Synopsis
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
10 BEST BOOKS • THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW • 2011
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY
The Washington Post • The New Yorker • Chicago Tribune • The Economist • Nancy Pearl, NPR • Bloomberg.com • Library Journal • Publishers Weekly
In this brilliant narrative, Amanda Foreman tells the fascinating story of the American Civil War—and the major role played by Britain and its citizens in that epic struggle. Between 1861 and 1865, thousands of British citizens volunteered for service on both sides of the Civil War. From the first cannon blasts on Fort Sumter to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, they served as officers and infantrymen, sailors and nurses, blockade runners and spies. Through personal letters, diaries, and journals, Foreman introduces characters both humble and grand, while crafting a panoramic yet intimate view of the war on the front lines, in the prison camps, and in the great cities of both the Union and the Confederacy. In the drawing rooms of London and the offices of Washington, on muddy fields and aboard packed ships, Foreman reveals the decisions made, the beliefs held and contested, and the personal triumphs and sacrifices that ultimately led to the reunification of America.
“Engrossing . . . a sprawling drama.”—The Washington Post
“Eye-opening . . . immensely ambitious and immensely accomplished.”—The New Yorker
WINNER OF THE FLETCHER PRATT AWARD FOR CIVIL WAR HISTORY
About Amanda Foreman
See more books from this AuthorA staggering work of research, occasionally toilsome to read.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr... | See more reviews from KirkusWhat for American readers will be a more riveting — because unfamiliar — tale comes whenever Foreman turns from the patriotic gore to her true subject of the British and the war.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr... | See more reviews from NY Times...Foreman has created a shimmering tapestry, which offers readers a fresh view of this convulsive, devastating war.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr... | See more reviews from GuardianIn the absence of heroes, Foreman marshals a cast of thousands. Hers is narrative history aspiring to the condition of the Victorian novel.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr... | See more reviews from Guardian...Foreman amply offers a new perspective on the war in an elegantly written work of old-fashioned narrative history.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr... | See more reviews from Publishers WeeklyAmanda Foreman's well-researched and highly readable "A World on Fire: Britain's Crucial Role in the American Civil War" examines why the British government never did recognize the Confederacy...Ms. Foreman...is such an engaging writer that readers may find this 958-page volume too short.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr... | See more reviews from WSJ onlineThis is a tale never previously told. It is a reminder of both an America and a Britain that existed in the 19th century, insufficiently known today.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr... | See more reviews from Financial TimesA brief review can only hint at the expansive scope, rich detail and pulsing energy of “A World on Fire.” Foreman succeeds admirably in evoking the British dimension of the great American crisis.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...Foreman succeeds admirably in evoking the British dimension of the great American crisis.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...Amanda Foreman's fascinating study documents the tangled web of relationships that implicated this country in the battle over the Atlantic...Nevertheless, Foreman's scholarship is impressive, and her narrative unfolds with the irresistible momentum of a cavalry charge. A richly compelling history.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...Lyons, responsible for the large number of Britons in America, is really the hero of Foreman's story...Nevertheless, A World on Fire is by no means a complete success. It is overweight, too heavy to hold comfortably and too packed with miscellaneous information,..Yet if her tome is hard to pick up, it is also hard to put down.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr......the narrative sometimes moves painfully slowly...
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr......800 fluent pages that meld great events with colourful characters, and some of her footnotes merit chapters of their own.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...“A World on Fire” is so expansive in its scope, and so well written, that to call it a masterpiece somehow doesn’t seem to do it justice.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...The most appealing aspect of A World on Fire is the fresh perspective it applies to such a well-worn topic as the American Civil War.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...Her book offers a brisk, compelling narrative that shows how important Britain was to the outcome of the war and how close the Union came to losing it.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...There are so many fascinating aspects to this story and Foreman does justice to them all.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...Connoisseurs of political gossip, intrigue, and diplomacy will applaud as a cast of historic, and sometimes neglected, figures take their turn on a stage of epic proportions.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...Connoisseurs of political gossip, intrigue and diplomacy will applaud as a cast of historic, and sometimes neglected, figures take their turn on a stage of epic proportions.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...Amanda Foreman’s remarkable new book suggests that it takes a foreigner to clear the air of cant.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr......an illuminating and engaging book that casts new light on figures such as U.S. Senator Charles Sumner, U.S. Secretary of State William Seward, and the Confederate leader Jefferson Davis.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...Born in England and brought up in America, Foreman can see the war from both perspectives and is the ideal guide for this fascinating tale of diplomatic intrigue and skulduggery.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr......an absorbing and enjoyable book. Widely researched, artfully constructed, compellingly written, and colourfully textured, it is an epic realisation of an epic history.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...Instead, it is a history of the Civil War and at the same time a reflection of British and American relations during the war from the perspective of the people who lived through it...Those who are not history buffs may find it dry and lengthy at times, but those who are obsessed like me will undoubtedly adore A World on Fire. Highly recommended.
Read Full Review of A World on Fire: Britain's Cr...There are many splendid narrative histories of the Civil War, but none that describe its global impact as clearly as this one. Written on a vast canvas that weaves together the inner lives of individuals...Amanda Foreman has offered us a brilliant example of how to combine thrilling narrative on a grand scale with genuine scholarly authority.
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