Based on a Book

Iced Earth founder/composer/guitarist Jon Schaffer isn't one of those metal musicians who only want to entertain their fans with their music. On the contrary, Schaffer uses his compositions to acquaint his fans with historic events and to kindle their int... Read More

Iced Earth founder/composer/guitarist Jon Schaffer isn't one of those metal musicians who only want to entertain their fans with their music. On the contrary, Schaffer uses his compositions to acquaint his fans with historic events and to kindle their interest in subjects that they probably wouldn't have access to otherwise. He has proved to be an artist who is fascinated by history and looks beyond the boundaries of his genre, basing his songs on educational objectives. Iced Earth's 2003 album, The Glorious Burden, was a milestone in terms of music and subject matter. Particularly the concert version of Gettysburg (1863) is a successful opener to a historic chapter that is directly linked to the contemporary US. The brand-new same-named double DVD is about to round off Schaffer's ambitious project.

This novel reveals more about the Battle of Gettysburg than any piece of learned nonfiction on the same subject. Michael Shaara's account of the three most important days of the Civil War features deft characterizations of all of the main actors, includin... Read More

This novel reveals more about the Battle of Gettysburg than any piece of learned nonfiction on the same subject. Michael Shaara's account of the three most important days of the Civil War features deft characterizations of all of the main actors, including Lee, Longstreet, Pickett, Buford, and Hancock. The most inspiring figure in the book, however, is Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, whose 20th Maine regiment of volunteers held the Union's left flank on the second day of the battle. This unit's bravery at Little Round Top helped turned the tide of the war against the rebels. There are also plenty of maps, which convey a complete sense of what happened July 1-3, 1863. Reading about the past is rarely so much fun as on these pages.