Smithsonian's Great Battles & Battlefields of the Civil ... (ISBN 0688135498)

Amazon.com Review:
Instead of telling a straightforward chronological narrative of the Civil War, this Smithsonian field guide organizes the battles--just about every last one of them--by the states in which they took place. Each listing provides a historical account, varying in length depending on the battle's significance, and identifies points of interest for tourists. Cross-referencing allows you to follow driving-tour itineraries or flip ahead in the book to the next sequential battle in a campaign. It is illustrated throughout with color maps, photographic portraits of the major participants, and other period illustrations.

A handy and useful companion to use for C.W. touring:
I have been to many Civil War battlefields on the east coast of the U.S. and this book is highly valuable to me in my touring and researching Civil War Battlefields. The book is coauthored by two scholarly experts on the Civil War, Jay Wertz and Edwin C. Bearss who give excellent summaries to each battle that was fought during the Civil War, but what makes this book especially valuable is the current hotels, bookstores, restaurants and other points of interest near or on the battlefields that are listed. Another worthy thing that the guide has is it's listing of what each battlefiled park has for the visitor such as restrooms, picnic facilities, paths, guided tours, and museums, which are invaluable to the experience. This is a MUST have to anyone who is interested on seeing the great battlefields of Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Shiloh, New Market, etc, firsthand.

Should please both historians and tourists.:
The proof of a guidebook is its use. I took this (along with a number of others) on our trip to the South last year. The others stayed in the rental car's trunk and we used this one almost exclusively. Not as in depth as some, but the directions were simple to follow and we appreciated the background information. One caveat -- call first if you absolutely have to eat at one of the recommended restaurants. We found the Kennesaw House in Marietta out of business. (Certainly not the fault of the publisher!) We also enjoyed armchair tours of the sites we didn't make it to.

Excellent Guide:
I have been to several parks and this guide pointed out some new things to see. The book features good background on the battles and features excellent directions and maps. The book also has good information on the parks and surrounding areas pertaining to if their is a fee to get into the park, nearby hotels/attractions, etc. Good guide and good background info.

Excellent book to take on your trips:
Living in the South, I was amazed how we would pass by Civil War sites virtually unmarked and nearly forgotten. This book gives added dimension to a drive from Atlanta to Charleston or Savannah. Excellent recounting of the men and fighting that is then mapped & landmarked for your drive.