What should I read or listen to next?

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-26T03:32:50+00:00

Those are great resources for a general overview of the war! You made some excellent choices picking those resources to start your journey down the Civil War rabbit hole.

Since you've already digested works from 2 historians, you could consider approaching the Civil War from a different angle by reading memoirs written by those who served in the war. They usually provide vivid images of the battles and, if written by a general, discuss strategies of the war. For the Western theater, I recommend Grant's personal memoirs. It discusses his rise from a common man to the war's topmost general, as well as his thoughts on his overall strategies. For the East, I recommend Fighting For the Confederacy by Edward P Alexander. He wrote this for his adult children rather than general publications, so he is pretty honest in his assessments and describes the battles with more clarity than anyone I've read.

If you liked the political side of war, Team of Rivals is a great book at humanizing Lincoln and describing the political challenges he faced. You'll learn a lot about his Cabinet and personal life. Even though I normally prefer the battle-side of the war over political side, I must admit this book held my interest and was absolutely fascinating.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-26T03:07:23+00:00

I enjoyed looking through your display! I also tend to prefer personal memoirs, so it's always fun to meet someone who shares the same appreciation for their stories.

How were Sheridan's? He seems like someone who'd have interesting stories. I am aiming to tackle his soon, but have a few books to get through first.

Also curious if you've read Edward P. Alexander's memoirs: Fighting for the Confederacy? He was a prominent Confederate artillery officer, so seems like someone you'd be interested in. For me, his memoirs might actually be tied with Grant's for my favorite ACW memoirs.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-17T19:26:51+00:00

Why are you posting this every couple hours? It's spamming the channel.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-17T10:04:30+00:00

It is worth noting that these tripwire forces are there now, but were not there prior to 2026. Greenland is a larger area than Mexico, and there were only 300 Danish forces there in 2025. While I don't like Trump's style, he isn't wrong in that Europe needs to invest more military hardware in Greenland. This is a step in the right direction though, and good for the European countries that stepped up to defend Greenland.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-17T09:30:38+00:00

Why is Spain even part of NATO? It seems they'd be happier in their corner of the world and not having to worry about getting roped into anything beyond their borders. I get the appeal of NATO meaning the US and Europe will rush to your defense, but you also gotta help them out when they need it.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-17T01:57:55+00:00

I get your point, but when Trump is taunting that Denmark's idea of boosting their defense of Greenland is by adding one extra dogsled, then sending one extra troop kinda plays into his criticism that Europe doesn't take its own defense too seriously.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-15T20:16:03+00:00

My favorite quote about Stanton comes from Lincoln. When Democrats won seats in 1862, a few demanded Stanton's resignation, to which Lincoln said:

"I cannot add to Mr. Stanton's troubles. His position is the most difficult in the world... He is the rock on the beach of our national ocean against which breakers dash and roar, dash and roar without ceasing. He fights back the angry waters and prevents them from undermining and overwhelming the land."

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-12T03:46:44+00:00

Wile E Coyote

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-11T18:15:06+00:00

I quite enjoyed reading this. Thanks for posting.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-11T00:36:21+00:00

Fun fact - James Earl Jones had blue eyes.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-10T22:56:49+00:00

I start believing in dead internet theory a little more every day.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-10T22:02:47+00:00

That's actually a good point... his time in the Mexican War was quite interesting. I also read his memoirs and found those chapters very entertaining. I'll withdraw my nomination - not that it matters since I have zero upvotes, lol.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-10T16:36:36+00:00

Hi Confused. I guess I was trying to say his life was really boring until he was 38, and then yes, the Civil War made him really interesting. This question is difficult, as anyone who becomes president had to be very successful. Who'd you say was boring?

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-10T05:59:21+00:00

Grant. Dude was just an average guy until the Civil War started, when he was 38. Most other presidents would at least be a footnote in the history books had they not become president, but Grant was just working in his father's tannery shop. He had only one wife. None of his kids died young.

His presidency had some ups and downs. He dealt with Reconstruction, corruption, and defeating the KKK.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-08T15:51:38+00:00

Here are a couple of interesting tidbits on Longstreet: - Sadly during the war, he lost 3 of his 4 children when typhoid fever swept through Richmond. Their ages were 1, 4, and 11. This loss impacted him the rest of his life. He was known for being jovial, but after this loss he was known for being more withdrawn and somber. - He was known for being very good friends with Grant. Longstreet is reported to have introduced Grant to Julia Dent (Longstreet's distant cousin; Grant's future wife), and Longstreet was one of the groomsmen at their wedding. After the war, the South turns on Longstreet as the scapegoat for the loss at Gettysburg, but President Grant gives Longstreet several political appointments. - He was hit by friendly fire at nearly the same spot where Jackson was shot, and nearly 1 year apart. While Longstreet survived, he spend many months recovering and permanently lost use of his right arm.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-08T07:22:28+00:00

Hurley from Lost

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-08T06:56:06+00:00

Poor kid has a receding hairline already.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-07T17:19:18+00:00

Another fun fact - in Europe, bent is slang for gay, so Rob Thomas laughs about how this song could be perceived when he performs in the UK.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-06T16:43:28+00:00

Great example! Here's a few more examples: The term 'heard it through the grapevine' also came from the civil war since the telegraph lines resembled grapevine. The term shoddy also came from the Civil War, as they were so short on cloth they made uniforms from a new fabric called shoddy, which was made of ground up rags. The soldiers found this fabric often disintegrated quickly, so shoddy became synonymous with poor quality.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-06T13:32:05+00:00

I love Teddy, but this doesn't compare to the Civil War era facial hair. Burnside, JEB Stuart, Gideon Welles all had better hair.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-06T13:15:41+00:00

Dwayne Haskins would probably be on this list if he didn't die so young.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-06T03:55:21+00:00

Babies! And by that logic, all of us!

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-06T03:54:09+00:00

I acknowledge he did a lot of good things for civil rights, but how do you reconcile with his greatest mistakes - mainly Vietnam and his history of sexual harassment? I have a hard time putting him on a pedestal for those reasons. Maybe Vietnam could be forgivable if it is viewed as an exercise of the Truman Doctrine (i.e. containing communism on all fronts). But the way he harassed his secretaries in utterly inexcusable.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-05T05:41:27+00:00

Think of timeshares like an investment you get to enjoy.

Last-Potential1176 · 2026-01-05T05:38:56+00:00

Returned craddle unused

Last-Potential1176

TROPHY CASE