I am aware that many people even today have lingering sentiments over the Civil War. As I grew up in California from more recent immigrants to the U.S., I have no particular emotional or other attachment to either side of "The War Between the States." I think the best way to get a balanced picture of the good and bad on both sides is to read a variety of good books from different points of view. Besides being a moral issue in its own right, there are many parallels between slavery and abortion. The study of the Civil War and the effects and problems of slavery can shed much light on issues of today.