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  • The Civil War: A Narrative, Volume I, Fort Sumter to Perryville

  • By: Shelby Foote
  • Narrated by: Grover Gardner
  • Length: 42 hrs and 58 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (5,121 ratings)

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The Civil War: A Narrative, Volume I, Fort Sumter to Perryville

By: Shelby Foote
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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Publisher's summary

The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol. 1 begins one of the most remarkable works of history ever fashioned. All the great battles are here, of course, from Bull Run through Shiloh, the Seven Days Battles, and Antietam, but so are the smaller ones: Ball's Bluff, Fort Donelson, Pea Ridge, Island Ten, New Orleans, and Monitor versus Merrimac.

The word “narrative” is the key to this extraordinary book’s incandescence and its truth. The story is told entirely from the point of view of the people involved in it. One learns not only what was happening on all fronts but also how the author discovered it during his years of exhaustive research.

This first volume in Shelby Foote’s comprehensive history is a must-listen for anyone interested in one of the bloodiest wars in America’s history.

©1986 Shelby Foote (P)2011 Blackstone Audio

What listeners say about The Civil War: A Narrative, Volume I, Fort Sumter to Perryville

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Narrative

While this book gives all of the requisite dates and battle movements of armies, which can be a little hard to follow without the maps and apendixes a book like this is sure to come with, it's narrative styles makes learning the civil war a delight. This book delves deeply into the beginnings of the civil war and shows the characters of the people behind the start of the war fairly. People easily take sides when it comes to civil war, but this book gives a relatively unbiased view of what the author believies happened that led to the war. A very long, but rewarding listen.

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amazing unmatched definitive

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

yes, the book opens a window to the past

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Civil War?

the entire volume is a joy

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Mr Foote understands the period like no one else i've read.

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Superb overview-style contextual history.

I truly enjoyed this book. It is a contextual history which supplies a lot of background understanding of the Civil War.

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Uniquely exceptional

Shelby Foote's multi-volume narrative of the Civil War is, quite simply, one of the finest efforts of historical literature in the history of the English language. And I think I will leave it at that.

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clearing concise

The narrator has a very authoritative and pleasing voice. brings history alive.
on to volume two

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Excellent Narrative

Love this format of historical story telling. Barbara Tuckman does it best (in my opinion). But, this is on par. On to volume two.

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American history at its best

Amazing, nothing else comes close. If you truly want to know what happened in the civil war this is the most powerful and complete story ever written.

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Outstanding historical narrative

What more can be said that hasn’t been expressed by others before me? Foote has written the premiere book on the US Civil War, & Grover Gardner has provided an equally wonderful audio recording of all three volumes.

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Fantastic.

Where are the other volumes? A truly wonderful historical masterpiece more gripping and engrossing than a dozen novels.

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What is there to say?

The civil war is our Trojan war, and Mr. Foote is our Homer, just as much a poet as a historian.

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