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Reflections on the Civil War was published in 1981, three years after the death of Bruce Catton. John Leekley reworked and restructured audio tapes that he and Catton had been compiling for an oral history into the essays that form the basis for this fascinating book.

For the most part this transformation was successful and achieves a natural narrative style. Reflections on the Civil War should particularly appeal to readers seeking a concise, and yet insightful introduction to the Civil War. This relatively short book, about 250 pages, would be ideal for supplementary reading for advanced high school students or undergraduates.

The essays target five major topics: Lincoln's leadership; life in the army; the war itself - strategy and execution; the Civil War as the first modern war, and There Was a Young Soldier. This last section, the experiences of John Geyser from Pennsylvania in an engineer battalion in the Army of the Potomac, was riveting, and is a remarkable description of soldiering under General McClellan.

John Geyser carefully penned thoughtful sketches of camp life, individual soldiers, and military action. These drawings add substantial value to this work. Geyser's sketches had only recently come available and had not been published previously.

In the 1960s Bruce Catton, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, helped Americans understand and commemorate the centennial of the Civil War. His books - Mr. Lincoln's Army, Terrible Swift Sword, Gettysburg: the Final Fury, A Stillness at Appomattox, two volumes on Ulysses S. Grant, and others - were widely admired. His writings gave meaning and life to the Civil War in a way unmatched by previous writers.

In recent decades American interest in the Civil War was similarly revitalized by the monumental documentary on the Civil War by Ken Burns and later by the film Gettysburg. Newer studies by outstanding historians like Shelby Foote and James M. McPherson, and Civil War novels like those of Michael and Jeff Shaara, have perhaps unfairly displaced the writings of Bruce Catton.

In my view Bruce Catton's major works compare favorably with Shelby Foote and James McPherson, two authors that I greatly respect. Reflections on the Civil War is a quick way to become acquainted with this remarkable writer and historian.

The first books I ever read about the Civil War were by Bruce Catton, starting with his novel BANNERS AT SHENANDOAH and continuing with his two overall histories and ending with his U.S. Grant trilogy. There is something effortless about the way Catton integrates his sources and spins his tale.

If one may say he is not really a scholar, he is at least a brilliant popularizer and integrater. REFLECTIONS is like the capstone of his career. Now that I've read scores of books on the subject, Catton somehow manages to revivify the entire period.

By far my favorite chapter is the story of an Army Engineer who also created a sketchbook of his battle experiences. Catton follows him thoughout the war and even after, until his later years are spent in pain from an injury received in battle decades before. Also brilliant is is short summary of the war from the point of view of opportunities lost. (It appears that the commanding generals of the Army of the Potomac have a lot to answer for.)

If you want a single book to give you a good feeling of what the Civil War was like without dragging you company by company through all the gory details, this is the book for you.

There are many great writers about the Civil War, but I definitely feel that, now that Catton has gone, the vital spark is no longer there.

Catton provides the reader with an easy to understand synopsis of the grand currents at work during the Civil War. Masterfully done, Catton obviously composed his ideas from a vast warehouse of Civil War knowledge. Not concerned with detailing the minutia of events, he is able deliver a feeling for what was going on during those great and terrible days. Although the Foreword and Introduction seem a bit fawning at times, the editor and E. B. Long are able to clue the reader in on what to expect and what to look for.

This book was compiled from audio tapes Catton made before his death,,, his "reflections" on the Civil War. In it Catton brings the lessons of his life long study of the war into very human focus. It is the best book I know of for anyone who is seeking their first Civil war book because it tells the stories of the war in such human terms. It is the best book I know of for the Civil war "expert" for the very same reason. One cannot lose focus on the essential human war exoperiences once this book is read. It is an outstanding achievement. There is fact here to be sure but Catton always provided mofre than fact. He provided understanding. And in "Reflection On The Civil War" he provides passion and compassion, intrigue and dareing, and deep respect for the simple common people of the 1860's Here, he speaks of their wisdom, their dedication and their courage. One of the most masterful pieces of writing I have evefr read comes late in the book when he trace two trajectories. The first

This is the best present received by my granddaughter for her 9th birthday. She takes it everywhere.

Greatings again to everyone!
Seeing the movie i was so exiting that i was looking forward to buy the dvd as soon as possible.But instaid of this i found in my personal page of Amazon this great book!!!I saw the movie again just reading this book and looking those amazing photograps!

I love Star wars.So this book is great.It shows the high light of the movie.It is very sad but I can read it over agin and agin
and it still is great.I read it in about one day.I started around 2:00pm and finshed around 10:00Am and I got a good night sleep to. I just Love'd it so much. I can't wait to see the movie.
Yoou will proble want to read it first.I don't want to tell you about it you should read it your self.I read it by my self and I'm only 11. I was just great.I just had to tell some buddy.It has great picters too.That's about all I can say and are great things.
I hope this helps you.

