The Civil War of 1812

By Alan Taylor,

Book cover of The Civil War of 1812: American Citizens, British Subjects, Irish Rebels, & Indian Allies

Book description

In the early nineteenth century, Britons and Americans renewed their struggle over the legacy of the American Revolution, leading to a second confrontation that redefined North America.  Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Alan Taylor’s vivid narrative tells the riveting story of the soldiers, immigrants, settlers, and Indians who fought to determine the…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked The Civil War of 1812 as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I grew up in upstate New York near the Canadian border, and one of the crucial battles of this war was fought there. When I was growing up, we were told this war was a successful one for the United States, and Taylor shows how this was true in some ways but not very true at all in others. 

This is a sprawling tale with a huge cast of characters, and it includes the perspectives of ordinary people from various groups.

The bicentennial of the War of 1812 injected new life into a largely sidelined subject in early American history, drawing a variety of contributions from a range of historians. The Civil War of 1812 is the contribution of one of the leading historians of early America. Beautifully written, as are all of Taylor’s books, this book focuses primarily on the political, social, and cultural aspects of the conflict that transpired along the United States-Canadian borderlands.  In so doing, he gives equal attention to divisions the war caused in Canadian, Native American, and U.S. communities.

Want books like The Civil War of 1812?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Civil War of 1812.

Browse books like The Civil War of 1812

Book cover of A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico
Book cover of Perilous Fight: America's Intrepid War with Britain on the High Seas, 1812-1815
Book cover of The War of 1812 in the Age of Napoleon

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,587

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the War of 1812, the American Civil War, and Canada?

The War Of 1812 54 books
Canada 451 books