I am always chuckling at the machinations of the Civil War generals, though Shelby Foote is a downright humorist when it comes to this. Could anyone persuade him to read The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire? I could then turn into an ancient history scholar at the drop of a hat.ĭid you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Some of you may think he is too slow, but I love his slow intonation which has a little surprise and sarcasm mixed in. I am even going to listen to another Benjamin Franklin biography. Sometimes, I feel a little saturated with American history, but I just can't enough of Runger. I hope to get his other books on American histroy and biography. Every word of his is a delectable morsel. I wish Audible could get him on The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. I loved his First American (Franklin) reading and heard him on Books on Tape on Eisenhower and an abridged version of Adams. I love the way Nelson Runger intones his reading. Nelson Runger and Kate Reading are the best narrators that I have ever heard. What does Nelson Runger bring to the story that you wouldn?t experience if you just read the book? In short, Bruce Catton is a master story teller of the Civil War, so get started and enjoy. I also bought Battle Cry of Freedom but didn't have a chance to listen to it yet. Shelby Foote's trilogy is also outstanding and is available on audio, though more lengthy. Of course it is part of the series with The Coming Fury and Never Call Retreat, and if you liked one you will like the other, though The Coming Fury doesn't have the battle drama, because it is an introduction to the Civil War. What other book might you compare Terrible Swift Sword to and why? If you can't get to some of the battlefields listen to audible with these type of books. On a recent car trip I tried to stop at Spottsyvania but was overruled. I''ll admit that I am a Civil War buff and have dragged my wife to several battlefields despite her protestations. Catton writes extremely well, and if you want more of the same read the Army of the Potomac series, which as I mentioned in passing, Audible should get hold of if they are available. Catton also loses me in some military strategy but he returns to the politial scene often enough. Of course, Shelby Foote is more thorough, but the military maneuvers in Foote's books are just too compliacated for me.

I think I heard it a number of years ago from Books on Tape. The best is Stillness at Appomattox which I wish Audible would get.

This book is right up there with all of the Civil War books. Where does Terrible Swift Sword rank among all the audiobooks you?ve listened to so far?Ĭatton is a master story teller.

The Civil War gets under way (Shelby Foote)

Terrible Swift Sword by Bruce Catton