Stories from - and about - a nation divided. At The Washington Post, the Civil War has held an enduring fascination for both readers and writers. Raging from 1861-1865, the Battle Between the States has left a lasting imprint on the United States' collective psyche for 150 years. Civil War Stories: A 150th Anniversary Collection aggregates historical data with contemporary reflections, as journalists and historians put the bloody war into context:

• A timeline of Lincoln's candidacy and what may have happened if he had lost the election
• An ode to West Virginia, which abandoned Virginia rather than secede from the Union
• The obstacles faced by emancipated slaves
• Women in the federal workforce and disguised as men on the battlefields
• The modern anti-slavery crusade of Frederick Douglass' great-great-great-grandson

Personal stories of tragedy and triumph still resonate today. From biographical histories to examinations of the war's legacies, Civil War Stories: A 150th Anniversary Collection is a unique compilation of stories of when our nation was divided.