Beautifully illustrated and engagingly written, this thematically arranged book reveals the human side of America's bloodiest war. While the generals, battles, and politicians are given their place, Robertson (Alumni Distinguished Professor in History, Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ.) spends more time discussing the smaller, everyday experiences of soldiers and civilians. Photographs, cartoons, and other illustrations make up more than half of the content, with accompanying captions formulated so that one need not even read all the text to appreciate the book and learn from it. VERDICT This book is meant more for browsing, but it would also be an excellent resource for anyone seeking a visually driven history or even examples of Civil War illustration. [Also available in a deluxe edition.-Ed.]-M.F. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.