John A. Nischwitz

“Collections of a Civil War Trivia Junkie” is a cornucopia of facts about any aspect of the Civil War: the people (yes, women included), the battles, the armaments, you name it, this has it.

Some reference businesses we know (Goodyear and American Express for two) others individuals (which Confederate agent in England was the uncle of a U. S. President?) some battles, such as those that occurred under winter conditions and terms like “Pyrrhic victory” are defined. Some turn on mental lightbulbs. I had long heard of Hanger Orthopedics, but never realized that Hanger was a Confederate private who designed his own prosthesis.

The book is organized into 14 chapters, each of which contains over 50 questions and answers, interspersed with related photos. Following that are “Lists” of Alternate Battle Names, Observation Balloon Corps, Defiles, Vessels, Civil War Firsts, Stamps, Horses, Houses, International Aspects, Nicknames, Statistics, Campaigns, definitions of Principles of War, Prisons, Raids and Campaigns, Women and more.

Author John Nischwitz entertains the St. Louis Civil War Roundtable with his Trivia Quizes and now has made them available to the reading public. This is a book you may not read straight through but one you will pick up now and then, maybe while watching the game, and go through a few pages. Some entries will pass almost unnoticed, many will be interesting and others will be true gems, an “I didn’t know that” moment. “Collections of a Civil War Trivia Junkie” is a rewarding read for anyone with an interest in our great national conflict.… (mehr)