemorating the tremendous struggle. In Gettysburg: A History for the People, licensed Battlefield Guide John D. Cox brings to life the story of America’s greatest battle. All of the drama of the conflict, with its tragedies and heroism, becomes real in its pages. The monumental decisions of the commanders are revealed, the self-sacrifice of the soldiers and the nightmares of the civilians, caught between the two armies, are vividly uncovered. From the start, Gettysburg: A History for the People pulls the reader into a gripping narrative, told with the knowledge of a professional, but with the vibrant touch of a master storyteller, that never lets go. Gettysburg: A History for the People reads like a novel.
462 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2013
19 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
John Cox
205 books6 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
Other authors publishing under this name are:
John Cox, Meditation
John Cox, American screenwriter and authority on Harry Houdini
John Cox, Cartoonist
John Cox, British chess player
John Cox, Minister (1802-1878)
John Cox, (1851- )
John Cox
John Cox, (1935- )
John Cox, Astronomy (1947- )
John Cox, (1952- )
John Cox, (1967- )
John Cox, Anthropologist
John Cox, Psychiatry
John Cox, Poetry
John Cox, "a native of Philadelphia"
Other authors publishing under this name are:
John Cox, Meditation
John Cox, American screenwriter and authority on Harry Houdini
John Cox, Cartoonist
John Cox, British chess player
John Cox, Minister (1802-1878)
John Cox, (1851- )
John Cox
John Cox, (1935- )
John Cox, Astronomy (1947- )
John Cox, (1952- )
John Cox, (1967- )
John Cox, Anthropologist
John Cox, Psychiatry
John Cox, Poetry
John Cox, "a native of Philadelphia"
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 8, 2021
A Licensed Battlefield Guide's Book On Gettysburg
In order that visitors to the Gettysburg National Park receive informed and accurate information about the iconic battle, the Federal government has, beginning in 1915, provided for the examination and licensing of paid battlefield guides. Prospective guides must pass a competitive and rigorous written and oral examination before receiving their license. A tour from a Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide usually is about two hours in length and constitutes one of the best introductions to the battle and the battlefield.
John Cox' s "Gettysburg: A History for the People" (2013) is among several books published on the 150th anniversary of the battle, July 1 - 3, 1863. Cox served as a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg from 2000 ---2009. In many respects, with its enthusiasm and flair, Cox's book reminds me of taking a tour of the Battlefield in the company of a knowledgeable guide. I was flattered that Cox offered me the opportunity to review his book after he had read some of my earlier reviews of books about Gettysburg.
In a short introduction to the book, Cox describes his lifelong passion in studying Gettysburg. Even though Gettysburg has been written about extensively, Cox aptly describes the book as "a tale I had to tell", because "I have always thought Gettysburg is America's greatest tragedy but is still a whopping good story." Cox describes insightfully his approach in the book as that of a storyteller. He says: "[i]t was never my intention to cover every single aspect of the Gettysburg Campaign, but merely to tell a story. As a storyteller I have at times taken the liberty of giving my opinion..... It was important to me to tell the truth about the battle as I see it."
A good guide at Gettysburg must have the qualities of a good storyteller in addition to a broad knowledge of the battle. Visitors come to the battlefield with widely varying degrees of background knowledge of and interest in the battle, and it is the role of the guide to make the battle come alive. The eyes of many casual visitors, or readers, may cloud over with deeply technical discussions of military strategy and tactics. Thus, Licensed Battlefield Guides are encouraged, in the relatively short time of most battlefield tours, to intersperse their discussions of the fighting with human interest stories, as Cox does effectively in this book.
Cox's book has the drama and directness required for a battlefield presentation. It is written in short, narrowly focused chapters rather than in long chapters discussing the opening of the campaign followed by each of the three days of the battle. The book begins in the aftermath of the Battle of Chancellorsville with Robert E. Lee's fateful decision to invade the North for the second time, and it concludes with the Gettysburg Address. The writing is colloquial and punchy. The most distinctive feature of the book is Cox's use of the telling anecdote or story. In virtually every chapter, Cox offers short human interest stories about the impact of the fighting on participants, spectators or civilians. He offers telling biographies of the participants from field commanders to privates. There are many accounts of heroism and of the pain of the battlefield. The stories and anecdotes, invaluable for an effective battlefield presentation to visitors, work well in this book. At its best, I could imagine taking a tour of the battlefield with Cox as the guide.
The short chapters make the book easy to follow and they have a cumulative effect. I thought the best sequence of the book was the eight chapter depiction of the climactic event of the battle, Pickett's Charge of July 3. Pickett's Charge is doubtless the highlight of a battlefield tour for most visitors to Gettysburg. The chapters each briefly describe a single aspect of the charge, from its formulation to its disastrous conclusion, from both sides of the line. Military moves are interspersed with storytelling. The result is a compelling and thoughtful discussion of this famed moment in American history. Similarly, Cox's discussion of Longstreet's assault of the Union left on the second day of the battle, July 2, is divided into several short sections each on Little Round Top, Devil's Den, the Wheatfield, and Barksdale's advance from the Peach Orchard. It captures these events in a readable, storytelling form, with drama, complexity, and human experience.
