SKU: 63831493756

Drawn with the Sword: Reflections on the American Civil War

Sale price$18.35 Regular price$20.39
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $5.10 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Jul 24 - Jul 29

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

Drawn with the Sword: Reflections on the American Civil WarJames M. McPherson is acclaimed as one of the finest historians writing today and a preeminent commentator on the Civil War. Battle Cry of Freedom, his Pulitzer Prize winning account of that conflict, was a national bestseller that Hugh Brogan, in The New York Times, called "history writing of the highest order." Now, in Drawn With the Sword, McPherson offers a series of thoughtful and engaging essays on some of the most enduring questions of the

James M. McPherson is acclaimed as one of the finest historians writing today and a preeminent commentator on the Civil War. Battle Cry of Freedom, his Pulitzer Prize-winning account of that conflict, was a national bestseller that Hugh Brogan, in The New York Times, called "history writing of the highest order." Now, in Drawn With the Sword, McPherson offers a series of thoughtful and engaging essays on some of the most enduring questions of the Civil War, written in the masterful prose that has become his trademark.

Filled with fresh interpretations, puncturing old myths and challenging new ones, Drawn With the Sword explores such questions as why the North won and why the South lost (emphasizing the role of contingency in the Northern victory), whether Southern or Northern aggression began the war, and who really freed the slaves, Abraham Lincoln or the slaves themselves. McPherson offers memorable portraits of the great leaders who people the landscape of the Civil War: Ulysses S. Grant, struggling to write his memoirs with the same courage and determination that marked his successes on the battlefield; Robert E. Lee, a brilliant general and a true gentleman, yet still a product of his time and place; and Abraham Lincoln, the leader and orator whose mythical figure still looms large over our cultural landscape. And McPherson discusses often-ignored issues such as the development of the Civil War into a modern "total war" against both soldiers and civilians, and the international impact of the American Civil War in advancing the cause of republicanism and democracy in countries from Brazil and Cuba to France and England. Of special interest is the final essay, entitled "What's the Matter With History?," a trenchant critique of the field of history today, which McPherson describes here as "more and more about less and less." He writes that professional historians have abandoned narrative history written for the greater audience of educated general readers in favor of impenetrable tomes on minor historical details which serve only to edify other academics, thus leaving the historical education of the general public to films and television programs such as Glory and Ken Burns's PBS documentary The Civil War.

Each essay in Drawn With the Sword reveals McPherson's own profound knowledge of the Civil War and of the controversies among historians, presenting all sides in clear and lucid prose and concluding with his own measured and eloquent opinions. Readers will rejoice that McPherson has once again proven by example that history can be both accurate and interesting, informative and well-written. Mark Twain wrote that the Civil War "wrought so profoundly upon the entire national character that the influence cannot be measured short of two or three generations." In Drawn With the Sword, McPherson gracefully and brilliantly illuminates this momentous conflict.


Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 12/01/1997
ISBN: 9780195117967
Pages: 272
Weight: 0.65lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.30w x 0.80d
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 63831493756

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.1 ★★★★★
Based on 10 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
A
Verified Purchase
April M. Lomax
New York, US
★★★★★ 5
BEAUTIFUL * SOFT * THICK AND LUXURIOUS
Size: 2' x 6' (Sheepskin Pelt Patchwork), Color: Wolf Tipped, Size: 2' x 6' (Sheepskin Pelt Patchwork), Color: Wolf Tipped
I’m absolutely thrilled with this large sheepskin mat! I ordered two. At first look I was worried think "are they real?" but once taken out of the air tight package and hung out in the sun for the afternoon, the odd dirty dog smell dissipated and the feeling that the fur had a film on it was also gone. The quality is incredible — it’s unbelievably soft, thick, and luxurious. I draped them over my 2 sofa's and it instantly transformed the whole room, making it feel warm, cozy, and elegant. The texture is so plush and comfortable that everyone who visits comments on how beautiful it looks and feels. The size is perfect, the colour is gorgeous, and it adds such a stylish touch to my living space. It feels durable and well-made while still being incredibly soft to sit on. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to add comfort and sophistication to their home!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2026
T
Verified Purchase
That pretty Cali girl
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 5
Fabulous
Size: 2' x 6' (Sheepskin Pelt Patchwork), Color: Ivory White
This is a beautiful rug, thick and plush delivered in such a nice packaging to protect it. I just bought two more and I will be buying two more after this. They are so nice the best one and genuine.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2026
A
Verified Purchase
abuyer
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 5
Very nice sheepskin .
Size: 2' x 6' (Sheepskin Pelt Patchwork), Color: Wolf Tipped
This rug is very gorgeous , nice soft and plush. The wool is upright and even and you just want to keep touching it. It had some odor at first which is now dissipating the longer it is aired. Well worth the price. However I ordered two different colors at the same time. This is the one that I received first and am still waiting for the second one in light brown . For some reason the other was stalled somewhere in Kentucky as of this morning and upon communication a replacement was ordered by Amazon. I'm very happy with this one , just wish the frustration hadn't arisen over the shipping for other and will update or rate after I receive that one.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2026
Y
Verified Purchase
Yvie
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Beautiful in a window seat
Size: 2' x 6' (Sheepskin Pelt Patchwork), Color: Ivory White, Size: 2' x 6' (Sheepskin Pelt Patchwork), Color: Ivory White
This is soft, pure white, and of decent quality for my purposes. I saw a photo of one used in a window seat so that's where mine is white 3 lumbar pillows on the sides and back of the seat. The size is perfect. It's a little bigger than my seat so I could use the tape to pin one side to each wall and also over the seat. I guess it all depends on what you are using it for to determine if you'll like it. I have a large sheepskin rug in another room. This one in my opinion is too skinny to be used as a rug. I haven't detected a smell at all.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2025
A
Verified Purchase
Alfonso S. Torres
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
Soft to the touch
Size: 2' x 6' (Sheepskin Pelt Patchwork), Color: Black
Soft to the touch and well made. Love it!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2026

recommand products