Why read The Howling Storm?

Book cover of The Howling Storm: Weather, Climate, and the American Civil War

Book description

Traditional histories of the Civil War describe the conflict as a war between North and South. Kenneth W. Noe suggests it should instead be understood as a war between the North, the South, and the weather. In The Howling Storm, Noe retells the history of the conflagration with a focus…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Howling Storm as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

George C. Rable

Author

Weather has always been a constant topic of conversation, and this was certainly true for the Civil War generation. But it was also a matter of serious concern as it greatly affected the conduct of military campaigns.

With careful attention to the science of weather and meticulous research, Kenneth Noe has crafted what amounts to a “weather history” of the American Civil War that brings new perspectives to the war’s course and would certainly have resonated with everyone from generals to privates to the folks at home.

Noe’s book makes a striking contribution that assesses the impact of weather along…

From George's list on The best books on the American Civil War that creatively and provocatively go beyond the usual battles and leaders.