My Diary: North and South (vol. 1 of 2)

A meticulous, first‑hand record, this volume brings together the day‑by‑day notes of an English observer who travelled across a divided United States during the early years of the Civil War. Drawing from his own diaries, he offers vivid sketches of bustling camps, roadside taverns, and the ever‑changing fortunes of commanders whose names rose and fell like the tide. Though he trims passages that might endanger living acquaintances, the tone remains candid, with a modest effort to separate fact from rumor in a land where myth spreads as quickly as news.

Listeners will hear the author’s personal encounters—from a solitary figure in a Norfolk hotel to brief conversations with soldiers and statesmen—along with his reflections on the shifting leadership in both the North and South. The narrative balances descriptive detail with occasional wry commentary, providing a nuanced glimpse into the human side of a conflict that reshaped a nation, all without venturing beyond the initial stage of the war.