Book Description

In this concise, vivid, and brilliantly readable biography, New York Times bestselling author Michael Korda sheds new light on the life of Ulysses S. Grant -- a man who is consistently ranked as one of the greatest American generals and as one of our weaker presidents.

The son of a tanner in Ohio, soft-spoken, taciturn, given to drink, easily hurt and embarrassed, Ulysses S. Grant was the most unlikely of heroes. But, as Korda vividly demonstrates, Grant also possessed remarkable tenacity, decisiveness, a willingness to tackle conflict head-on, and a ruthlessly objective way of evaluating military situations. These characteristics are what enabled a shy and awkward boy to overcome his unhappy years as a West Point cadet and his lack of early success in the army. They propelled him through the ranks of military leadership to victory at Fort Donaldson, Shiloh, and Missionary Ridge; drove him in his epic pursuit of Lee to Appomattox; and eventually guided him to the presidency. Korda writes that it was Grant, with his slouchy hat, rumpled uniform, unkempt beard, and omnipresent cigar, who understood like no other man -- Lincoln excepted -- that the Civil War would be long and bloody, and would be won not by fancy maneuvers or clever strategy but by confronting the Confederate army in the field and defeating it.

Despite his battlefield successes, Grant is often dismissed as a failed president. Examining his leadership in the White House, however, both within the context of his time and in contrast to more recent American presidents, Korda shows that, although Grant's two terms were riddled with political and financial scandals, he managed to exert a calming influence on a country that had only recently emerged from civil war, and that he sought -- above all things -- peace between North and South, and between the United States and the rest of the world.

Korda concludes that Grant was both a military genius and an ordinary American, a warrior without arrogance or vainglory, a general who excelled at fighting and hated what he was doing -- in short, a hero only America could have produced. It is at once a unique portrait of Grant and a rousing and illuminating study of his times -- and of the great war he did so much to win.

Reviews (1)

The Texas Rangers Military tranditions
This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the early years of the Texas Rangers when they were a para military force and the beginning of their transition to the modern law enforcement agency. McCulloch played a critical role in these events> ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Pirated Nation
Please read this book. It tells all, that you didn't know about the direction and practices of your own country. I attended a lecture by John Stockwell and he pleads for you to not purchase this book but pirate it from your local library. The US government sued him and won the rights to this book so all proceeds go to the CIA or the Federal government. Also read "The Grand Chessboard" This is the blue print for the United States foreign policy. You will be blown away.

Clay Feet, Wrong Bullets, CIA's African War
By the former Chief of the Angola Task Force at CIA, this book is a classic on the Keystone Kops aspects of paramilitary operations as run by the CIA"s Special Operations Group within the Directorate of Operations, as well as the lack of contextual judgment that accompanies the CIA's decisions to "get into" local conflicts that are none of our business. Ammunition from the warehouses that doesn't fit the weapons in the field is just the beginning.

... Read more

Amazon.com

In historical writing, there's no substitute for primary sources such as letters and diaries of eyewitnesses and participants. But all too often those sources are handled as minor adjuncts to a text, appearing in truncated form with so little context provided that the immediacy of the material is diluted. The Boisterous Sea of Liberty takes the direct approach of celebrating the primary sources, offering 366 separate documents from colonial times to the Civil War, each presented with a brief yet substantive introduction that provides context as well as entertaining background information about the writers and their subjects. The result is a hefty volume with entries that, as the introduction by coeditor and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Brion Davis, puts it, "can have the power of a fax or e-mail just received, evaporating the gap between past and present." Commendably, editors Davis, a history professor at Yale, and Steven Mintz, a history professor at the University of Houston, have mined deep and wide into the American past in their effort to construct a "documentary history" of the nation up to the Civil War. Not only are there some obvious primary sources, including letters by Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln, but there are also letters and diary entries by people you may never have never heard of before, but who offer valuable insight and fascinating commentary into the United States' first century. --Robert McNamara ... Read more

