THE CIVIL WAR

Presented in nine parts, the 11-hour series uses only archive stills and artifacts (no reenactments), diary entries by contemporary participants and observers, commentary by major historians (notably, the eloquent and witty Shelby Foote), and modern scenes of battle sites to re-create the scope and impact of this cataclysmic event. Syndicated columnist George Will commented: “If better use has ever been made of television, I have not seen it” (The Outlook, September 22, 1990). Also available is a 348-page companion paperback, illustrated with maps, that includes the complete text of the narrative, plus essays by Shelby Foote, Barbara Fields, James McPherson, and other distinguished historians. DVD features: Ken Burns commentary; Ken Burns the filmmaker at work; interviews with historians, musicians, critics, and journalists; Civil War trivia game; biography cards and interactive battlefield maps.