Sunday, December 30, 2012

Review: Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel

Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is familiar to all Americans. But never has his most famous speech--his 271 indelible words--been presented in such a visual and accessible format.

Graphic artist and Civil War aficionado C. M. Butzer deftly uses a detailed, comic-book style to depict the Battle of Gettysburg; the national movement to create a memorial there; and the quiet day in 1863 when Lincoln delivered his galvanizing speech. Butzer uses only primary sources for the text, drawing from first-person letters and diaries, speeches, and Lincoln's own writing to unpack this series of historical events. The address itself is played out over eighteen pages, with every phrase given a visual interpretation that will resonate with young readers. (Goodreads)


I've been on a Civil war kick recently. No wonder with the new Lincoln movie out with the fabulous Daniel Day Lewis. This is on my list to see in January. I've been listening to Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin on my MP3 player, watching the documentary The Civil War by Ken Burns, surprisingly LOVED the movie Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter (i know, it's not really historical) AND got a honk out of the Magic Treehouse chapter book, Abe At Last! (I'm reading the series with my son, in case  you were wondering why I was seeking out my history lessons from children's chapter books)

I stumbled across this graphic novel, new on display at my library and scooped it up. It was a quick read that outlined the people and the politics involved in the Battle of Gettysburg. Geared towards a younger reader, this summed it up quite nicely with some pretty serious pictures along the way.

For someone like me who likes to learn about different points in history but doesn't always know where to start, this is a nice simple intro to a much larger topic.

Rating: Recommend
Purchase: Indie Bound

Any Civil War buffs out there? Any great recommends for me, either non-fiction or historical fiction?


Happy reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

2 comments:

Tales of Whimsy said...

Perfect for someone like me too!

Donna said...

My own personal favorite in U.S. Civil War fiction is "The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara. This book was the basis for the movie "Gettysburg" which is fantastic. The prequel and sequel by his son, Jeff, are good, but not as spectacular: "Gods and Generals" and "Last Full Measure."

I loved "The Civil War: A Narrative" by Shelby Foote, but you have to be a real die-hard history buff to tackle three volumes and 3,000 pages. Try "Battle Cry of Freedom" by James McPhearson which won the Pulitzer Prize for a one volume history of the war. "Team of Rivals" is one of the best books about Lincoln though there are literally thousands of others. You can check my Goodreads page for my Lincoln reads both read and to-be-read. This is probably more than you wanted to know, but the U.S. Civil War is one of my favorite topics. Enjoy reading.