John, Richard

From George Armstrong Custer's reminiscence of being at West Point at the start of fighting, to Winfield Scott Hancock's thoughts on how historians may view the war, this will bring Civil War history alive to high school students and grads. Stephens's decision to silently abridge his selections and occasionally interpolate a second source means this is not a book for specialists.

Although insistent, even proselytizing in tone and largely uncritical, the work will appeal to architectural revivalists for the depth of its treatment of Adam's manifold UK projects, which are enthusiastically endorsed by Britain's Prince Charles in the foreword.

Stephens, an editor whose credentials mostly include thematic collections of previously published material for Barnes & Noble (e...