This is probably the definitive Civil War novel. It won the Pulitzer Prize, and it really deserves all of its accolades. Shaara has made the battle of Gettysburg come alive and put it in human terms that are much more complex and nuanced than the usual black and white (or in this case, blue and gray) retellings of famous battles. Told from the points of view of major players on all sides, primarily General Longstreet for the Confederacy and Colonel Chamberlain of the Federal Army, Shaara’s narrative evokes tension, horror and sympathy for everyone involved.