I gave this book a 4 because it does not cover the story in depth. But then again it was never meant to do that. To get the details, either read the junior novelization or the adult version of the book. But I got this for the color pictures from the movie. To me this tells the story much better. and there are heaps of pictures from the movie. The book gets a 5 for pictures, the layout and the flow of the story but an overall 4 for lack of detail.....

My 19 month old grandaughter absolutely LOVES this book. It really teaches words and she loves opening the flaps and saying the words. I would definetly recommend this one!

I love this book for the simple fact that it allowed me to teach my 18 month old all the common words in various settings (park, aquarium, farm, school and home). It also has flaps which intrigue her as she likes to see whats behind each one. I am amazed at all the words she has picked up from this book! Fantastic book for parents wanting to establish letter recognition (alphabet page) and build their childs vocabulary!

This book was a gift from grandparents and it quickly became my 19 mo. old daughter's obsession. She selects it any time I ask her to bring me a book to read to her and will carry it to me on a whim as well, simultaneously calling out "elmo."

Great book. Very colorful and the flap parts are fun and pretty sturdy. It keep's my child's attention for a while.

This book is great, my 17-month-old daughter loves it very much. Good for her to learn brushing teeth.

This is great for introducing the use of the toothbrush to a toddler. It has not solved the problem of sucking the toothpaste down the throat or chewing on the toothbrush. However, it has made the process a bit more enjoyable. I think my son thought I was trying to torture him. The book is very informative and the pop up scenes make it fun for little ones. Of course, you can't beat the lovable Elmo to make brushing your teeth a fun proposition.

This book has so many fun features in it: put the right amount of tooth paste on the tooth brush, brush through teeth in different ways, rinse, and count teeth. It also provides movable and slidable tooth brush for kids to practice with. I think this one is even better than "Brush Your Teeth Please Pop-Up!" Over all, a great book(surprisingly)!

We bought this book for our 2-year-old daughter. She loves it. It is good and simple and help them to understand the basics of brushing.

My son normally isn't thrilled about reading, but he takes these two books to school every day and reads them at their reading time!

Finally books to come out for kids with adventure based on some old school stories.....

i thought these books were great they have so much imagination and are jam-packed with adventures and fun!! children will love them as much as adults !! this was written by my daughter so there's you're point!!

This is the best book I ever read, it is amazing, I thruly recomend this book to all the action fans and childrens.

as long as you like stinky things! LOL Really, though, my 4 year old is a fan of Shrek and she found it a great story to read and also fun to sniff the stinky stickers!

Well written, very funny and quite smelly. Includes interesting details not included in the movie. My four year old son and his nine year old girl cousin enjoyed this book for hours and it became was the launching point for many smelly jokes for days afterward. A treat for children and the lucky parent(s) who get to read it to them.

Well written, very funny and quite smelly. Includes interesting details not included in the movie. My four year old son and his nine year old girl cousin enjoyed this book for hours and it became was the launching point for many smelly jokes for days afterward. A treat for children and the lucky parent(s) who get to read it to them.

This is truly a smelly piece of children's literature. The stickers made me gag, but my little boy LOVED them and we are all still laughing at the foul stench of the stickers. Our friends dread coming over because the little one has a new sticker to let them sniff. Great book!

Oliver Sack, MD called this book, "a remarkable account of what it means to be paralyzed, speechless, incapable of communication yet fully conscious... and to struggle back, over the years, to an active and creative life."
I was fascinated by this feminist film maker's candid account of her devastating stroke, and learning to live with disability after seeking out a variety of therapies. You see her struggle with depression, overcoming access barriers, dealing with insensitive hospital staff, and coping with the details of bodily disfunction.
It helps me to understand the experience from the inside view. Quite enlightening.

This book should be required reading for anyone in the field of rehabilitation. And it is a tremendously inspiring story for all of us who wonder how we could ever manage if we were struck with a disabling illness. If it were fiction it would be a great read. The fact that it's a true story gives one goosebumps as well. Bonnie Klein suffered a devastating stroke. This book is about her recovery - both physical and psychological - and the wonderful love and support she received from friends and family, especially from a wonderful husband. It also shows the predjudice and meanness of some people when they are faced with a person who is "different". And the ignorance and arrogance of some of the rehabilitation "professionals" she encountered along the way. It is a story of terror, hope, the tremendous importance of love and support, and how one finally comes to terms with being less facile physically than one used to be. Bonnie Klein is a hero. Her family and friends most loving and genuine. It is a great read.

Ms. Klein establishes important rules to live a fruitful, productive lifestyle, despite a chronic illness: Live life by celebrating life. Independence is control over one's own life measured by the quality of life sustained with whatever help is needed. Sometimes dispair can lead to depression. Sometimes, it can be motivating.

This is a great book! I have read a number of books written by stroke survivors and this is one of the best. This may well be because the book was completed several years after the event. This time gave Ms. Klein the chance to gather and refine her thoughts and experiences.

