April 1865: The Month That Saved America - Civil War History Book | Perfect for History Buffs, Students & American History Enthusiasts | Great for Classroom Studies, Book Clubs & Historical Research

Author Jay Winik has managed to produced an amazing piece of historical reference with his book, "April 1865". He is dealing with a war (Civil War) that grips the American curiosity and imagination almost as much as World War II. However, instead of focusing on the broad scope of the entire war or the very narrow view of a specific battle, Winik tells the tale of the final month of the Civil War, where Lee surrendered to Grant, Lincoln was assassinated, and a potential reconciliation between North and South teetered on the edge of disaster.Winik's thesis about the events that causes of the war and the impact the war would have on the country is unique and quite compelling. He posits that, despite what was seemingly accomplished at the 1787 Constitutional Convention, the United States was not truly a 'nation' as a whole. Rather, it was simply a loose 'union' of 13 separate states that was held together by one single government. The words 'nation' and 'union' play important roles in Winik's narrative. Nation indicates a country that has a strong single identity that all members can identify with, whereas a union is just seen as alliance among many differing parties. Winik points out that neither the Constitution, nor the Declaration of Independence, make any reference to the United States being a 'nation'. All occurrences refer to it as a 'union' (witness the preamble of the Constitution which begins, "We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect 'Union'...."). He asserts that this was intentional on the parts of the founding fathers who were dealing with trying to form a central government for a land that was basically 13 separate countries. Attempts to forge a national identity were not made and did not come to fruition until post-Civil War. He cites numerous examples prior to South's secession in 1860 of different regions of the U.S. seeking to break off from the whole country. The Whiskey Rebellion rebels, New England during the War of 1812, and New York City and New Jersey throughout much of the early 1800's, are just a few of the examples of portions of the U.S. that made their own attempts at secession, but were discouraged from doing so before such plans could come to fruition. Winik contends that this lack of national identity that provoked these near crises in the early 19th century was what eventually enabled the South to secede over passionate 'states rights' issues and the divisive debate over slavery. It is his position that United States did not start to forge its national identity until it suffered through this horrible war and needed to come together to repair the country in its aftermath.With this as a premise, Winik then goes into great detail about the players and events that would shape that last days of the Civil War and shape the future of the United States. In the waning days of the war, the country was at a major crossroads. Robert E. Lee's battered Army of Northern Virginia was faced with imminent defeat and pondering the logic of retreating and starting a guerrilla-style war that would keep the struggle going for years more. On the Northern side, Lincoln expressed great fear about just that type of tactic. It was a tactic that he felt would never enable this country to recover. Knowing that the Confederate armies were on the verge of defeat, Lincoln wanted to find the most humane way to end the war and receive the South back into the Union. Despite his best intentions, would Lincoln be able to accomplish his goal of reconciliation and would the country as a whole be able to continue his dream following his assassination?"April 1865" explores the crucial decisions that men like Grant, Lee, Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Sherman, had to make in the final days. To add greater depth the men in these positions, Winik doesn't just make cursory references to the past and current state. He actually goes deep into their backgrounds to show where these men came from, how they thought, and how they would view the choices that needed to be made during this time. In a lesser author's hands, these biographical narratives would seem like nothing more than filler to pad the page total. In "April 1865", it seems absolutely necessary for these details to be published in order to allow the reader to feel a greater sense of empathy for these men and there struggles. Unlike some war novels, which seem to try and tell everyone's story (a very cumbersome read, to be sure), this saga focuses just on the major players mentioned above and a number of crucial smaller players whose actions would have a large impact on the countries future, like Nathan Bedford Forrest, John Mosby, and John Wilkes Booth.Winik is able to transport the reader back to that fateful month with a compelling writing style that puts one right in the middle of these events. His focused context and fascinating thesis make this a fascinating read. "April 1865" is a mandatory requirement for any history buff's bookshelf.