Robert H. Fowler

This book, I understand, is the first of a set of 10 compilations of CWTI reprints from 1962-1973. I was lucky enough to purchase them when they were first available sometime in the early '90s. They are a wonderful set of books. CWTI was probably the best of the magazines devoted to the ACW at the time. Each volume is hardbound, and with the exception of not using color (except for black and a few shades of blue) they're printed exactly as they originally appeared. Half of the fun is reading the ads: Visit the Gettysburg centennial reenactment staying at a bed and breakfast located in the city for 3 days including 2 meals a day for less than $100/person. Purchase a complete CW officers uniform (north or south) for around $20. First edition books, some of them classics now (Bruce Catton, anyone?) for $5-8 each new.

Best, though, are the articles written by some of the leading CW historians of the time. Being printed at the time of the centennial (at least the first 3 volumes, 1962-3, 1963-4, 1964-5) there's usually a special edition devoted to the major battles of a century before. Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Chickamauga... an entire magazine covering various facets of the war: the battles, the maneuvering, the leaders, sometimes the political issues. Unfortunately what were beautiful colored maps originally are published here in black and blue, but they're very legible, readable and go along with the flow of the text.

Finances (school, new baby) stopped me buying after vol. 7; I was on here looking for 8-10 but vol. 1 seems to be the only issue available. Over the past 20-25 I've read, reread, referenced articles, made online comments about articles written 50 years ago... I really love these books and highly recommend them to any CW afficienado.… (meer)