Studies of the Battle of Gettysburg, as with other subjects of historical importance are inexhaustible. With the complexity of the events, there are many ways to combine in a fresh, important way the facts of the battle with the individual background and perspective of the author. Cox's book brings to bear his long experience on the battlefield with visitors as a Licensed Battlefield Guide and his knowledge of battlefield anecdotes and stories. The book would have benefitted from more care with proofing and editing. It includes an excellent bibliography together with useful endnotes. Cox's book and the insight he has gained as a guide will enhance the reader's knowledge of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Robin Friedman
In order that visitors to the Gettysburg National Park receive informed and accurate information about the iconic battle, the Federal government has, beginning in 1915, provided for the examination and licensing of paid battlefield guides. Prospective guides must pass a competitive and rigorous written and oral examination before receiving their license. A tour from a Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide usually is about two hours in length and constitutes one of the best introductions to the battle and the battlefield.
John Cox' s "Gettysburg: A History for the People" (2013) is among several books published on the 150th anniversary of the battle, July 1 - 3, 1863. Cox served as a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg from 2000 ---2009. In many respects, with its enthusiasm and flair, Cox's book reminds me of taking a tour of the Battlefield in the company of a knowledgeable guide. I was flattered that Cox offered me the opportunity to review his book after he had read some of my earlier reviews of books about Gettysburg.
In a short introduction to the book, Cox describes his lifelong passion in studying Gettysburg. Even though Gettysburg has been written about extensively, Cox aptly describes the book as "a tale I had to tell", because "I have always thought Gettysburg is America's greatest tragedy but is still a whopping good story." Cox describes insightfully his approach in the book as that of a storyteller. He says: "[i]t was never my intention to cover every single aspect of the Gettysburg Campaign, but merely to tell a story. As a storyteller I have at times taken the liberty of giving my opinion..... It was important to me to tell the truth about the battle as I see it."
A good guide at Gettysburg must have the qualities of a good storyteller in addition to a broad knowledge of the battle. Visitors come to the battlefield with widely varying degrees of background knowledge of and interest in the battle, and it is the role of the guide to make the battle come alive. The eyes of many casual visitors, or readers, may cloud over with deeply technical discussions of military strategy and tactics. Thus, Licensed Battlefield Guides are encouraged, in the relatively short time of most battlefield tours, to intersperse their discussions of the fighting with human interest stories, as Cox does effectively in this book.
Cox's book has the drama and directness required for a battlefield presentation. It is written in short, narrowly focused chapters rather than in long chapters discussing the opening of the campaign followed by each of the three days of the battle. The book begins in the aftermath of the Battle of Chancellorsville with Robert E. Lee's fateful decision to invade the North for the second time, and it concludes with the Gettysburg Address. The writing is colloquial and punchy. The most distinctive feature of the book is Cox's use of the telling anecdote or story. In virtually every chapter, Cox offers short human interest stories about the impact of the fighting on participants, spectators or civilians. He offers telling biographies of the participants from field commanders to privates. There are many accounts of heroism and of the pain of the battlefield. The stories and anecdotes, invaluable for an effective battlefield presentation to visitors, work well in this book. At its best, I could imagine taking a tour of the battlefield with Cox as the guide.
The short chapters make the book easy to follow and they have a cumulative effect. I thought the best sequence of the book was the eight chapter depiction of the climactic event of the battle, Pickett's Charge of July 3. Pickett's Charge is doubtless the highlight of a battlefield tour for most visitors to Gettysburg. The chapters each briefly describe a single aspect of the charge, from its formulation to its disastrous conclusion, from both sides of the line. Military moves are interspersed with storytelling. The result is a compelling and thoughtful discussion of this famed moment in American history. Similarly, Cox's discussion of Longstreet's assault of the Union left on the second day of the battle, July 2, is divided into several short sections each on Little Round Top, Devil's Den, the Wheatfield, and Barksdale's advance from the Peach Orchard. It captures these events in a readable, storytelling form, with drama, complexity, and human experience.
Studies of the Battle of Gettysburg, as with other subjects of historical importance are inexhaustible. With the complexity of the events, there are many ways to combine in a fresh, important way the facts of the battle with the individual background and perspective of the author. Cox's book brings to bear his long experience on the battlefield with visitors as a Licensed Battlefield Guide and his knowledge of battlefield anecdotes and stories. The book would have benefitted from more care with proofing and editing. It includes an excellent bibliography together with useful endnotes. Cox's book and the insight he has gained as a guide will enhance the reader's knowledge of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Robin Friedman
October 4, 2019
A Well Researched Study
The author provides the reader with an excellent study of the battle. It is highly recommended to anyone interested in a detailed examination of a critical moment in American history.
The author provides the reader with an excellent study of the battle. It is highly recommended to anyone interested in a detailed examination of a critical moment in American history.
March 25, 2018
Honestly, one of the more underwhelming books on the topic that I have read. The highlight was random factoids included.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews