Guts and Glory: The American Civil War

When it comes to the War Between the States (or War of the Rebellion if you are pro-Union), it's hard to find a good book on the history of the American Civil War that is not politically charged in some way. Ben Thompson, while he does not deny the checkered causes and motives of the participants, instead, per his usual remit of covering great deeds and people, decides to cover the less politically charged aspects of the conflict in his first Guts and Glory book.

A bit of background is required. Ben Thompson is a historian who started out with a website called "Badass of the Week', where he would detail the aforementioned figures, both real and fictional, and explore their histories and exploits. Having branched out into writing, he wrote the Guts and Glory series for younger readers, foregoing most of the earthy language his more mature work is known for. At the same time, he delivers generally the same information in his typically bombastic style, so parents who want their children to learn something can be assured the work is reasonably educational and child appropriate while still being entertaining.

It's worth noting, for concerned parents, that the only language considered remotely profane is limited to direct historical quotations, such as Willian T. Sherman's "War is Hell" commentary. The text is otherwise free of anything a parent might object to their children reading.

Thompson sets out to do three things. The book is in roughly chronological order, covering the general scope of the historical conflict (1861-1865), and he does cover all the general high points most history books do concerning the conflict. Second, given his goal of covering great deeds and the people who did them, his work is very excitingly written, wanting the reader to feel the intensity of the action that took place. Finally, in between all these sections are various trivia and additional facts about the war and its impact, both during its own time and on history in general.

I had three takeaways from this work. First, Thompson is concerned less with all the politics and social background of the conflict (though this does get covered), his work instead focuses on the people involved. If you want a less dry historical retelling and want to read something that covers the parties involved on a more personal level, this is sure to satisfy you. Second, Thompson, an admitted Civil War reenactor of both sides of the conflict, strove to keep an even hand describing both sides. For those wanting a history text that doesn't shirk away from admitting it was a conflict fought for mixed motives yet does not stop to overly moralize, they will be refreshed to read this. Finally, this text does have some mild glossing over historical facts in places where history would be too boring if described in detail, but Thompson does provide an extensive bibliography for further reading that should give the details he glosses over.

Overall, this text comes highly recommended. Not only is it suitable for parents hoping to give their child something educational yet entertaining, but it is also a good work on the subject of the American Civil War in general. It can be purchased on Amazon in Audiobook, Kindle, softcover, hardcover, and Audio CD formats.

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