It is to bad that Shelby Foote has passed from the scene. His books are riviting and historically accurate. A must read for any student of the civil war and for anyone who wants to know more about the greatest American Battle, Gettysburg.

Shelby Foote's Stars in Their Courses provides the perfect balance to Bruce Catton's Gettysburg: The Final Fury. While Catton's history unfolds largly from the Union perspective, Foote walks the reader through the same battle from the Confederate perspective. I appreciate Foote's professional attitude. He is careful not to assign undue blame or indulge in excessive "what ifs". Instead he describes the strategic and tactical logic behind the battle, what led to its eventual outcome, and how crucial decisions were made during the fighting. This is a well written book, though, as someone has said, it would have been nice to have better and more frequent maps. Foote is the quintessential southern civil war historian, and you will not be disappointed with this relatively quick read.

Actually sought this out to give as a gift to a very big fan of Shelby. This work is tremendous and for the fan or the enthusiast a brilliant read.

Bought this after I went on a self guided tour of Gettysburg one gray winter day, and wanted to learn more than I did or could remember from Elementary/High School.

Wonderfully written. I just wish there were more of the maps in the book to refer to as he talks about the movements.

Highly recommended

I could write a long review about how good this book is but that would be a diservice to the author. We lost a great historian when Shelby Foote passed. He was a historian who prefered to be remembered as a novelist. As a proud Vermont Yankee, professional historian, and living historian of that period, I tend to get cranky about revisionist views or the whole Sourthern "lost cause" foolishness. However, Mr. Foote, a proud southerner, wrote about the most important event in our nation's history without the prejudice or regionalism, so many bring to the topic. He could write excellent history and tell the story with the readability of a novelist.



We are poorer for his passing but the body of work he left behind on the Civil War will remain some of the must have items in any serious collection of books about that second birth of our nation.



We'll miss you Shelby but thank you for what you left behind.

Foote is one of my favorite writers of Civil War history. He strikes just the right balance between detail and scope so you don't lose sight of the overall strategy as you read the stories of the individual participants in the battle. Foote puts all the pieces together and makes the complexity of the battle understandable to even the non-historian and non-military minded while writing in a style that makes history come alive. Wish I'd started my reading of the Gettysburg campaign with this book.

Heth upon hearing a rumour that Early's men had over looked a suppy of shoes (many of his men were barefooted) when they passed though Gettysburg the week Sent his lead brigade under Johnston Pettigrew to investigate. Johnston Pettigrew returned on thr 30th of June, mindeful of Lee's warning not to bring on a battle till the whole army was at hand, prudently withdrew when he encountered Federal troopers along a creekbank west of town.
Heth still wanted those shoes so he took Pettigrew with him to repeat what he had seen to Hill. Hill responded "The only force at Gettysburg is calvalry, probably a detachment of oberservation. Mead's infantry are still down in Maryland and have not struck their tents." Heth was quick to reply "If there is no objection, I will take my division tommorrow and go to Gettysburg and get those shoes." "None in the world" said Hill.

Thus what started out as a movement for shoes ended in prehaps the most important battle of the War!

Sheby Foote is a master story teller who turns history in to classical literature. He includes many maps to help understand the grand movement of both armies.

Standing in the way of Heth's men to'get those shoes' was John Buford, a tough, Kentucky-born regular with a fondness for hard fighting. Though Hill was correct that at the moment there were only cavalry in Gettysburg, these troops (two brigades) were armed with the new seven shot Spencer carbine. They belong to Reynold's Corps who's infantry were that night camped just six miles from Gettysburg.

What would you do to 'get those shoes'?

*The title is from John Buford addressing his troops on 30 June 1863. "....You will have to fight like the devil until supports arrive."

Imagine, if you can, a book written by a modern historian that actually seeks the truth. Imagine a book written by a modern historian that is not slanted to promote his/her politics. Imagine a 20th century historian that does not even mention the sexuality (alternative or otherwise), of any historical figures in an entire book.
If you are looking for "the truth" at Gettysburg, "Stars In Their Courses" is for you. Shelby Foote is a fine author, and has written the book in a captivating manner that I highly esteem. Pick this book up and give it a try, one chapter should do the trick. You will have a good feeling afterward that you have learned something worthwhile about American History.

"Stars in Their Courses" is a superb narrative account of the Battle of Gettysburg, excerpted from Foote's three volume history of the Civil War. Shelby Foote, a novelist and a son of the South before becoming an historian, approaches the Gettysburg Campaign as a tragic human drama, the high tide of Confederate arms for General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and the turning point of redemption for General George Meade's Army of the Potomac.

