April 12, 2011 marked the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. The war began at 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861 when Confederate forces attacked a military installation at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The many names attached to the Civil War reflect the nation’s deep and abiding emotions about this event: the War Between the States, The War for Southern Independence, the War Against Northern Aggression, the Brothers’ War, and the Late Unpleasantness. An excellent overview article on the PBS website notes: “It was the most horrible, necessary, intimate, acrimonious, mean-spirited, and heroic conflict the nation has ever known.” www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/
More books have been written about the Civil War than any other event in American history. The Northbrook Public Library has an outstanding collection of non-fiction books that we encourage you to enjoy. During the month of July there will be an interactive book display by the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor. In addition, we have created a list of highly regarded Civil War books and websites. The list is available as a handout and through our new catalog. Access the List of Civil War Books and Websites Here.
You are invited to vote for your own favorite Civil War book by writing its title on our posters. You may also email your choice to nbkref@northbrook.info or call us as 847-272-4873. A result of this community poll will be published in August. So, vote early and often!