Discovering the Civil War

By the National Archives Experience’s “Discovering the Civil War” Exhibition Team; with a message from David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States; foreword by Ken Burns

Published by GILES in association with the Foundation for the National Archives

Publish Date — February 2011 (UK and USA)

Dimensions — 208 pages, 305 x 229mm (9 x 12 in.), portrait

Illustrations — 400 colour

Hardback price — UK£25.00 / US$44.95

ISBN — 978-1-904832-91-1

Trade Orders — Please visit our Trade Orders section

Buy it — US UK

Press Release — Discovering the Civil War

News — Discovering the Civil War opens in Houston

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Sales Points

“Avoids predictable blow-by-blow accounts of battles.” “A tantalizing glimpse into daily operations at the nation’s foremost repository” Christine M. Kreiser, American History

“A beautifully presented, thorough grounding in the history of the war” Michael Burland, The American

“Photographs of astonishing detail, reproductions of handwritten records, and personal tales bring one of the most important eras of American history to rich, fascinating life” Publishers Weekly

“A stunning work in design and delivery that all public and university libraries and Civil War historians will want to have” Randall M. Miller, Library Journal Reviews

About the Book

Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the outbreak of the American Civil War, this generously illustrated book peels back years of accumulated analysis, interpretation, and opinion to reveal the human face of history. Discovering the Civil War focuses on specific records to build into fascinating stories. It features over 400 letters, diaries, photographs, maps, petitions, receipts, patents, amendments, and proclamations from the unparalleled holdings of the National Archives, taking a fresh look at the war through little-known stories, seldom-seen documents, and unusual perspectives.

Includes a foreword by Ken Burns, whose award-winning PBS series The Civil War has just been repeated

Accompanies a major travelling exhibition now showing at the Henry Ford Museum Dearborn, MI, May 21 - September 5, 2011; Houston Museum of Natural Science, TX, Fall 2011 through Winter 2012; Durham Museum, Omaha, NE, Fall 2013

About the Author(s)

Developed in collaboration between the archivists and staff of the National Archives and the Foundation for the National Archives, edited by Sharon Barry and featuring contributed essays by Bruce I. Bustard, senior curator with the National Archives in Washington, DC; Michael Hussey who serves on the exhibits and education staffs of the National Archives in Washington, DC; Jennifer Johnson, curator with the National Archives in Washington, DC.; Kenneth Kato, archives specialist at the Center for Legislative Archives in Washington, DC; Darlene McClurkin, exhibits information specialist with the National Archives in Washington, DC; William J. Sandoval, curator with the National Archives’ museum programs in Washington, DC; Joel Walker, education specialist for the National Archives at Atlanta; Budge Weidman, formerly volunteer manager of the all-volunteer Civil War Conservation Corps (CWCC); Tom Wheeler, managing director at Core Capital Partners in Washington, DC, and a past president of the Foundation for the National Archives. Designed by Ellen Burns of Ellen Burns Design. The project was managed by Christina Gehring of the Foundation for the National Archives. Thora Colot is executive director of the Foundation; Patty Reinert Mason is senior editor.