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The Killer Angels
The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War | Michael Shaara
My favorite historical novel . . . a superb re-creation of the Battle of Gettysburg, but its real importance is its insight into what the war was about, and what it meant.James M. McPherson In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nations history, two armies fought for two conflicting dreams. One dreamed of freedom, the other of a way of life. Far more than rifles and bullets were carried into battle. There were memories. There were promises. There was love. And far more than men fell on those Pennsylvania fields. Bright futures, untested innocence, and pristine beauty were also the casualties of war. Michael Shaaras Pulitzer Prizewinning masterpiece is unique, sweeping, unforgettablethe dramatic story of the battleground for Americas destiny.BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Jeff Shaara's Blaze of Glory.
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SLSbooks
Mehso-so

As much as I want to give this a thumbs up, this Pulitzer Prize winner fell flat for me. I appreciated the weariness portrayed on both sides of the conflict, but the “characters” never really came to life for me. Often the author seemed to have major generals forgetting why they were really fighting, which I found puzzling. I was searching for something more.

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Susanita
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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Susanita
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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1. Tagged book changed how I look at history: from dry and boring (as I‘d been taught it in school) to lively and relevant and personal.
2. More or less. I‘ll probably wear green and add a splash of Jameson to my ginger ale.
#two4tuesday

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 💚🍀 2y
Leftcoastzen Jameson & ginger! Yummy! 2y
33 likes2 comments
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Susanita
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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It‘s the 157th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address and I‘m watching a Facebook Live commemorative event. (Much more engaging than the purchase card training I had to watch earlier!) One guy says he‘s been busy banning trolls. 😤

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Susanita
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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1. Raspberries/summer squash
2. Tagged
3. Yes! They were playing in the ship‘s wake on the cruise I took last year.
#thoughtfulthursday

MoonWitch94 Thanks for playing ☺️⛵️🍉 4y
27 likes1 comment
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alexa_d

You know, this book doesn't go as easy on Lee as I was worried it might. I mean, it still goes easier on him that he probably deserves (it opens with the factoid that he "didn't own slaves" without mentioning that his wife totally did) but post-Little Round Top, you're mostly left with the impression that his previous victories may have had more to do with Union failures and his men's loyalty to him than his actual leadership. #CivilWar

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alexa_d
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What I really love about Kilrain here is he's cutting through to the real hypocrisy of the Founders, putting aside such grand Enlightenment ideals as "All men are created equal" and just saying "you can't have a nation with 'no aristocracy' and also have a permanent, legally-created and sustained underclass." #CivilWar #AmericanCivilWar

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alexa_d
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Goddamn, now that's a thesis statement. #CivilWar #AmericanCivilWar

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Susanita
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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Day 4 of #7books7days

This book introduced me to the Civil War as a personal and intimate story while also keeping sight of the big picture.

Lesanne I‘m not usually a fan of books about war but I loved this one. 4y
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Jari-chan
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Pickpick

It's official now: I know more about the history of the US than I do about the one of my own country (Switzerland). Maybe because there are no such books like this one about our own past? Or maybe Switzerland simply doesn't have a past worth writing about. Doesn't change the fact that this was an impressive book and helped me understand US history a little better.

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intothehallofbooks
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Pickpick

Honestly one of the best books I‘ve ever read. Ever.

I love that we hear from Northern and Southern officers throughout the Battle of Gettysburg. I feel like it gives more insight to their perspectives than school textbooks ever did and I appreciate this new empathy so much. I want to know more about Col. Chamberlain and Lt. Gen. Longstreet, and I‘m curious about some of Robert E. Lee‘s motivations and why he did some of the things he did.

Bookish_B I bought this at the festival of books and hope to get to it soon! 5y
intothehallofbooks @Bookish_B Ooh that was a good purchase!! It‘s so good! 5y
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intothehallofbooks
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I‘m just starting the last part of this book, which is the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg, and I just HAD to come tell y‘all that I‘m in tears over the thoughts that some of these Generals were having. On both sides. I cannot imagine what it was like to be in this place, at this time.

The audio is so good, so good. Stephen Hoye is narrating and I‘m just moved.

