Using letters, diaries, and regimental newspapers to take us inside the minds of Civil War soldiers—black and white, Northern and Southern—as they fought and marched across a divided country, this unprecedented account is “an essential contribution to our understanding of slavery and the Civil War" (The Philadelphia Inquirer). In this unprecedented account, Chandra Manning With stunning poise and narrative verve, Manning explores how the Union and Confederate soldiers came to identify slavery as the central issue of the war and what that meant for a tumultuous nation. This is a brilliant and eye-opening debut and an invaluable addition to our understanding of the Civil War as it has never been rendered before.

The Real Custer takes a good hard look at the life and storied military career of George Armstrong Custer—from cutting his teeth at Bull Run in the Civil War, to his famous and untimely death at Little Bighorn in the Indian Wars. Author James Robbins demonstrates that Custer, having graduated last in his class at West Point, went on to prove himself again and again as an extremely skilled cavalry leader. Robbins argues that Custer's undoing was his bold and cocky attitude, which caused the Army's bloodiest defeat in the Indian Wars. Robbins also dives into Custer’s personal life, exploring his letters and other personal documents to reveal who he was as a person, underneath the military leader. The Real Custer is an exciting and valuable contribution to the legend and history of Custer that will delight Custer fans as well as readers new to the legend.

"How We Are Changed by War examines the changes to Americans during wartime through the medium of their diaries and correspondence, beginning with the colonial period of the early seventeenth century, and ending with diaries and letters from Iraq War veterans. The book clearly discusses and describes the universal themes of war such as reintegration to society and the horrors of war through private writings regardless of the narrator's historical era. This allows the writers to "speak" to each other across time to reveal a profound commonality of cultural experience." "How We Are Changed by War is a fascinating look at the writings of individuals who served their military in different eras, and a great example of how history is shaped by both memory and experience."--Jacket.