I have finally gotten around to reading "The Civil War" narrative by Shelby Foote.  This 3 or 9 book collection depending on which printing you get.. is a pretty fun read.

I know it is by Shelby Foote and was written a few years back.  But the nice thing is that it gives a nice timeline of the war and the events that were occuring.  Plus it covers some of the topics I wouldn't have chosen to read about on my own.  Right now I am in the section on Pea Ridge and it is pretty interesting.

I have fallen into the trap sometimes that since I am out east and near all the PA/MD/VA battlefields and those are the ones I do events at, that I forget there is an entire theatre or 2 out west.