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intothehallofbooks
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“A short while after that he saw the enemy come out in the open, line after line, heard the guns open up, dozens of guns, watched his own line disappear in the smoke. The big attack had come.”

My heart has been racing since the first chapter. I keep realizing that I‘m holding by breath. Having the perspectives of the men issuing and carrying out orders on both sides is just WOW. So incredibly riveting.

PatienceFortitude I read it years ago. You are reminding me how well-written and vivid it was 5y
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quirkyreader
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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Pickpick

This year‘s trek is taking a long time, I am savouring the journey and enjoying the scenery. Here is the link to my gr review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2802231287

Soubhiville I think I‘m neck in neck with you on Mount TBR! Keep on climbing! 5y
LeahBergen I think that I‘m around 25 or so? 🤔 5y
32 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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quirkyreader
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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It‘s taken me 21 years to get to this one. Boy am I every behind.

@Liberty

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Susanita
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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1. Beading and exploring historical sites
2. Piano
3. Postcards of night scenes
4. It‘s a long story, but the short version is that I started exploring CW battlefields after I read the tagged book.
5. My sister and a friend from church are quilters. I‘m not interested in doing it myself, but I‘m fascinated by the creativity involved.
#hellothursday

wanderinglynn That‘s so cool that your non-book hobby came from reading! Thanks for playing! 💜 5y
Susanita @wanderinglynn IKR! I also first got into beading after I lost the beautiful bookmark I‘d bought at Borders. 5y
38 likes2 comments
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Kimberlone
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I scrolled WAY back to find my first post on Litsy from 3 YEARS ago! I mostly posted quotes intermittently back in the early days and didn‘t interact a whole lot back then. I got @Saknicole to join shortly after I did.

#litsyfirsts

TobeyTheScavengerMonk Happy Litsyversary! 5y
33 likes1 comment
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Dogearedcopy
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Pickpick

One of the reasons I generally avoid NF about the Civil War is that writers tend to info dump numbers and data to the point that the battles become statistical events rather than human ones. But Michael Shaara‘s book conveys the scale of The Battle at Gettysburg in terms of acreage, the body count, and the ethical costs by leaning more towards historical fiction than military fiction in style and tone.

AshleyHoss820 I have the whole trilogy, so it‘s good to see this review! It‘s on my TBR! 5y
Pricel101 #Stacked Thanks for the review! I don‘t read much NF but do enjoy The American Civil War well written. 5y
Bklover This book was wonderful! 5y
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Dogearedcopy
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I may or may not have spent the morning crying over the death of a man who passed away over 155 years ago....

#ShutUpImNotCryingYoureCrying

CouronneDhiver That‘s quite the legacy... 5y
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Dogearedcopy
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So, I may have gotten a little excited at dinner time: I was yelling, "Why in the hell didn't Lee have Longstreet go right? Stuart better be dead because he's really screwed over Lee now!"

My husband calmly looked up from his plate and mentioned that if I really wanted to know, that this *is* a fairly well documented battle and I could look it up.

Well, yeah. But I still have 80 pages to go and I don't want to spoil it! ?

#gettysburg

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Dogearedcopy
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I honestly can‘t remember if I read this or not! It seems like I must have and yet, I don‘t really remember it, which puts it on par as an unread book...

Tackling this Pulitzer Prize-winning historical novel about the Battle of Gettysburg next

Reecaspieces I see Shelby Foote! #mississippiauthor 5y
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britt_brooke
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#auguststats #augustwrapup

completed: 18
nonfiction: 8
audio: 9
ARCs: 2
pulitzer: 1
from series: 3
short stories: 1
essays: 1

MelissaSue81 Ooh! Lots of good books this month for you! 6y
REPollock So many people have recommended The Killer Angels but it has remained on my to-read shelf. I should give it a try. 6y
britt_brooke @MelissaSue81 Thanks! It was a great month! 6y
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britt_brooke @REPollock My husband had been begging me to read it for years. It‘s so good! 6y
Leftcoastzen Nice! 6y
britt_brooke @Leftcoastzen Thanks! 💚 6y
Hollie Oooh I want to read Ladder to the Sky! 6y
britt_brooke @Hollie Loved it! It was darkly funny. 6y
kspenmoll 🙌🏻🙌🏻 nice month !!! 6y
britt_brooke @kspenmoll Thanks!! 😙 6y
GAustin Wow! I wish. Good for you! 6y
britt_brooke @GAustin Thank you! ☺️ 6y
Pamwurtzler Nice! 6y
britt_brooke @Pamwurtzler Thanks! 💚 6y
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britt_brooke
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My husband‘s been nagging me to read this book for many years. I finally did, and damn, it‘s so good. I hate when he‘s right. 😬 I don‘t know how to adequately describe it, so I won‘t try. Absolutely worthy of the 1975 Pulitzer. It‘s a shame Shaara didn‘t live to see its commercial success.

Stephen Hoye‘s audio narration is emotional and absolutely fantastic.

walryan5 Your husband has great taste! Michael Sharaa‘s son is just like his father. He has written so many great books. 6y
britt_brooke @walryan5 Yeah, he‘s all right. 😉💚 I haven‘t read any of Jeff Shaara‘s books yet, but I definitely will. I didn‘t realize he‘d written so many war novels. Is Gods and Generals a good place to start? 6y
Bklover This book is wonderful!!! 6y
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Reviewsbylola This sounds . . . not like a book I would pick up. But your endorsement has me really questioning that!! I‘m going to stack it and see. 6y
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walryan5
Pickpick

A great book about the civil war. I especially appreciated the historical fiction.

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britt_brooke
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britt_brooke
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Finally reading this. My husband has been asking me to for years. 🎧📖💪🏻

#currentlylistening #pulitzer #multitasking #liftandlisten #mindandbody #audio #audiobook #libby

Ruthiella This has been on my list forever too! 6y
britt_brooke @Ruthiella It‘s the one that has been on my #TBR the longest. Really great so far! 6y
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wlivengood
Pickpick

I really enjoy historical fiction. I am definitely going to make it a point to read every book written by the Shaara family.

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KateFulfordAuthor
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Pickpick

Read this after visiting the battle fields at Gettysburg and felt as if I was actually walking amongst the men who fought there

dsfisher A great read about that battle. 6y
BookedBySunrise Here now for the reenactment.. My father is a civil war bluff.. . My 3x great uncle was captured here on the second day of the battle. My 3x grandfather was wound at Chancellorsville. 6y
30 likes2 comments
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KaatjeH
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Taking a break from our work in the garden, this lovely sunny day ☀️
#currentlyreading

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Becker
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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The best Civil War book I have ever read. I loved the different perspectives.

Bklover This book was fascinating! 6y
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britt_brooke
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This is the book that‘s been on my #TBR the longest. My husband‘s been begging me to read this for 10+ years, and while we own the mass market paperback, I‘d rather read it on my #Paperwhite so I snagged this deal. #ebookdeal #pulitzer

Is there a single book that‘s been on your TBR for an eternity? What is it??

LeahBergen This one has been on mine for YEARS. 😬 6y
britt_brooke @LeahBergen Why do we keep passing it up? I don‘t have an answer. 😆🤷🏼‍♀️ 6y
vivastory Confederacy of Dunces. I'm looking forward to the read along! 6y
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dsfisher Great book 6y
drokka Yup. But then I found out it's the second book in a series and haven't touched it. Got it when it was first released in 87-88 thereabouts. 6y
drokka @britt_brooke @LeahBergen it's a great book in my opinion. 6y
britt_brooke @vivastory I hope you‘ll like it. Ignatius Reilly is one of my favorite characters ever. 6y
drokka 😂😂 Aren't we just a pair. 6y
BarbaraBB This one I bought in the nineties... must read it one day! 6y
REPollock My parents have talked about this book for ages. I admit the cheesy title keeps putting me off. 6y
Booksblanketsandahotbeverage Is that the one Gettysburg (movie) is based on? ❤️ 6y
britt_brooke @BookHoarder32 I‘m not sure. 🤔 6y
britt_brooke @drokka 👯‍♀️ 6y
britt_brooke @REPollock You‘re right, it is cheesy. 6y
britt_brooke @BarbaraBB That one looks intimidating! 6y
CareBear @BookHoarder32 it is the book the movie Gettysburg is based on. I loved this book. 6y
Booksblanketsandahotbeverage @CareBear Awesome! I thought so. 6y
Lisaw13 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has been on my list forever... I don't know why I can't get around to reading it. 6y
britt_brooke @Lisaw13 I haven‘t read that yet either. 😬 6y
JenniferJarrell I added this one to my list after a trip to Gettysburg (which was probably the location on my vacation list the longest)! For those of you holding out on Confederacy of Dunces and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - both of those were five star reads for me. I can‘t recommend them enough. 6y
britt_brooke @JenniferJarrell A Confederacy of Dunces is one of my favorites! 🙌🏻 6y
BarbaraBB Right! Rub it in 😂😘 6y
107 likes2 stack adds24 comments
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EllieDottie
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I don't read nearly as much as many littens but even so I have been having a slumpy summer! Pictured are 5 books for my #augustwrapup. I really enjoyed most of these books (sorry to the gringo champion it just wasn‘t to my taste) so I still count this month as a win! #booksacrossoceans

Captivatedbybooks I think 5 is good i may only have 3 or 4 7y
Tamra I don't count books. 👍🏾 I just enjoy reading them and seeing what others have to say about their own reads. 😁 7y
mrsthilkey Quality > quantity for me. So much. I read 5 as well. 👍👍 7y
EllieDottie @Captivatedbybooks @Tamra @mrsthilkey you all are definitely right!! I need to just relax and enjoying the reading!! 7y
kspenmoll I am a slow reader and only read many when I go into an escapism easy reading frenzy that does not ask anything of me. ( cozy mysteries an example) otherwise I am a slow reader, need time to absorb. 7y
64 likes5 comments
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britt_brooke
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Thanks for the tag @jess7 ❣️

1️⃣ Paris
2️⃣ Normandy and NYC
3️⃣ Loki
4️⃣ my husband
5️⃣ 🤷🏼‍♀️
6️⃣ kindle paperwhite
7️⃣ 2 months
8️⃣ to read 100 books this year
9️⃣ Lincoln in the Bardo
🔟 Killer Angels

Jess7 Aww good for Rob! 👏👏👏 7y
Jess7 I love NYC - only been there once so far but I enjoyed every minute of it. I should be going there more though now that my friend Emily moved to Brooklyn 7y
BarbaraBB I just bought Lincoln in the Bardo because it made the Booker Prize longlist... 7y
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britt_brooke @BarbaraBB Most people seem to love it so don't take my word for it. 😉 7y
britt_brooke @Jess7 He's a good boy. I didn't become a reader until after we were married. 7y
JenP 😭😢i loved Lincoln in the Bardo. 7y
JenP But I also hated Cat's cradle so we are even 😂 7y
vivastory @JenP You hated Cat's Cradle? I will obviously be unfriending & blocking you 😜 7y
JenP @vivastory 😂. I like his other books if that's any consolation 7y
vivastory @JenP Our friendship has been saved 👍😂 7y
britt_brooke @JenP 😂😂 7y
britt_brooke @vivastory 😂👏🏻 7y
83 likes12 comments
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clconn17
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Pickpick

A detailed account of the battle of Gettysburg. I loved how Shaara wrote each chapter from a different point of view from both sides. It made them human to read their emotions and thoughts instead of just a name in a history book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tanzy13 🐱 7y
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LauraBeth
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$4 haul ?I've wanted to own Cutting For Stone since I listened to it on audio last fall. Can't wait to "read" it all over again. I blame @BarbaraTheBibliophage ?

LeeRHarry I loved Cutting for Stone 😊 7y
britt_brooke Killer Angels has been on my TBR for years. According to hubby, it's VERY good. 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage You're welcome! I'm glad you liked it that much! 😘 7y
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Cinfhen That's less than I spent on my ☕️ ~ great choices! Cutting for Stone is a favorite 7y
minkyb Comparing my book $ to my 4.73 chai is always comforting @Cinfhen Great titles @LauraBeth 7y
TNbookworm I loved Cutting for Stone! The Killer Angels is a good read as well. 7y
Reviewsbylola Great haul! I loved Cutting for Stone too! 7y
Suet624 Great books you got there. Loved several of them. 7y
147 likes3 stack adds8 comments
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Bklover
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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#maybookflowers #war. This was an amazing book!! A book about the battle of Gettysburg that looks like someone chewed on it! Hope you are all having a great Saturday!!

