1861: The Civil War Awakening

By: Adam Goodheart

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 18 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

As the United States marks the 150th anniversary of our defining national drama, 1861 presents a gripping and original account of how the Civil War began.

1861 is an epic of courage and heroism beyond the battlefields. Early in that fateful year, a second American revolution unfolded, inspiring a new generation to reject their parents' faith in compromise and appeasement, to do the unthinkable in the name of an ideal. It set Abraham Lincoln on the path to greatness and millions of slaves on the road to freedom.

The book introduces us to a heretofore little-known cast of Civil War heroes - among them an acrobatic militia colonel, an explorer's wife, an idealistic band of German immigrants, a regiment of New York City firemen, a community of Virginia slaves, and a young college professor who would one day become president. Adam Goodheart takes us from the corridors of the White House to the slums of Manhattan, from the mouth of the Chesapeake to the deserts of Nevada, from Boston Common to Alcatraz Island, vividly evoking the Union at this moment of ultimate crisis and decision.

©2011 Adam Goodheart (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Winner, History, 2012

“With boundless verve, Adam Goodheart has sketched an uncommonly rich tableau of America on the cusp of the Civil War. The research is impeccable, the cast of little-known characters we are introduced to is thoroughly fascinating, the book is utterly thought-provoking, and the story is luminescent. What a triumph.” (Jay Winik, author of New York Times best-sellers April 1865 and The Great Upheaval)

"Engrossing .... Tension is palpable on every page .... Goodheart's book is an impressive accomplishment, a delightful read, and a valuable contribution that will entertain and challenge." ( Harvard Magazine)

"Exhilarating ... inspiring ... irresistible ... 1861 creates the uncanny illusion that the reader has stepped into a time machine." ( New York Times Book Review, cover review)

"In his marvelous book... Goodheart brings us into 19th-century America, as ambiguous, ambitious and fractured as the times we live in now, and he brings to pulsing life the hearts and minds of its American citizens." ( Huffington Post)

“Jonathan Davis's narration sets the scene with hints of foreboding, creating a feeling of tension about the impending war. He draws listeners into stories of people like recaptured slave Lucy Bagby and future president James Garfield….Goodheart's meticulous research and lively writing will appeal to any history buff.” ( AudioFile)

"Beautifully written and thoroughly original--quite unlike any other Civil War book out there." ( Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

Very informative book

Learned so many details about the history of the lead up to the Civil War. Great book and wonderful narration.

Wow, opened a new world of civil war history

I found this book very enthralling, I loved the stories of Elmer Ellsworth and his Zouaves, was fascinating as they naively went to war and the destruction that resulted. The contraband issue and Major Butler where very informative.

I have listened to several Great Courses by Gary Gallagher about the civil war and this book shed much new light on the subject.



The narration was very good and enjoyable

The compelling analysis of a awakening!

From it’s very first pages and it’s richness of detail, 1861 comes across as a work of superb research. Here you won’t find the description of great battles or heroic feats, just the lives of regular people being affected by the events of the day. And even though we know the outcome, it’s a compelling story that unfolds like a novel. Adam Goodheart’s writing is almost poetic and reminds me of Will Durant’s, last century’s greatest historian. Like Durant, in his Story of Civilization, Goodheart is challenged by having to describe multiple events happening simultaneously in different geographies, without losing their connecting rings or the reader’s interest. His narrative travels from Charleston SC to Washington DC, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, Missouri and far away California. It centers on many lesser known or almost forgotten characters like Robert Armstrong, Jennie Fremont, a young James Garfield and Elmer Ellsworth, whose opinions, actions and sacrifices became critical to the outcome of the war that would soon engulf them all. Towering above them is Lincoln, vacillating and uncertain at the beginning of his presidency, before stubbornly reincarnating into the titan who never deviated from the goal of keeping the nation undivided. Critical to his rebirth was his carefully crafted message to congress on July 4th, 1861, a foreshadow of his immortal words at Gettysburg two years later. Above all, Goodheart shows us how the events leading to the Civil War, as important in our history as the independence itself, could have as easily led not only to secession but to the complete fragmentation of our nation and dissolution of our democracy.

Learn Something New Everyday

I strive to learn something new every day of my life. This audio book allowed me to learn more about the Civil War.

Interesting though lengthy read

Contains much historical information that I had not previously heard. It describes in depth many historical, social, economic and personal factors influencing the reasons for and early progress of the civil war.

Expanding historical context

I truly enjoyed most of this book. At the onset of the story the author describes it as a social awareness of the societal context leading up to the Civil War. It was fascinating to learn about the Civil War in this way. I recommend this book for history buffs and those who wish to gain a deeper perspective of social sentiment through different lenses.

Fascinating.

Goodheart has presented one of the best looks at the situation that gave rise to the Civil War that I have experienced. The narrative flowed like a novel. There are vital insights for the modern American political millieux as well. After many years of fascination with and reflexion on the Civil War, I gained a number of new ways of sorting out the "then and now" realities of a still divided nation. Kudos to the narrator for his skillful presentation of intricate, historical information. Well done!

Excellent Play by Play of USA's Tumultuous 1861:

Adam Goodheart does an excellent job of making you feel like you are there, right beside the other participants, in this incredibly immense and polarized year of 1861 in the United States.

I could not be more impressed with the attention to detail, as Goodheart's ability to craft scenes allows the emotions of the moment to transfer to the reader some 150 year later. Literally, I got "goose-bumps" during certain exchanges between President Lincoln and his detractors. It could not be more amazing his foresight against the backdrop of history.

I highly recommend this book, and I am certain you will realize there is much you don't know about the events that led to the Civil War. In addition, I promise a change in perspective on both this era in history and the people involved.

I find this book is best at 2x speed.

another unique perspective on the Civil War

Would you listen to 1861: The Civil War Awakening again? Why?

I would listen again. Goodheart does a terrific job showing what people actually thought & felt, mostly in the north, as developments built toward a Civil War most did not want or anticipate, and none felt would turn out as a 4 year bloodbath.

What did you like best about this story?

Usually we think about history, without much intellectual effort, as if the participants knew what was going to happen in their tomorrow, in their next year. And of course that is not the way things happen. Goodheart's strength is showing that.

Great start to study 150 anniversary of Civil War

Superb way to start studying the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. This book uses 1861 as a starting point but goes back and forth in time weaving relevant details and stories into the events of 1861. The book 1861 is a combination of great material and great storytelling. It makes a terrific audiobook.