Recommended Reading - Anything by Michael or Jeff Shaara

Someone asked me why I have so many books by the same authors on my HolyCoast.com Online Store featured products. I'm a fan of historical novels, especially those written by Michael or Jeff Shaara. The Shaara's specialize in novels about America's various wars, and they have a way of putting you in the middle of the action as seen through the lives of key figures of that conflict.

My U.S. History education must have been somewhat lacking, because I learned a tremendous amount about each of these conflicts from these books.

Here's a rundown of their books that I've read and that I highly recommend.

Rise to Rebellion: The story of the build-up to the Revolutionary War as seen through the eyes of such founding fathers as Ben Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. This book will take you through the last few years and up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the start of the Revolutionary War.

The Glorious Cause: The story of the Revolutionary War, featuring George Washington and various British commanders. You really get a feel for the tremendous hardships experienced by the Continental Army and their commanders, and the various turns of events that allowed them to prevail after many years of struggle.

Gone For Soldiers : This story is centered on the Mexican-American war in the 1840's, a war I didn't know that much about. What was especially interesting about this one is that many of the major figures from the Civil War served in the Army during this war as junior officers, including such notables as Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.

Gods and Generals, The Killer Angels, and The Last Full Measure: These three books make up the Civil War Trilogy (which is cheaper if purchased in a set). Book one takes you from the years preceding the Civil War up to the battle of Gettysburg. Book two is a very detailed look at the battle at Gettysburg and the personalities involved. Book three takes you from the immediate aftermath of Gettysburg through the end of the war. The books feature a great deal about Robert E. Lee, General U.S. Grant, Stonewall Jackson, and many other commanders and key figures.

To the Last Man: This is the most recent book available from Jeff Shaara and is the story of various key players in World War I. It marked the first use of air power in a war, and one of the characters is a pilot in the new Army Air Corps. Another key player is General Pershing, the commanding general of the U.S. forces.

The Rising Tide: I'm really looking forward to this one which is due out in November. It's the story of World War II, and given the recent history of that conflict, and the fact that there are many people still around who served, I'm curious to see who the major characters will be.

I recommend them all for history buffs or someone who wants to learn a little more about the conflicts in America's past. You can order them by clicking on the links, or through the Online Store.