Although regarded as a bit of a Bluegrass State classic, I found the maps crude and military detail lacking in John David Preston's The Civil War in the Big Sandy Valley of Kentucky (Gateway Press, 1984). On the other hand, its discussions of the social and political landscapes of Floyd, Johnson, Lawrence, and Pike counties were informative. Nevertheless, while thumbing through the book review section of the most recent issue of a popular magazine, I was pleasantly surprised to find that a new expanded edition had been released sometime last year. The review was positive, and, upon my own rough inspection upon receiving the book, I found myself greatly encouraged by the new edition. The Civil War in the Big Sandy Valley of Kentucky, 2nd Edition (Gateway Press, 2008) is about three times the size of the original, and, on the face of it, appears to be a vast improvement all around and a worthy pick-up for Civil War Kentucky students.
[Note: There is no website for publisher or author, but Preston is marketing the book through Hawkins Historical Publications (book page)]
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