A World on Fire by Amanda Foreman

A World on Fire by Amanda Foreman

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

10 BEST BOOKS * THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW * 2011
 
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY
The Washington Post * The New Yorker * Chicago Tribune * The Economist * Nancy Pearl, NPR * Bloomberg.com * Library Journal * Publishers Weekly
 
In this brilliant narrative, Amanda Foreman tells the fascinating story of the American Civil War--and the major role played by Britain and its citizens in that epic struggle. Between 1861 and 1865, thousands of British citizens volunteered for service on both sides of the Civil War. From the first cannon blasts on Fort Sumter to Lee's surrender at Appomattox, they served as officers and infantrymen, sailors and nurses, blockade runners and spies. Through personal letters, diaries, and journals, Foreman introduces characters both humble and grand, while crafting a panoramic yet intimate view of the war on the front lines, in the prison camps, and in the great cities of both the Union and the Confederacy. In the drawing rooms of London and the offices of Washington, on muddy fields and aboard packed ships, Foreman reveals the decisions made, the beliefs held and contested, and the personal triumphs and sacrifices that ultimately led to the reunification of America.
 
"Engrossing . . . a sprawling drama."--The Washington Post
 
"Eye-opening . . . immensely ambitious and immensely accomplished."--The New Yorker
 
WINNER OF THE FLETCHER PRATT AWARD FOR CIVIL WAR HISTORY

Amanda Foreman is a Queen Mary University of London Visiting Research Fellow. Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire, which was adapted for the film as The Duchess, won her the Whitbread Award. She is married with five children and resides in New York. She received her undergraduate education at Sarah Lawrence College and her master's and PhD degrees in history from Oxford University.