ANHOW REview of Books: "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg" by James M. McPherson -- Adilbrand Noblesword's Hall of Warriors

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Date Posted: 13:01:40 02/14/04 Sat
Author: Mt. Healthy Mountaineer
Subject:

ANHOW REview of Books: "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg" by James M. McPherson

Genre: Non-fiction
Pulbished: 2003 by Crown Publishers

Synopsis:

Crown Publishers has a series of books called "Crown Journeys" in which they have authors and/or experts write a tour book for a city (D.C., Rome and Prague are represented) or an event (Carnival in Haiti) or a region (Northern Spain, the Adirondacks). This is McPherson's contribution. He is a Pulitzer-prize winning historian and a first-rate expert on the Civil War. His book is designed for a car tour of Gettysburg's battlefield site, as well as several spots in the town itself. Although it is for a car tour, expect to get out a lot.

My review:

Well-written. Interesting. Nice amount of details. I've been to the battlefield twice and read numerous histories and taken one class so I have no problem visualizing the battlefield in my mind. This would be an excellent addition. The chapters are short enough that a thoughtful tourist would have no problem reading them as he/she stood there.

It is a bit pricy for its size ($16.00 retail, I got it for $11.00 at Amazon.com for a 140 page small hardback book) but perhaps they'll come out with a paperback. Even if they don't, I know I've seen similarly-priced tourbooks that weren't as well-written. It would have helped to have pictures to help orient the tourist, but this would necessitate editing of the book if the Parks Department begins the restoration projects McPherson mentions (and hopes for). These include removing woods that have grown up since the battle and restoring fences and orchards that have been removed.

I own a number of McPherson's books. I'll be glad to put this one on the shelf with the others. Whenever I can convince my wife to let me return to Gettysburg (she gets bored after a couple of hours, I could spend days), I'll bring it along, that's for sure!

I give this book an "A"

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