A Civil War Road Trip of a Lifetime: Antietam, Gettysburg, and Beyond [Paperback]

Join author John Banks on a captivating journey through America's rich history as he explores famous battlefields, historic homes, and forts across the country.Over more than a year, John Banks crisscrossed the country, exploring battlefields, historic houses, forts, and more. He rode on the back of an ATV with his psychotic connection in Mississippi, went under the spell of an amateur hypnotist at a U.S. Army fort in Tennessee, admired a sunset from the grounds of the notorious Andersonville prison camp in Georgia, prayed during a tense boat ride in Charleston Harbor in South Carolina, and briefly interviewed Louie the wild boar in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Join him on a road trip like no other.Over more than a year, John Banks crisscrossed the country, exploring battlefields, historic houses, forts, and more. He rode on the back of an ATV with his psychotic connection in Mississippi, went under the spell of an amateur hypnotist at a U.S.What John Banks so brilliantly captures is the truth that history is organic, not static. The people who maintain such close ties to the war, and their reasons for doing so, are themselves part of a story now.From struggling through brambles with a guide he just met to coaxing his way into a house that served as a hospital, John Banks brings humor and soulful meaning to his journey to learn about forgotten battles and people. This fascinating exploration of the nooks and crannies of the Civil War will fire your passion to get out and ramble. Nearly 50 years later, my first cognizant visit to a Civil War battlefield remains emblazoned in my mind: Gettysburg, 1974. Even at the age of 12, the awe I felt standing before the monuments on that hallowed land was all-consuming, and it is an awe I have never lost. I bring this up because John Banks, with whom I've had a privilege to work for several years now, is another who shares that complete sense of awe for this sacred ground, as you will see upon reading this incredible