"Audie Award–winning producer Erikson offers a spectacular debut, adapting the words, thoughts, and speeches of Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Stephen A. Douglas, and others to provide a new perspective of the Civil War. Erikson covers many aspects of the war that nearly tore the United States apart: Lincoln’s election, his personal tragedies, and his assassination, as well as the experiences of young soldiers toward the end of the war. Listeners get firsthand accounts of the war between brothers, the struggle to unite a nation, and the thoughts of abolitionists, enslavers, people who were enslaved, soldiers, and writers. An outstanding cast of voice actors, including Scott Brick as Lincoln, Moira Quirk as Stowe, and Matthew Wolf as Emerson, narrate this stunning production. Their evocative performances piercingly capture varied thoughts and feelings about the war. The narration is enhanced with musical interludes from songs, hymns, and other selections from the era. As a bonus, the book concludes with four songs by a lone soldier, sung by Rich Follett. VERDICT An informational and atmospheric audiobook that checks all the boxes. Recommended for Civil War buffs and anyone interested in literature, history, and stories well told." — Elyssa Everling

From UNCLE TOM'S CABIN to the "Gettysburg Address," this concise and thought-provoking oral history of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery is told through the powerful words of those who were there. Each narrator delivers unique voices for the characters they portray. Moira Quirk accentuates Harriet Beecher Stowe's compassionate prose. Matthew Wolf finds the moral certitude in Ralph Waldo Emerson's essays. Scott Brick delves deeply into the biblical and Shakespearean overtones and rhythms of Abraham Lincoln's most elegant prose. Lastly, Michael Crouch delivers the winsome letters that a young Union soldier sent back home. Inspiring, heartrending, and prescient--this collection proves that spoken word can be mightier than the sword. B.P. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine