A Nation Transformed: How the Civil War Changed America Forever

Gerald S. Henig and Eric Niderost
Cumberland House Publishing (2007)
ISBN 158182579X
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (6/07)

“A Nation Transformed: How the Civil War Changed America Forever” is the most comprehensive look at the Civil War that I have ever seen.  The authors have definitely done their homework; their approach is much more than a pedestrian read.  The book is very detailed and reader friendly.   

I took this book on vacation with me to read on the beach in South Carolina where I spent a week with my sister’s family.  My brother-in-law is a huge Civil War fan who has read almost everything on the subject and visited all the famous battlegrounds.  It did suspiciously disappear for 48-hours after he saw what I was reading.  After I finished it, we sat and shared our different perspectives.  He is much more knowledgeable about this subject than I am, so I am including his comments as well as mine in this review.   

The book has an amazing amount of detail and the authors did an excellent job of including material that has never been written about.  The comprehensive information includes personal information and background of the characters, how they grew up and how their personalities affected each other and the war.  There was also a lot of information about African Americans and women not usually seen in period pieces.   And, they not only wrote about the many aspects of the Lincoln presidency and how it affected the war, but about ordinary people doing extraordinary things throughout this time period. 

The only fact in the novel that we found that was not correct was about the Monitor.  The author’s mentioned that it was discovered but nothing found.  The turret was actually retrieved and is on display in Newport News, Virginia. 

I read this book from a Northern perspective and found it to be excellent.  The Southerner’s might not necessarily agree with me.  If you enjoy United States history and are looking for a book rich in detail about the most painful time in our history, then “A Nation Transformed” is the book for you.  

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