The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara, is perhaps the best historical novel that I have ever read. It told the story of the Battle of Gettysburg through the eyes of people like Robert E. Lee, Joshua L. Chamberlain, and James Longstreet. As I read, I felt like I was on the battlefield, experiencing it firsthand. It began when the Confederates were just moving into the small Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg, and ended after Pickett's Charge. This book was extremely informative, even though it was a novel. And going to the actual battlefield this past week brought it alive even more. When I read the book from both Confederate and Union points of view, I really began to find that I cared about what happened to both sides. These were people, not just soldiers or enemies.
I also watched a movie, Gettysburg, based on the book, and I was surprised by how similar they were! Most movies based on books aren't that good, but this one was phenomenal!
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history or the Civil War. Don't be afraid that it uses too much military jargon, because I found it to be an extremely readable book.
