John Keegan is known for his military histories, and this worthy addition to that collection presents the Civil War from a British and European point of view, drawing comparisons between what happened in the U.S. with a battle in European history.

Keegan covers the major battles and campaigns, as well as various topics such as black soldiers and the home front. While this book does not go into depth of Shelby Foote’s set - that would require more volumes - it does well. Keegan’s prose keeps the reader connected and flows smoothly from one battle to the next.

This volume contains several maps and plates of black-and-white photographs. Also included are endnotes, a bibliography, and an index. For those starting out on the study of the Civil War Keegan’s book is a good introduction and highly recommended to Civil War enthusiasts and scholars.