Book Description

This biography of the controversial Union general George B. McClellan examines the influences and political antecedents that shaped his behavior on the battlefield, behavior that so frustrated Lincoln and others in Washington that he was removed from his command soon after the Union loss at Antietam. Rather than take sides in the controversy, Ethan S. Rafuse finds in McClellan’s politics and his desire to restore sectional harmony ample explanation for his actions. Rafuse sheds new light on the general who believed in the rule of reason and moderation, who sought a policy of conciliation with the South, and who wanted to manage the North’s military resources in a way that would impose rational order on the battlefield. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A full review of the question
Finding a general in American history with as bad a reputation as George B. McClellan is not an easy task.Few Civil War books have anything good to say about him, fewer still defend his actions in the field.His victory at Antietam is often listed as a draw or even a Confederate victory.This "victory" is because McClellan should have destroyed the Army of Northern Virginia and their survival is a "victory" for them.His problems with military intelligence and the chronic over estimation of numbers is a "character defect" that he used to keep from fighting the army he created and loved to much to use.When pressed, even his harshest critics, will admit that McClellan created the Army of the Potomac and that it was the premier Union army during the war.Finally, they will acknowledge that McClellan always obeyed orders from Washington, even when he disagreed with them and felt they hurt his army.
This book covers McClellan's background and actions up to being removed from command for the last time in 1861.While not taking a position, each incident is completely covered and footnoted.This allows the reader to both check the author and to draw well founded conclusions from the text.For this reason, "McClellan's War" should become an important milestone in the evolving debate about his service.The amount of information packed into this book is staggering.While the book is so well written that, it reads like a good novel.The combination produces a very enjoyable and dynamic learning experience.
Everything is here.All the questions about relations with Congress, Lincoln and Scott, are examined and both sides presented.Coverage of the question about reinforcements during the Peninsula Campaign is complete with attention to the critical sequence of events.McClellan's feelings about and support of Pope are fair and well documented as are his difficulties with Stanton.The Antietam Campaign is a major item in the book and very well covered.What McClellan did and did not do, how it influenced R.E. Lee's plans, and the subsequent events is very well done.The condition of McClellan's army, the problems he faced and the effect they have on the battle of Antietam is a revelation.
The author takes the time to explain the theory of Conciliation and the political exchanges between its' supporters and the Abolitionist.The lucid discussion of the development of both these ideas and the background of the people that supported them is an important contribution to ACW this book makes.After reading this, I gained a much better understanding of the early war and how the policies developed as the war progressed.
Over all stands Lincoln, literally towering over McClellan.The book details the pressure Lincoln is under and the changes in his attitude towards, the South, McClellan and the war in the first 18 months of the war.In addition, we come to understand how the two men, wanting the same victory, were unable to bridge the widening gulf between them.McClellan, with his background and beliefs, was unable to understand or respond to Lincoln's problems.Lincoln, forced to respond to pressure and discarding the policy of Conciliation, could not give McClellan the time and resources he needed.The strength of the book is we understand both sides and have sympathy for both men.
In the emerging debate on McClellan, Ethan S. refuse has written his name along side Joseph L. Harsh as authors of "must read" books on the subject. ... Read more

Book Description

Three Roads to the Alamo  is the definitive book about the lives of David Crockett, James Bowie and William Barret Travis--the legendary frontiersmen and fighters who met their destiny at the Alamo in one of the most famous and tragic battles in American history--and about what really happened in that battle. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

History Defeats Myth Again
I am a Texan who has grown up with the Alamo story. When I was younger, it was the ultimate hero story to me. In my later, supoosedly-wiser years, I saw it as a silly, overblown, pointless, jingoistic tale about some ne'er-do-wells who foolishly got themselves killed for no good reason. After reading Three Roads to the Alamo, I think both versions are true.

The book constitutes three long, thick, thorough biographies of David Crockett, James Bowie, and William Barret Travis. Most Americans have heard of "Davy" Crockett and most have heard of the "Bowie Knife." All Texans have heard of James Bowie and William Travis. I live in Travis County, which contains Austin, the capital of Texas, and I live down the street from James Bowie High School. But other than knowing that Travis and Bowie were commanders at the Alamo, I knew very little about them, and most of what I "knew" about them turns out to be untrue myth, as convincingly demonstrated throughout Three Roads to the Alamo.

