Ecstatic Nation: Confidence, Crisis, and Compromise, 1848-1877

A New York Times Notable Book * A Kirkus Best Book of the Year * A Bookpage Best Book the Year

"A splendid new history of the Civil War period. . . . Wineapple brings alive the vibrant, imperfect people behind the issues. . . . A masterly, deeply moving record of a crucial period in American history." -David S. Reynolds, New York Times Book Review

Dazzling in scope, Ecstatic Nation by award-winning historian and literary critic Brenda Wineapple, illuminates one of the most dramatic and moment...