The compact history of a giant country.

American history is one of those subjects that students frequently labor over and can seem like a random collection of names, dates, and events. Understood as a collective biography and free of the cheerleading found in many text books, the fully updated fifth edition of The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to American History explains the changing tides in America's most pivotal periods.

- From a seasoned author and researcher
- The most current and comprehensive series title on American history
- Heightened interest right now in the question of how America got where we are-a question that can only be answered by an understanding of history



A battle ready guide to the deadliest war in American history.

Completely revised for the Sesquicentennial, The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to the Civil War, Third Edition is a comprehensive overview of America's bloodiest war. From the first shots fired at Fort Sumter to Lee's surrender at Appomattox, this book embodies the latest scholarship, offering fascinating stories of the men and women who fought bravely and often died for a cause they believed in. The book features a clear chronology of major events, detailed explanations of key battles such as Gettysburg, Chattanooga, and Chancellorsville. Author Alan Axelrod offers intimate impressions and anecdotes from generals and soldiers alike, and strategies of war leaders such as Sherman, Lee, and Grant.