William C. Davis sticks to the facts in his narrative and disposes of myths in the footnotes, which are vital reading. The facts of Crockett's life are fairly well-known but still interesting. Davis shows Crockett as a Perot-esque plain speaker, trapped late in his career by his own mythology, tirelessly repeating his tired complaints against Andrew Jackson. Finally voted out of office, he goes to Texas and joins the small band of Texians defending the Alamo against Mexican invasion and is killed with the rest.

A prior reviewer gives this book only 2 stars for the sole reason that Davis rejects one version of Crockett's death, which appears in a Mexican soldier's diary, that has him surrendering and being bayonetted by Mexican soldiers. When this diary became publicized a few years ago, there was a small furor because surely the great Crockett would never have surrendered. The diary had to be a forgery or a lie. This furor demostrates the powerful hold that the Alamo myth has over Texans. Crockett HAD to go down fighting, not surrendering. Davis's book is refreshing because he looks at such things objectively, always putting forward provable facts over made-up myths. He convincingly shows that the diary is hearsay and that similar stories were told about Crockett and others, and ultimately concludes that it is impossible to tell how Crockett died from the sources. I find this honesty refreshing.

However, very little is actually about the Alamo. It is mostly about the interesting lives of Crockett, Bowie, and Travis. Bowie's tale in particular is fascinating. I wanted to strangle him throughout most of the book. This guy started out with an ingenious but disgusting slave-laudering scheme, smuggling slaves through Mexican-owned Texas. Then he blatantly and poorly forged hundreds of fake Spanish documents purporting to give him ownership and thousands of acres of Louisiana and Arkansas. The false claims screwed up title in both states for decades after Bowie died at the Alamo. He also obtained a fraudulent "debt" that the federal government supposedly owed $42,000 on. Bowie never acknowledged that the claims were false, instead trying to bully federal officials in the South and Washington into officially recognizing his claims. Even the Bowie Knife turns out to have been made by his brother and used by Bowie only once.

Crockett came to Texas to escape debt, abandoning his pregnant wife and daughter. He did not come to Texas because he had to kill a man for shaming his wife, as I had heard before. He was basically nothing but a coward.

But then the rogues end up fighting the Texas Revolution, and suddenly the hero in them comes out. I forgave all their faults.

Davis shows that the truth is stranger and more interesting than fictional myth. I drove by Bowie High School the other day before getting to the part where Bowie turns into a hero. I wanted to scream out my window for the school to change its name. Now that I have finished the book, I say let Bowie have his school. Maybe that just shows that I am impressionable. I don't know. All I know is that I loved this book.

Getting to the truth of the Alamo
I'm not sure if William C. Davis' "Three Roads to the Alamo" is a reinterpretation of the 1836 Alamo siege more than it is a truly exhaustive study of the three men who define that battle. A detailed and fascinating examination of the lives of David Crockett, James Bowie and William Barret Travis, "Three Roads to the Alamo" cuts through the myth and legend, revealing the dirt and substance of these men's lives en route to their eventual deaths in San Antonio.

Certainly the myth of Crockett is dented somewhat, as we see that he is a man clumsy in politics, impatient with family life, seeking the next adventure. Bowie also comes across as a rather scandalous man, involved in shady land and slave dealings which would have most certainly placed him in jail today. And finally Travis, whose life has never before been examined with such detail, comes across as a rather poor businessman, constantly in debt and a obsessive womanizer to boot.

Like all great historical figures shrouded in myth, it was only a matter of time before modern-day historians placed these Texas revolutionary heroes beneath a very un-romantic, yet 21st century microscope. So it comes as a rather stunning surprise that after these three statue-like figures are dressed down in human fashion, by battle's end they still, somehow, manage to put their past behind them and become heroes in spite of their many flaws.

