More on Adam Goodheart's new book "1861: The Civil War Awakening"

Adam Goodheart's new book explores the Civil War.

A new book, 1861: The Civil War Awakening,  by Adam Goodheart ’92, recently reviewed in Harvard Magazine, was also the subject of  a searching, favorable review in the New York Times Sunday Book Review. Goodheart's volume, years in the making, explores the origins and beginnings of the war, whose sesquicentennial begins this year and will continue until 2015. "Many good studies about the struggle will be published, but few will be as exhilarating as 1861: The Civil War Awakening,” writes Debby Applegate in the Times. "Like many of the best works of history, 1861 creates the uncanny illusion that the reader has stepped into a time machine." Goodheart, director of the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience at Washington College, is a former Undergraduate columnist for Harvard Magazine and was one of its original Ledecky Fellows.   

You might also like

A theatrical reenactment explores a 1976 clash between science and democracy.

Readers Respond to Our Adaptations Survey

We asked people to share their favorite art adaptations. Here’s what they said.

The Harvard Arts Medalist wants his smash-hit Cats revival to reach “as many young queer people” as possible.

Most popular

An animal’s journey from grief to love shows how much humans need each other, too.

The Harvard Kennedy School professor has led inquiries into the polarizing conflicts in the Middle East.

Phase A of the Allston project includes a hotel, residences, and a two-acre greenway.

Explore More From Current Issue

Label showing the anatomy of a worker bee, featuring a detailed illustration.

Science and art capture the microscopic natural world.

Graduates in caps and gowns celebrate joyfully, raising their hands in excitement.

Conan O’Brien headlines a star-studded cast

Star-filled night sky with the Milky Way arching over a rocky silhouette.

There’s a growing movement to curb light pollution. It starts on your front porch.