Foote's account of Gettysburg is absolutely gripping, full of the human details that make those events come alive for the student of the Civil War and the casual reader alike. Foote captures both the heroism of individuals and the sometimes blind blundering of large armies. Gettysburg is not Lee's finest hour; Foote's narrative may be fairly read to show that Lee's normally sure hand was absent over the three days of battle, allowing the Army of Northern Virginia to stumble into an unexpected battle. Lee's desire for a decisive victory and his underestimation of the long-suffering Army of the Potomac probably led him to persist in a clumsy and costly fight his army could not afford.

On the Union side, General Meade seems more driven than a driver of events, but his willingness to fight it out made possible the victory that his various valiant subordinates delivered. Meade's failure to vigorously follow up in the days after the battle probably cost the Union a chance to do much more damage to Lee's Army.

This book is highly recommended to the student of the Civil War and to the casual reader looking for a highly readable account of this critical battle.

Shelby Foote's monumental, three volume history of the American Civil War is widely recognized as one of the great works of the twentieth century. However, its great length - roughly three thousand pages - is undoubtedly intimidating to many readers. Fortunately, this 1994 Modern Library edition, Stars in Their Courses, the Gettysburg Campaign, circumvents this difficulty.

Stars in Their Courses is the middle chapter in the middle volume of Shelby Foote's remarkable history. This extract offers an easy way for a reader new to Shelby Foote to become acquainted with his masterpiece.

The editors of the Modern Library series should be commended for selecting this particular chapter. It is hard to imagine a better introduction to the Gettysburg Campaign. Stars in Their Courses is not only great history, it is great literature. Shelby Foote is an outstanding writer, one that happens, fortunately for us, to write history. In reviewing Foote's acclaimed historical narrative, one critic said, "It seems to me unlikely that it ever will be superseded."

Remarkably, Stars in Their Courses is entirely self-contained. A reader not familiar with Shelby Foote's writing would not realize that this Modern Library edition was actually a single chapter drawn from a much larger work. The reader has no need to reference any other sources.

Stars in Their Courses would make an excellent gift for that friend or family member that enjoys good literature, but heretofore has not developed an enthusiasm for the Civil War. The Modern Library edition is attractively bound, and printed on acid-free paper.

Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Killer Angels, would be a great companion gift to Stars in Their Courses. Shaara's focus is on specific participants in the three-day battle, especially Lee, Buford, Longstreet, Chamberlain, and Armistead. The Killer Angels was the basis for the epic movie, Gettysburg.

Shelby Foote's monumental, three volume history of the American Civil War is widely recognized as one of the great works of the twentieth century. However, its great length - roughly three thousand pages - is undoubtedly intimidating to many readers. Fortunately, this 1994 Modern Library edition, Stars in Their Courses, the Gettysburg Campaign, circumvents this difficulty.

Stars in Their Courses is the middle chapter in the middle volume of Shelby Foote's remarkable history. This extract offers an easy way for a reader new to Shelby Foote to become acquainted with his masterpiece.

The editors of the Modern Library series should be commended for selecting this particular chapter. It is hard to imagine a better introduction to the Gettysburg Campaign. Stars in Their Courses is not only great history, it is great literature. Shelby Foote is an outstanding writer, one that happens, fortunately for us, to write history. In reviewing Foote's acclaimed historical narrative, one critic said, "It seems to me unlikely that it ever will be superseded."

Remarkably, Stars in Their Courses is entirely self-contained. A reader not familiar with Shelby Foote's writing would not realize that this Modern Library edition was actually a single chapter drawn from a much larger work. The reader has no need to reference any other sources.

Stars in Their Courses would make an excellent gift for that friend or family member that enjoys good literature, but heretofore has not developed an enthusiasm for the Civil War. The Modern Library edition is attractively bound, and printed on acid-free paper.

Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Killer Angels, would be a great companion gift to Stars in Their Courses. Shaara's focus is on specific participants in the three-day battle, especially Lee, Buford, Longstreet, Chamberlain, and Armistead. The Killer Angels was the basis for the epic movie, Gettysburg.

Stars In Their Courses is an excellent book covering the Gettysburg Campaign. Taken completely from Foote's Civil War Trilogy, the book presents a balanced view of the battle. Foote's writing is always easy to read and understand and at times brief in coverage. For a reader looking for great information I would suggest reading a book devoted to a particular day of fighting during the campaign as this book covers the basics and seldom dives into any hour-by-hour detail. For the advanced historian it may seem a bit too brief but for the novice Civil War reader it is an excellent book. Foote likes to present the battle from both sides of the army and explain Lee's and Meade's thoughts or strategies that help explain the how the battle and final outcome evolved. Shelby Foote is probably one of the best authors on the subject and I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to gain further knowledge and insight into the Battle of Gettysburg.

You may remember Shelby Foote from his sonorous narration in Ken Burns's THE CIVIL WAR. He is also a respectable novelist and the author of an authoritative three-volume history of the Civil War from the point of view of the South.

