At the top of the list is a 150th Anniversary edition of Richard Sommers's classic Richmond Redeemed: The Siege at Petersburg, The Battles of Chaffin's Bluff and Poplar Spring Church, September 29 - October 2, 1864
. Given its apparent lack of collectible value, I'll gladly discard the musty, yellowing pages of the old for the bright shiny new Sesquicentennial edition. That's not blasphemy, that's space limits.The other three are:
* The First Battle for Petersburg: The Attack and Defense of the Cockade City, June 9, 1864
by William Glenn Robertson.* The Siege of Petersburg: The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864
by John Horn.* The Last Citadel: Petersburg, June 1864 - April 1865
by Noah Andre Trudeau.The Robertson and Horn books had earlier lives as H.E. Howard series books and Trudeau's study used to be (and maybe still is) what was recommended for those wanting to read a single volume summary of the campaign.
It's going to be a good year for Brett's bookshelf.
Drew, Thanks for mentioning these. As you know if you read the Internet, I am indeed mad, so there you go. :)
ReplyDeleteThe text and notes and appendices for each of these books have been revised and updated by the authors. Dr. Sommers' and Trudeau's books have the same maps (although the latter added one or two and revised several others), while the remaining pair nclude newly drafted original maps. Each has also been completely redesigned (dust jacket to the text, soup to nuts). We are very excited about all four, which will also be available in all digital formats. Dr. Sommers' will be out early (mid-July).
We have a couple more titles in the works for Spring 2005 to close out the siege, one original and one a completely revised reprint.
Brett just mailed me his credit card. (If there is a Mrs. Brett, I apologize, but he could have worse vices.)
Ted
Looking forward to these.
ReplyDeleteI have quite a few copies of Sommers's book for some reason or another. It's a hard book to find in mint condition.
Chris
I got my copy of Sommers through the History Book Club back in the day. With the revision, this will be a mandatory purchase. (My only criticism of the original was purely stylistic - the use of "Illinoisan, "Ohioan", etc. in lieu of surnames, which to me actually causes some confusion in following the text). I do have a question - the link to Horn's book indicates that it is a revision, but there is no such reference in the description of Robertson. Do we know if that is also revised?
ReplyDeleteJohn,
DeleteThe first paragraph of the Robertson book description ends with "special revised Sesquicentennial edition."
Drew: I missed that. Thanks.
Delete