Description: "A deeply-researched, dramatic, and character-driven narrative account of the violent struggle between Union and Confederate forces to claim the American West during the Civil War"--
Brief description: Born and raised in Colorado, Megan Kate Nelson is a writer and historian now based in Boston, Massachusetts. She has written about US western history, the Civil War, and American culture for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Slate, Time, and Smithsonian Magazine. Nelson earned her BA in history and literature from Harvard University and her PhD in American studies from the University of Iowa. She is the author of Saving Yellowstone; The Three-Cornered War, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize; Ruin Nation; and Trembling Earth.
Review Quotes: One of Newsweek's 40 Must-Read Fiction and Nonfiction Books to Savor this Spring! "Megan Kate Nelson has made an invaluable contribution to broadening our understanding of the Civil War in her riveting new book... [It] is also a timely reminder that the Civil War in the Southwest was not just an interesting tidbit in the history of the American West -- it was part and parcel of the confederate objective of creating an 'empire of slavery' that expanded to the west... The book should be read not only by Civil War buffs and students of the American West, but by anyone who wishes to gain a deeper appreciation of American history that goes beyond the traditional lens. It is a masterful synthesis of military and social history in one of the overlooked chapters of the American Civil War." -LA Review of Books "Based on extensive archival research, Nelson's work expands our understanding of how the Civil War affected Indigenous peoples and helped to shape the nation. Readers interested in the Civil War and Western history will enjoy this nuanced portrait of the era." -Library Journal, starred "Brisk and well-sourced... Nelson effectively blends military history with a fresh look at a region typically obscured in accounts of the Civil War. American history buffs will relish this entertaining and eye-opening portrait." -Publishers Weekly "[A] useful survey for readers interested in the Civil War in its short-lived southwestern theater." -Kirkus Reviews "Both engaging and unsparing... [Nelson] balances the stories of individuals from all four groups with deft discussion of the big-picture issues... The result is a gripping history that integrates the Southwest into broader histories of American expansion." -Booklist "Nelson's book sheds light on New Mexico's importance during the war." -Albuquerque Journal, review "Subtly argued and richly documented." -Civil War Times "A terrific read... this is a very good telling of a story that is unknown to most Americans." -The Reconstruction Era, blog review