I am also a stroke survivor. Her acknowledgement that she experienced progress long after the stroke was especially encouraging to me. The medical world says that all progress stops in 3 months to a year. My experience is that the body is a living entity, which is forever changing. So, it makes sense that it would not stop changing because of any medical condition.

The book has humor and is written in a warm and caring context. I would recommend it not only for stoke survivors, but also for caretakers and for health professionals

All Saab books are great and Teleps a great sci-fi author I just wish I could find Any space above and beyond book for my personall library if you would sell me one in good condision e-mail me at Spbeyond@Yahoo.com

I was not planning to read the whole book, I just planned to read enough to get me through one period of high school. Guess I should have picked a different book because once I got into this book, I couldn't put it down. I read through all my classes, including geometry. I really reading about Nathan and Kylen, I only wish it told us if Kylen was alive or dead...I haven't read the second book yet(Demolition War) but I am really looking forward to it.

I dont read too many books like this so for me to rate this so well, it has to be great. I am a trekkie and I only read startrek but this book has changed my mind, other books can be enjoyable. If you have never read Sci-Fi before, this IS the book to start with.

Space: Above and Beyond by Peter Telep is the first S:AaB book and is faithful to the TV script.

It is written for adults, unlike the four children's titles.

If you want to re-live S:AaB, but do not have the tapes, then this book is essential for all S:AaB fans. If you do have the tapes, then still buy this title. It is perfect for remembering Space: Above and Beyond.

Space: Above and Beyond was one of the only truely original shows ever to air on network television. Peter Telep is one of the only writers ever to capture the essense of a tv show so, well. he remained true to the Characters, plot, and atmosphere of the show. This book should have another edition made. I'm glad I got the book before it went out of print, but anyone who wants should try to find it. Mr. Telep THis review was done by lara.

Bought for a 7 year old boy. LOVED it--definitely a level 3 of the DK book series--many more words than the level 2. But wonderfully done--as all of their books are.

This book has all the primary Star Wars spacecraft listed in the book. Our grade school child loves reading this book. This book is true to the DK Readers style, with reading level well identified, and full color photos to keep them excited about reading. On more than once have found our son "secretly" reading this book to himself after lights out!! Makes reading fun when they have fun topic to read about.

STAR PILOTS is actually an inaccurate title for this young readers Star Wars book. The book really doesn't have much to say about pilots, but is all about space craft flown in the Star Wars universe. While there are a few non-space vehicles described, e.g. podracers, most of the book is dedicated to famous Star Wars vehicles. X-Wings, TIE Fighters, the Millenium Falcon, the Executor, Slave 1, and the Invisible Hand are all mentioned as well as escape pods and Republican gunships. The book is filled with pictures from the movies, which makes it attractive for young readers. Though this is a level 3 book, many of the words seem more difficult than that too me. However, the books chronological order makes it easier to make sense of it all. Overall, this is a great book for young Star Wars fans.

"Star Pilot" is a tour of Star Wars' great flying vehicles. The title isn't entirely accurate since the focus isn't actually on pilots, but rather the machines. Beyond this, the scope is broader than space ships alone as the book includes pod racers and republic gunships. The scope includes the entire saga, starting with the droid control ship seen in the first minute of the "Phantom Menace" and ending with the Super Star Destroyer, seen in Episode six's final battle. The chronological order makes the book comfortable to follow. While the text is large, the vocabulary is much higher than the self-described level 3. The illustrations are large, high-quality and extracted from the films. While not comprehensive by any means, "Star Pilot" is an enjoyable tour of the most important vehicles of the Star Wars saga.

Provides an in-depth and fascinating account into how Star Trek productions are conceived, filmed and produced. The book showsthe transition from initial idea to final product in 3 Star Trek guises - DS9, Voyager and the film Insurrection. The book is jam-packed with pictures throughout and Erdmann's dialogue is very much narrative in style, as the story is told for much of the book in the quotes of various cast and crew. The book particularly highlights how stories are formed and the various inputs from script writers, producers, directors and cast, and it is fascinating to see how a story develops and changes throughout time. An extremely good read.

From the first writers' meeting to the satellite upload, this book describes in detail every step taken by actors, producers, designers, directors and editors to create an episode of Star Trek. Terry J. Erdmann has had unprecedented access to production meetings, film sets and post-production facilities to unveil how various Star Trek incarnations get from idea to (small of big) screen. If you're interested in what's going on behind-the-scenes, I highly recommend this title.

With print and pictures detailing EVERY inch of the making of three Trek productions, this is a book that is a treasure for any student of filmmaking. One does not have to be an aficionado of the offspring of the original series to appreciate the work that went into the publication of this book.

The book is a fascinating (to use Spock's word) how-to-make-a-television episode (or movie scene) primer.

For any star trek fan, or just for those interested in the making of tv series and films, this book outlines, in high detail and many photographs, the process of producing an episode of DS9, Voyager, and a portion of Star Trek: First Contact. A must for any fan's collection.