Hardcover, 518pp. with index. A mericans love to view history as a grand morality play. The bad guys must be thoroughly evil and the good guys pristine in their purity. All shades of gray are frowned upon and don't confuse us with the facts. History, however, is quite stubborn in its refusal to fit this mold.
All men are sinners and sin plays a bigger role in the past than anyone likes to think.
This is especially the case in regard to the Civil War. My hopes were not fulfilled. Truth be told, however, there are a number of facts one can find here that are seldom, if ever, stated elsewhere. There are also a number of interesting facts noted. The impression of impartiality is only an impression.