Book excerpt: The US Civil War (18611865) still serves as one of the milestones in American literary history, commonly representing the dividing line in survey courses and reference works on 19th-century American literature. Through seven short stories selected by the critic August Nemo you will be able to understand the different nuances of this historical moment: - An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce - The Veteran by Stephen Crane - The Story of a Year by Henry James - The Locket by Kate Chopin - The Brothers by Louisa May Alcott - The Namesake by Willa Cather - The Burial of the Guns by Thomas Nelson PageFor more books with interesting themes, be sure to check the other books in this collection!