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10 best novels about the US Civil War
It was 150 years ago this week that Confederate troops fired on a federal fort in Charleston harbor and began the violent four-year struggle in which Americans raised arms against Americans. The history books can tell us much about the trauma of war, but for those who prefer the emotional truths that can be conveyed by a good novel, here are 10 classic stories of the US Civil War.
1. "The Killer Angels," by Michael Shaara
This 1975 Pulitzer Prize winner tells the story of the horrendous four-day Gettysburg Battle from the perspective of various protagonists on both sides of the divide. This is the book that Civil War documentarian Ken Burns says "changed my life."
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