Ben Stein, host of the Emmy-winning game show Win Ben Stein’s Money (weeknights on Comedy Central) and author of Tommy and Me: The Making of a Dad (out of print), chooses six of his favorite books about the Civil War.

John Brown’s Body by Stephen Vincent Benét (Buccaneer Books, $27.95). An epic poem about the war, its leaders, its battles, causes, and lessons. Told largely through the stories of 12 main characters, it is hauntingly well-written and startlingly racist in places, but dripping with its love of place and people and way of life.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us