I enjoyed Foote and Catton, but Battle Cry of Freedom is the book I’d give to someone who wants a decent, one volume summary of the conflict.
Good call.
Good calls on your part as well, both Foote and Catton books are on my reading list for next summer.
The only line I remember from Battle Cry of Freedom stands out to me as a great descriptor of life in that era.
Paraphrased, “The only daily interaction a person had with the Federal Government was if they received mail or not”.