American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

I also thought Newt Gingrich's efforts were some of the worst trash I have ever suffered through.....It worried me to think he could ever have been in a position of power in this country.....I lost all respect for his IQ based on it.....

BG Hank Smith
Army of Georgia
Smith's Corp Commanding

Hi, Hank,

I tend to agree with your assessment of the book, but I suspect maybe that other fellow did the writing and Newt used his name to sell the book. Speaks to character rather than IQ, imho. Or lack thereof.

MG Mike Mihalik
1/III/AoMiss/CSA

I must go on record as heartily disagreeing with the bad comments on Gringrich's authorial efforts. I found much to like in the trilogy starting with "Gettysburg." I enjoyed that type of alternative history far more than Turtledove's 'shootem-up' pablum editions of things like "Guns of the South."

And by the way, Newt took full part in the writing. Guaranteed.

If you like historical fiction, and don't mind the alternative history genre, you should give the Gringrich books a try. Definitely.

Sincerely,
Brig Gen Dwight McBride
V Corps/AOP/USA

Hank's just mad because he had to read all three books to find out that the South lost again. [:D]

General Mark Nelms
6/3/IX/AoO
"Blackhawk Brigade"
Union Military Academy Instructor
Union Cabinet Secretary

All three of Jeff Shaara's books are good. There is also a book that covers a Confederate soldier's story called "Jim Mundy" by Robert Fowler. Another really good book is "Unto this Hour" by Tom Wicker. It deals with 2nd Manassas. I liked Gingrich's books. There are two by Harold Coyle called "Until the End" and "Look Away" James Reasoner has written a series of books that takes a Virginia family through the entire war. They are named after battles for example I think it starts with "Manassas" Other titles are Shiloh, Vicksburg, Antietam etc. I enjoyed them a great deal.

Lt General Jon Thayer
III Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

jonathanthayer@bellsouth.net

Mark,
Good one, and a bit aggravating, I admit....After all our government never surrendered, therefore we are actually an occupied nation....The war is still on, we just are not presently engaging in any hostilities [:D]....Having said that, what aggravted me was how they got so many personalities wrong.....Lee was an absolutely bumbling idiot in the last book.....Every private in his army knew better than he? More Bragg than Lee......Grant was the prefectly organized, brilliant master tactician. I'll give Grant "Strategist" but not tactician....There were other examples, but those two stood out....Totally ruined what was otherwise in interesting plotline.....


BG Hank Smith
Army of Georgia
Smith's Corp Commanding

With that said I was really curious as to how close they were with the personalities and actions of the different generals. He did state that at the begining of his books because of the stories and that it is fiction there would and could be allot of different takes on such a subject. Even Lee made mistakes though. Gettysburg for instance. Should have picked better ground.

LTC. Charles Babb
COLD STEEL!
6th Brigade,3rd Division
XXIII Corps
Army of the Ohio

"The Judas Field" by Howard Bahr is the best Civil War novel I've read in a long time.

I agree with others here about Gingrich's books (but not about the man himself who remains head and shoulders intellectually and morally above most of his critics). They essentially read like a book based on the kinds of campaigns played here. And frankly, the notion that Grant could have so easily disengaged in the west and brought a sizeable portion of his force into Maryland is ridiculous. That would have certainly resulted in an entirely new confederate offensive campaign in the west.