Mort Kunstler

For nearly thirty years, Mort Künstler has focused his considerable artistic talent on interpreting the Civil War. In crafting his work to reflect poignant moments or critical instances of the conflict, he has turned to leading historians and scholars, such as Henry Steele Commager, James McPherson, William C. Davis, and James I. Robertson Jr. for informative details that he has then translated on canvas to create an indelible image of this defining ordeal in America's history. More that 160 of these images supplemented by preliminary sketches, early studies, and photographs of works in progress are the basis for the four volumes in this series.

The Civil War tore the nation apart, pitting brother against brother. Marking the sesquicentennial of this epic struggle for America's soul, which began in 1861, For Us the Living features stunning paintings by acclaimed Civil War artist Mort Künstler paired with stirring text by Pulitzer Prize-nominated author James I. Robertson, Jr. No other Civil War book equals this breathtaking volume, which brings the crisis to life through eyewitness accounts and dramatic art. Robertson insightfully describes key events in each year of the conflict, weaving his words together with those of the people who lived through it-and Künstler's masterful paintings illuminate it all.For Us the Living will give readers the sense of being there at this critical moment in American history.