I'm not sure if Mr. Davis did this intentionally, just as I'm not sure if you could truly draw a portrait of these men and this battle and not find shades of extraordinary heroism within the walls of that mission fortress. Certainly, John Wayne's infamous 1960 film "The Alamo" is anything but the truth, but the great unvarnished fact about this story is that even with the bones revealed, these men still come across as noble and heroic, having seized an incredible moment in time, thus surviving for all eternity.

And that, undoubtedly, is what continues to fascinate Americans, if not world citizens, about this battle. These men, while holding out for the hope of reinforcements, chose to stay, eventually sealing their doom. Yes, the line may not have been drawn in the sand, but in "Three Roads to the Alamo," that obvious fact becomes surprisingly irrelevant. Warts and all, these men's lives serve as the proper contrast to their eventual final deeds, making their decisions in 1836 all the more unforgettable.

"Three Roads to the Alamo" is a intimately detailed historic work, which will fascinate all readers interested in this legendary battle. Arguably, it is one of the finest books yet written about this 13-day siege.

In depth analysis of the people behind the myths
Almost immediately after the Alamo fell March 6, 1836, it became shrouded in so many myths that there's still some that people hold firm beliefs in today. Naturally, the majority of the myths and legends surround the three main personalities: David Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Barret Travis.

This book attempts to strip away all of the folklore that has become virtually synonymous with these three. Their lives are laid bare, showing the common reader that they were human, after all. The legendary Crockett had political troubles, Bowie was notorious for dealing heavily in land swindles and slavery, and Travis was pretty much a failure at everything before packing up and moving to Texas (unfortunately, leaving his family behind him in Alabama). Despite showing their flaws and shortcomings, however, the author does not attempt to undermine their brave stand at the Alamo. He maintains that they fought for what they believed in, and that makes them admirable.

This book is unique in that it is, essentially, a triple biography. There is not one complete section for each of the three subjects; rather, the book is written so that the chapters alternate between each of them. This provides the reader with a sense of where the other two were and what they were doing while maintaining a primary focus on the third. While it is quite a hefty tome, it is at the same time quite readable and enjoyable to boot. Davis clearly has done his homework and hopefully this will become one of the quintessential books on the Alamo.

This book can whip its weight in wildcats!
Words cannot express my delight with this book. Davis is a hands-down authority on the lives and fortunes of Crockett, Bowie, and Travis, and his gift for narration and storytelling could likely match that of David Crockett himself! Fascinating, entertaining, educational, and engaging. I've never read a historical or biographical text like this before, and I couldn't put it down until I had it finished. I will certainly re-read this book time and again. Absolutely brilliant work, a must-read for everyone.

Three is Better than one.
After spending a semester of my college life studying William Barret Travis, I became versed on the Texas Patriot's life. Authors who wrote singly on Travis have not scratched the surface on his life. But, Davis has, in his triple biography of Travis, Crockett, and Bowie, effectively described in amazing detail the life of William Barret Travis. He bests those who focused only on the young Texan. His work is first-rate and second to none. 5 out of 5 stars. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

best buy
it's must have book I love this book

A hero by default
Russell Duncan's compendium of letters both exalts and puzzles.The job of editing the letters and setting them in the context of war, family ties, friendships, etc. is thorough and, for the most part, makes them accessible. Let's not forget, though, that the editor omitted some letters that don't support his main thesis: that Col. Shaw was a rich young pleasure-lover who fought to get back to his privileged existence, never changing this outlook throughout the war; he "never fully understood nor dedicated himself" to the cause of Black freedom (pp.1-2). So here we are presented with a young man raised by abolitionists who went to all the hazards of preparing and leading something new, a black regiment, before dying in the middle of it, without understanding what he was about, or dedicating himself to it. It's fashionable to "debunk" the heros of yore, but even those letters we have tell us otherwise, and Duncan reverses his appraisal, back and forth, several times. We should also beware of measuring citizens of other times against a modern baseline on classism, racism, etc. Apart from these problems, found in the introduction and some footnotes, the book lets Shaw speak for himself (he does it eloquently and enjoyably) and the reader can draw his/her own conclusion on ideas, events, and character development.

