Catherine Cartwright

I admit this series isn’t perfect - but no series like this could be. So much is subjective in a documentary; what to include, what to leave out, what perspective to take. And with so many passions on so many related subjects, you will never please everyone. The best you can hope for is a narrative that is interesting, compelling, and gives voice to a wide range of voices, without being overly combative. I personally prefer documentaries (like non-fiction books) that explain what happened, not what I should think or feel about what happened. This documentary was presented almost perfectly, for my taste. That is not to say it is emotionless; there is a lot of authentic emotion conveyed by the subject matter. But the emotion comes from the content, not film maker manipulation. I have always loved history, since I first started reading over 50 years ago. My BA was in history. But the US Civil War was never an area of interest. And yet, this series captivated me. I’ve watched it at least once a year since it was released. It presents information - important facts mixed well with interesting flavor - at a satisfying pace that makes compelling viewing even for those who aren’t fans of history or documentaries, and those not familiar with the subject. I highly recommend this series.