STARS IN THEIR COURSES is an even-handed look at the three days' battle that some think was the decisive struggle of the long conflict. At least, it would have been had it not been for Lee's rapid, orderly retreat and Meade's disinclination to face him in battle again so soon. If the more decisive Grant were in charge at that early date, the war would have drawn to a quick conclusion.

As a big fan of Ted Turner's GETTYSBURG, I was surprised to see that the movie took at least as much from Foote as from Michael Shaara's THE KILLER ANGELS. Foote produces a more all-encompassing view of the battle than the film, which omits Ewell's actions on the Union right as well as the battle's immediate aftermath.

My only complaint about the Modern Library edition is that the maps scattered throughout the text bear no captions. The reader has to check the List of Maps in the back of the book to find out where (and when) he is on the battlefield. An index would also have been useful.

But these are mere peccadillos considering Foote's high level of scholarship and engaging prose style. This book is a keeper.

This is the perfect Shelby Foote sampler if the three volume, "The Civil War: A Narrative" seems either too daunting or you haven't the time.
It's the entire "Stars in Their Courses" Chapter and part of "Unvexed to the Sea" from "Fredericksburg to Meridian," the second volume of the trilogy.
Simply put, it's the best and most concise account of the Gettysburg campaign you're ever likely to find. Foote doesn't overwhelm the reader the details, but instead, and with careful literary design, catches the ebb and flow of a great battle as it opens and occurs.
If you've read the trilogy, then you probably don't need this, but it certainly is a lot easier to tote around than the rather ponderous size of the others. Also, if you're quite familiar with Gettysburg, then Foote may not be anything new, but I do think his mastery of the language eclipses most of what's out there (how historians drain the life out of such an exciting subject I'll never know).
If you enjoyed this, I heartily recommend you pick up "Stars in Their Courses" in the audio where Foote reads the book himself. You listen to his voice and I'd hazard a guess that it's like listening to Homer read the Iliad or the Odyssey. Foote's melodious voice is mesmerizing and becomes a performance in itself.

Foote deserves a 21 gun salute.

I was afraid that reading this book was going to be an exercise in plowing through a bunch of Civil War trivia, but it seemed too short for that and was. There's enough to make it interesting, but Foote doesn't bury you in all the trivia.

If you are the least bit interested in the Civil War you will love this book. Though not a true "buff" I bought and read it because I was about to go to Gettysburg and wanted to be able to know what I was looking at when I got there. That was a great decision.

It was a fine blend of the personalities involved, the politics at the time, the factors that influenced this or that strategy, and the impact the battle had on the outcome of the war as a whole. Indeed, on us as a people.

Shelby Foote's account of the Gettysburg campaign is a phenomenal narrative history that truly comes to life in audio format. The unabridged version sets the stage and unfolds the action in a leisurely yet deliberate pace that is actually suspenseful until the action begins with the rebels coming on July 1, "three deep and booming." The author's syrupy deep voice is mesmerizing, and his Mississippi accent gives new resonance to the famous quotes of the battle, from Lee's "The enemy is there, and I am going to strike him" to Pickett's "Up, men and to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from Old Virginia!" The Union heroes, especially Hancock, are given equal time in this balanced and compelling account.

Foote covers the battle from flank to flank for all three days and weaves in such related vignettes as Stuart's truancy and the cavalry action as well. It is helpful for the reader/listerner to have some general background knowledge of the battle, but Foote provides brief descriptions of the various players as the story rolls along.

These cassettes are out of print but well worth tracking down and even paying above-market money for. "Stars in Their Courses" is a perfect audiobook for a trip or long daily commute; you will find yourself looking forward to getting in the car to drive to work. A classic.

This book is actually a single chapter from Foote's three volume narrative history of the Civil War. It is the central chapter from the central volume, and the tale it contains represents the high water mark of the Confederacy.

To say that Foote has a way with words is an understatement. Here is a completely compelling story of a campaign that was a defining moment of the war. In the course of less than 300 pages, Foote provides a powerful tale told in such subtle strokes that you become part of history without being aware of being pulled into it.

There are lots of other works about Gettysburg. Most are longer, none are so well told.

I read most of this book while we were on a family outing to the Gettysburg battlefield last year. It put the battle in complete context. The combination of reading this brilliant account and seeing firsthand how geography shaped the battle was priceless.

For its narrative sweep, human drama, and immaculate prose, you would call this the greatest American war novel ever written except, of course, for the fact that every word of it is true. (I had heard about Foote's ostensible Southern bias and, frankly, I didn't see the evidence for it. That he portrays the rebels as three-dimensional men with sincere convictions rather than two-dimensional villains ought not to bother anyone who values truth above political correctness.) How good was this book? I'm now tackling the entire three-volume work from which it is excerpted. See you in a year or so.