Suet624 My father's favorite and he read everything about the Civil War. 7y
Bklover @Suet624 This is so not my kind of book. I couldn't believe that I actually loved it! It was fascinating! 7y
Smangela I need to read this badly!! 7y
Bklover @Smangela It was really good, and not what I expected. Hope you enjoy it! 7y
95 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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clconn17
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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This is the small part of my TBR that I actually own. I check things out from the library much more than I buy books. #savethefloorjoists @Liberty

Bostonmomx2 Me too!! 7y
mom2bugnbee Me three! I actually own very few books. 7y
AmyG I loved Under the Dome. Enjoy! 7y
72 likes3 comments
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MeganMarieWrites
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Day 9: #seasonsreadings #fictionnonfictionpairings Gettysburg the non-fictional account and The Killer Angels, the novelization of the event.

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Susanita
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
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The book that sparked my Civil War interest! On the day I finally got a Gettysburg quarter amongst some change, I also made reservations to spend a weekend there for a winter getaway in a couple months.

Thekelburrows Not good but GREAT book. 💕 7y
Suet624 Loved in Gettysburg for several years. Spent a lot of time on the battlefield in spots where tourists don't go. Very surreal. Especially on gray foggy days. 7y
14 likes2 comments
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Awolfe
Killer Angels | Michael Shaara
Pickpick

Touching novel. Really humanize both sides of the Civil War emphasizing the sacrifice and tragic loss in one of the most famous battles of American history.

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Morgan7r
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#ReadInSchool #nov6 #photoadaynov16 I loved this book then- might need to read it again. #Macbeth was my second choice. Also, #TheOdyssey ❤️🤓

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bookandcat
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Pickpick

#aphotoadaynov16 read it in school. not for English class, either - we read it in social studies my sophomore year of high school. years later it still sticks with me and I had to get my own copy when I saw it used. brings the battle of Gettysburg to life with empathy and interest and humanity. even if you aren't a war books person, you'll enjoy this - it reads like regular fiction and is very character driven.

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bookandcat
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Visited Denver last week and made sure to visit the Tattered Cover book store! Lovely place. Excited to read my new new reads and new used books (am already 120 pages into "Here I Am" by Jonathan Safran Foer). I also finally snagged a used copy of an old favorite, The Killer Angels, to sit next to Gods and Generals on my shelf.

MrBook #NiceStack! And welcome to @Litsy ! Please enjoy your stay 😎👍🏻. 8y
bookandcat Thanks! 8y
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MrBook
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Pickpick

I had to read this novel for 3 different college classes, & I read it again post-college. It's a novelization about the Battle of Gettysburg with both sides' perspectives. It's not just about battle tactics, delving into the mindsets, fleshing out characters, & shining a spotlight on rarely known key players. Informative & compelling. It's a rare book whose film adaptation, "Gettysburg," is just as great. #PairWith: Yuengling, bottles up, cold.

Hoopiefoot Agreed! I was probably too young the first time I read it but it made a huge impact on me--so much that I ended up going to school in Gettysburg! 8y
MrBook Oh wow! I had looked at college there too 😊👍🏻🙌🏻! 8y
Thekelburrows So great! 8y
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MrBook Sorry, @Hoopiefoot , forgot to tag you ☝🏻️, my bad! @Thekelburrows Yes 😁👍🏻🙌🏻! 8y
Susanita This book put me on the path from "get a life, you CW people" to being a CW person myself. 8y
Lynnsoprano Great book, great movie, great beer. We were in Gettysburg two years ago, first time in almost 40 years, still as great as I remembered, although now everybody goes to the 20th Maine monument and there's a paved walkway. First time, we had to hunt for it in the woods😄 8y
MrBook @Susanita @Lynnsoprano Niiiiice 😁👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻🙌🏻!!! 8y
108 likes18 stack adds7 comments