Before Christmas, I picked up a copy of
Bill O’Reilly’s Legends and Lies; The Civil War, a companion book to a FOX historical docudrama of which I was unaware. The actual author is David Fisher. I got it at Ollie's discount store for only $4.25, and figured I had nothing to lose.
This actually is a good book for a Civil War novice, say, a young person never taught actual, true American history in the public schools. It provides a good overview of some of the events leading to the war, e.g., John Brown's activities in Kansas and Harpers Ferry, and profiles of the key battles and military figures, like Lee, Grant, Sherman, Jackson, etc. It explains emancipation and goes through the surrender and Lincoln's assassination. It isn't a book, perhaps, for one who has studied the subject extensively and can recite the precise maneuvers of the 2nd Vermont Brigade on July 2, 1863, or Gen. Hooker's tactics at Fredericksburg, but the narrative and many illustrations might pique the interest of someone who hasn't had that exposure. Recommended.