In the 1850s, the eyes of the world were on Kansas. The Civil War in Kansas will be an overview of the years 1854-1865, since the war began in Kansas nearly seven years before it spread to the rest of the nation. From the repeal of the Missouri Compromise to its entry in the Union, Kansas played a small role in the war as a whole, but its effects on the state were nonetheless important. With regards to the Kansas citizens who played a part, it would be an understatement to call them "colorful." From John Brown to Jim Lane, Kansans made headlines throughout the nation and the world. Bisel presents the history of Kansas during the Civil War years in an accessible way that will satisfy history buffs as well as enlighten novices.

A native Virginian, Deb has adopted Kansas as her home. She received her BA in history at Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, and also studied at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming. Bleeding Kansas, the Civil War and the Plains Indian Wars are her areas of focus. She consults at the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, on media training. History is Deb's first passion, and she has appeared in more than a dozen documentaries including, A&E's American Experience and productions for the History Channel, the Discovery Channel and PBS, and she has been a featured speaker on C-SPAN. Deb has been the guest on dozens of talk radio shows around the country, including Captain Dale Dye in Los Angeles and Jan Mickelson in Des Moines. Deb was the host of her own radio show, Topeka Talks, on KMAJ AM in Topeka. As a freelance journalist, she contributes regularly to TK Magazine and localgrass.com. She is active in many groups and is president of the Shawnee County Historical Society and co-president of the Civil War Roundtable of Eastern Kansas. She is married to musician Gary Bisel.