This is one of those books that they call a coffee table book. I used to think that meant it would be lying out on your coffee table to browse through, especially when visitors came by. In this case, it's because it weighs as much as a coffee table, so keep that in mind when you're thinking of reading it in bed at night. For what it's worth, there's a much lighter eBook version that works remarkably well, given that all the great pictures are much smaller. Having said all that, is this book worth the effort? This book is essentially the collected pieces on the American Civil War from the many different branches of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. It's as if the Smithsonian decided to create a brand new museum and populate it with the abundance of Civil War related artifacts from its other museums. If you're someone that merely goes to museums once in a while to see something new and interesting, this will serve well by just looking at the pictures in the book. But this book goes beyond that with text narratives that give context without letting succinctness become superficiality. Is this a good "History of the Civil War"? No, not really. You need Shelby Foote, James McPherson, or at least a few civil war battle books under your belt for that. What this book does do is give great texture and depth to those comprehensive history volumes, filling in big details with many interesting little ones. The thought of viewing something in 3D came to mind. The Civil War just comes more to life with this book. If you have an avid Civil War buff amongst your friends or relatives, this is the book for them. ( )

Smithsonian Civil War: Inside the National Collection by The Smithsonian Institute
368 pages

★★★★

This is a table-top book of the United States Civil War presented by the Smithsonian Institute in honor of the 150 year anniversary of the war (abouts – next year will be the 150 year anniversary of the end of the war). Within the book are photos of artifacts along with the story and description of said artifacts.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a big book so I could only read it at certain times as I had no urge to lug this one around town for appointments and such. The photos are great, some of the artifacts are well known and often seen at the museum (Lincoln’s top hat for instance) while others were obscure and usually in storage. It took a lot of people and a lot of time to make this book. The writing, while short, is interesting and I feel I learned a little something about the war, surprising given my college degree (History with a focus on US history). If you’re a history geek like me, I think you will enjoy it. Be warned, it comes with a fairly hefty price tag given its size and high quality photos and paper – I suggest checking it out from your library if possible.
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Over five hundred objects from thirteen Smithsonian museums and archives are expertly written about by forty-nine contributing authors to describe the American Civil War from beginning to end. Photos of the objects, beautifully and logically exhibited throughout the 368-page book, provide a focus for 150 narratives by the authors. Narratives are limited to one page or less and serve as enhancements for the photos to really tell the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed being able to spend time with each narrative and carefully study the associated objects. So, for me at least, this book is not a “page turner.” I wanted to take my time to study and learn. The book is perfect for such an experience. More than once I used the index to look up a person, place, or thing to go back and review a topic or the depicted object.

Readers should be aware that this is a large book. Its dimensions are 9.8 x 1.2 x 11.3 inches, and it weighs over four pounds. I needed to be able to rest the book in a way that would not harm the pages, especially as I turned them, yet enabled me to comfortably read over an extended period.

This is a five star book in every way. ( )