Hello all-
Many of you asked me toward the end of the year what some good history books are to read during the summer, both for education and enjoyment. Here I have compiled a short list of some of my favorite books that I have read. Some are nonfiction and some are historical fiction, but all of them really spoke to me in some way. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara: The movie "Gettysburg" is loosely based on this historical fiction novel. I say "loosely" because they share very little in common other than they were both based around the Battle of Gettysburg (the movie is terribly inaccurate). This is an amazing book that examines the battle through the eyes of some of the major men involved- Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, James Longstreet, and Robert E. Lee, just to name a few. As you all know, Gettysburg is my Graceland so I might be a bit biased here. But it DID win a Pulitzer Prize!
1776 by David McCullough: Remembering back to the beginning of the year, many of you were shocked to hear that General George Washington was not the great military leader you were taught he was in middle school. This book examines his early victories and failures during the American Revolution in a very readable, relatable style. McCullough takes you inside the mind of one of America's most important founding fathers, and you will find that, although he is treated sometimes like a god, he is a very mortal man.
For Cause and Comrades by James McPherson: This short Civil War book examines the reasons young men went off to fight. It really details how millions of American boys were willing to throw their lives away to "see the elephant," or battle during the American Civil War. I put this one up because we always discussed the mind set of the average soldier and their motivations during war. This book analyzes that idea amazingly well.
Band Of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose: This fantastic World War II book is the true story of E-Company of the 101st Airborne division. They were one of the first groups of men to jump out of a plane with only a parachute to guide them, and their story is remarkable. It is told from the perspective of these living legends in a truly social history standpoint. We see what the real men did, not the generals. The men of E-Company saw every major battle in the European theater after the Normandy Invasion, and their story in priceless.
There are four amazing suggestions for you. If you do read them, let me know how you enjoyed them on here or in the fall. Have a great summer!
Mr. Sanger
