The most recent entry in Almanacs of the American Wars series is the Civil War Almanac, by Fredriksen, author of Revolutionary War Almanac (2006). The first section is a minutely detailed day-by-day chronology that covers nearly 600 pages and includes all the events pertinent to the war. Fredriksen starts the chronology on February 1, 1860, when Democrat William F. Pennington is elected after 44 ballots, noting, "This contest highlights growing factionalism within the Democratic Party." The chronology concludes in December 1865. Events for each day are grouped under such topics as "Diplomacy," "Politics," "North," "South," "Southwest," and "West," with the geographic groupings primarily referring to military movements or engagements. Following the chronology are more than 100 biographies of important military and political leaders, focusing on their contributions during the Civil War. The biographies are brief, most less than two pages, and many include black-and-white photos of the subject. A short appendix contains a selection of statistics. A final section of maps is an excellent addition and one of the strengths of this volume. A wide variety of maps, all in black and white, range from large-scale maps showing the entire Confederacy to detailed maps of all the key military engagements. The maps detailing the troop movements are particularly well done, clear, and easy to read. The volume concludes with an extensive bibliography and a thorough index. The information in this volume is both accessible and of high quality, making it an outstanding resource for any history researcher or Civil War buff. Highly recommended for academic and public library collections as a complement to resources such as Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History (ABC-CLIO, 2000).

Gr 6 Up-This attractive volume highlights military facets of the conflict. Chronology entries vary in length but give detailed information on major battles. Politics and diplomacy are mentioned but only as supplemental to the military focus. The second part of the book is a biographical dictionary containing 107 sketches of military and naval figures, most with photographs. Each of these entries has a short bibliography, and names are cross-referenced. Black-and-white maps and a detailed bibliography including current publications on the Civil War conclude the volume. This work's outstanding feature is the almanac. It lists each day's naval encounters and events in the North, South, West, and Southwest, as applicable, dramatizing the national scope of the war as nothing else can. The sheer magnitude of the chronology (it is more than 600 pages) is impressive. Students can use this volume as a handy ready reference or for in-depth reports.-Patricia Ann Owens, Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, IL Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.