David Frum reviews and recommends James McPherson's book "Battle Cry of Freedom" in column at the "Daily Beast"

David Frum reviews and recommends James McPherson's book "Battle Cry of Freedom" in a column at the "Daily Beast." It is a good book, I read it in 1990 or 91. If you are looking for a book to introduce yourself to the Civil War this is one of the best if not the best. 

The review is at this link:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/23/david-s-bookclub-battle-cry-of-freedom.html

The second edition is shorter than the first edition. I read the first edition and you might find it on the used book markets.

Frum discusses the Confederacy's refusal to exchange prisoners of war that were African American.

Lee refused. "[N]egroes belonging to our citizens are not considered subjects of exchange and were not included in my proposition." 

This refusal ended the negotiations, for (as Grant wrote), the United States "is bound to secure to all persons received into her armies the rights due as soldiers." 

From time to time, we hear denials of the centrality of slavery to the Civil War. That's apologetics, not history. Slavery was always, always there: the war's fundamental cause, the war's shaping reality.