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)

Wide Awake

I don't know what to praise more- the info in this book, the narration, or the writing. After a while, you begin to ask how many Civil War books can a nation produce? What new can be said and done? This book is unique in that it focuses more on the attitudes and influences on the time leading up to the full-blown war. Yes, I knew what a Wide Awake was before reading this book, but this author succeeded in truly making me 'feel' what a seventeen year old kid in New England must have felt as he saw his friends donning capes and deciding to stand against disunion. This book has a sort of magic to it that other civil war books lack. I have enjoyed very much Battle Cry of Freedom, and books like it that lay out the battles and the results of each, but this book truly enriched my understanding of what someone like me (And very likely these people were my ancestors) felt as he/she had to choose whether to lay down their life to make way for a truly free America.

Very enlightening

As as Australian, most of what I know of the Civil War in America has been gained from movies such as Gone With The Wind and tv series like North and South. It was very interesting to hear the facts that led to the war between the states and to learn more about Abraham Lincoln. I really enjoyed this book.

Awesome History

This is without doubt the best Civil War History I've read in a long time.

Such a wonderful tapestry of different stories, filled with suspense because we know what's coming.

Relevant To A Modern Reader

The thread of stories woven together to form a finished tapestry more recognizable to a modern reader. The performer reading the book also did a good job of giving a unique voice to each person speaking throughout the text. One of my favorites thus far.

New Civil War information for me!

First: I am not a history fan. I only recalled a few of the Civil War facts from my mandatory high school US History class. From this book I learned new pieces of the history, put my previous knowledge in context, and learned a good bit about some of the major players.

After trying to listen to this completely before moving on to my favorite mysteries and thrillers, I found that listening to one part at a time and taking a break (listening to a different book) worked better for me. It prevented history overload, gave me time to put the new information into my existing framework, and left me with a sense of accomplishment. I even moved on to revisit some past reading and did some new research on key players.

This was definitely a worthwhile read. The information is presented in chronological order, the political atmosphere is investigated from several viewpoints, the cast of key players is expanded beyond the "history book" version, and the multiple attempts to avoid war are presented. As the book title states, this only covers the 1861 prelude to the war. The author accomplishes his goal and doesn't blather on interminably about the future.

Jonathan Davis does an admirable job of narrating material that is "dry" by nature. There is no place for emotional components or dramatizations in this type of book.

Another bitter Southerner

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Try not to let the authorers personal preferance show thru so much.

Would you ever listen to anything by Adam Goodheart again?

Maybe, but probably not.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

no the book itself was not all that great.

Did 1861: The Civil War Awakening inspire you to do anything?

Yes, try to find an author in favor of the north wining.

Any additional comments?

This book is another up set southerner and is trying to paint the north in a very bad light.

Stupendous!

This is an extraordinary story of individuals in an extraordinary time of our nation. I was naïve of the Civil War and lacked the meaning of the struggle for emancipation until I experienced this book. The author handsomely illuminates the ideology held by key players of the era leading to the eventual war of the States. It is clearly slanted towards the North (as it should be), and detail clearly the various sub-plots in the secessionist and non-secessionist thinking. I was particularly moved by the fate of Elmer Ellsworth and his Zouaves. Little did I know of the Wide Awakes movement or its pivotal role in St. Louis. This book details the entire sentiment of the time leading to the conflict. Definitely in the same league as the ‘Guns of August’ by Barbara Tuchman.

Why the war started

Most Civil War books focus on battles. This book explains why the war happened. Full of fascinating vignettes, such as: Did you know that there was a 13th amendment that made slavery perpetual? A must read for anyone interested in Civil War history.

Too much detail dilutes the story

It is easy to get lost in the detail that the author gives as he looks at how the American Civil War started. This is not a good 'first read' for readers who want to gain a broad understanding of the American Civil War.
If you are a serious Civil War aficionado and have already read widely on this subject then you will probably enjoy this book.

Stuff before the War

If you could sum up 1861: The Civil War Awakening in three words, what would they be?

It is about the beginning of the Civil War.

Which character – as performed by Jonathan Davis – was your favorite?

Fort Sumter

Any additional comments?

A great magnifying glass on the months before the war.