Jay Winik's 6 favorite books

The historian and renowned author recommends works by James McPherson, William Manchester, and more

Jay Winik

Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson (Oxford, $20). The finest single-volume work on the Civil War out there. Written with verve and panache, it's filled with rich character portraits and fresh interpretations of the key political, social, and military events. I loved this book when I wrote April 1865, and love it still.

Einstein by Walter Isaacson (Simon & Schuster, $20). The improbable story of a patent clerk who couldn't get a teaching job and ended up unlocking the mysteries of the universe. How can the reader not find Einstein's life captivating? Bravo to Isaacson.

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