Bringing War to Life
Robert Gould Shaw's letters home are a very realistic look of the Civil War battles by a unique individual with many perspectives. The brutality of battle along with the emotional turmoil from such a young officer bring the war to life. The authors have given us a true picture of a brave officer and the war. As you read the letters of Shaw you want to pull the blankets closer on the cold winter nights he spent in the field. You can share the suffering along with Shaw at the loss of friends. The courage and love of family and devotion of country are evident throughout his premature adult life. God bless the 54th and may Robert Gould Shaw and all that served with him and under him never be forgotten.

Wonderful Insight Into Shaw's Mind
The movie Glory is one of my all-time favourite movies, and I've wanted to buy this book for some time but have always put off doing so. When I finally took the plunge I found myself unable to put it down. The amount of research that must have gone into this work is astounding and I commend the author on his effort! Reading these letters (and the introduction) give the reader a profound insight into the Civil War, the 54th Massachusetts and the mind of Robert Gould Shaw. He is a much different person than was portrayed in the movie and in this book we can see his apprehension and uncertainty about the role which seemed his destiny. I recommend this book to anyone who loves the movie or is a Civil War buff. It is a great read and a wonderful education. ... Read more

Book Description

BRUCE CATTON - WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE
GRANT TAKES COMMAND - 1863-65

In the summer of 1863 after the climactic battle at Vicksburg, Lincoln's government was more interested in Ulysses Simpson Grant than any other man alive. Although he was their most successful soldier, few men in Washington had even met him. Over the next several months his face, his morals, his total conduct would become commonly known and discussed by a nation tragically divided by the Civil War. Richard Henry Dana, Jr., was later to describe him as having "no gait, no manner, and no station -- and as looking like "nobody at all." Yet as his close comrade-in-arms, General William T. Sherman, put it: "To me he is a mystery, and I believe he is a mystery to himself."

GRANT TAKES COMMAND gives us invaluable assistance in untangling the enigma of this remarkable Union warrior who has puzzled so many for so long. It gives a detailed and revealing portrait of Grant during the last year and a half of war. Because he was made commander in chief after his decisive victory at Chattanooga, the account of his activities becomes in essence the story of how the war was won. As any good history should, it thereby answers the crucial questions concerning its topic - why Lincoln concluded that this was the one general who could win the war for him; how Grant kept his footing amidst the tangle of political snares that had brought many of his predecessors to grief; and why Robert E. Lee was unable to break out of this Yankee's grip and frustrate his aim, as that courtly Confederate had done so successfully heretofore. Thus the book shows what sort of man it was whom Lincoln took into partnership and what that man did with his share of the responsibilities.
Bruce Catton has written that the Civil War "was the biggest thing that ever happened to us. It was our Illiad and our Odyssey -- and it remains our least understood war." The previous works of this extended Grant biography, Lloyd Lewis's CAPTAIN SAM GRANT and Mr. Catton's GRANT MOVES SOUTH, and the present third volume, GRANT TAKES COMMAND, have done much to end that misunderstanding by rendering a definitive account of the voyage and trials of America's own legendary Ulysses - the man and the paradox - during his epic struggle. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A fascinating reference book that reads like a novel
It is often difficult to find good reference books on topics that are greatly controversial. This one is a classic among classics: a deeply researched book, based on excellent factual sources, that is written with talent and reads like excellent fiction.

Catton's writing is based on impeccable research. In many ways he takes advantage of living at the right time, when many of the sources he draws on are now available after having been either difficult to access or simply unknown. He definitely makes the best of it, and combines a tight and interesting writing style with a density of information that simply was not available to those that came before him. The result is an indispensable book, a reference that must be read by those interested in General Grant and in the Civil War.

Grant has been the source of much discussion, during his life and afterwards: his resignation, the painful years in Galena, the war, the two presidencies, his last years and death in poverty. Catton depicts him in his entirety, warts and all. He makes him greatly sympathetic, yet clearly discusses his weaknesses. He succeeds in doing so largely indirectly, as a character of the book rather than its study. As a result, the impressions he conveys are much more impressive, since they are largely derived by the reader from the facts exposed rather than being delivered as opinions by the author. His style is largely narrative, and one ends up reading this book as a fascinating adventure story, whose plot is progressively revealed, yet keeps surprises till the conclusion - however well we know what comes.

This book is a jewel: authentic, well researched, full of facts, yet revealing of a deep humanity and of frailties in the man it follows. It is not often that we can at the same time enjoy the writer, admire the historian, and be fascinated by the topic. If you want to read only one book on Grant (I should say two, because the follow-up, "Grant Moves South", is equally necessary), let it be this one. If you want to read many, make this one the first.

Catton paints a vivid portrayal of General Grant.
Bruce Catton is the grandmaster of nonfiction books written for the general public about the Civil War as seen from the Union perspective. "Grant Takes Command" is about exactly that--the period just before Grant is appointed as the third Lieutenant-General in the history of the U.S. through the end of the Civil War. This is a fascinating tale, colorful and well-told.

Mr. Catton does a remarkable job explaining General Grant to the reader. He does much to explain Grant's style of leadership, his relationship with others including President Lincoln and General Meade, and how the soldiers in his army (and those in the Confederate Army!) regarded Grant. Catton also discusses Grant's issues as regards drinking, and largely concludes that Grant had conquered this enemy long before he took on the Confederates as the Union's top general.

To me, the most interesting aspect of the book is Catton's excellent analysis as to how Grant finally managed to seize the initiative from Robert E. Lee. After Gettysburg, this was no doubt easier than it had been earlier in the Civil War, but nevertheless it must be remembered that no other Union general had ever really managed to do this prior to Grant, excepting perhaps General Meade at Gettysburg. Incidentally, Catton is relatively complimentary towards Gen. Meade, and points out that so was General Grant.

I found the relationship between Grant and President Lincoln to be particularly insightful. It may be summed up that Lincoln quickly began to have complete and implicit trust in Grant, and was frankly relieved to have some of the burden of the war shifted from his shoulders to Grant. For his part, Grant was loyal and respectful of the President, and was the perfect American general insofar as he thoroughly respected and acknowledged the core American value of ultimate civilian control over the military.

One fascinating anecdote was Mr. Catton's relating of an incident at the Battle of Two Harbors, where Grant proposed to General Lee after the battle, that both sides agree to allow their respective medics onto the battlefield unmolested during a stipulated time, to save life and relieve the horrendous suffering of wounded and dying men lying between nomansland. Grant was indifferent to gaining or losing face, and focused solely on quickly coming to an arrangement in order to get on with the business of relieving the agony of the wounded. Lee, on the other hand, postured for over a day in an effort to make it appear as though Grant were the supplicant approaching Lee the victor. Meanwhile most of the wounded got on with the business of dying, and many lives were perhaps needlessly lost. Candidly, this did nothing to improve my opinion of General Lee, and Catton relates this incident without judgment or rhetoric, allowing the reader to draw his or her own conclusion. He does so largely by quoting the actual letters exchanged by the two generals, so Catton's relating of the event should probably be regarded as uncontroversial. My own conclusion was that my personal estimation of Grant was heightened. I do not, in relating this event, mean to attack General Lee, who is certainly one of the most regarded generals in American history. But it does say something about both men.

Catton has a clear style of writing, and he embellishes his narrative with colorful and relevant anecdotes about each battle and incident from the perspectives of generals, officers, and men alike. This is a great book about a great man during great times. Unforgettable.

An accurate portrayal of an underrated man
As a avid reader of Civil War material, I have found that a number of people have emerged as immortal from this conflict. Lincoln clearly emerged as a the most tragic figure in American history. Lee has been immortalized by reasons that have been made obvious to the point where I don't need to elaborate. But Grant has always been downgraded in the conflict as a man who just put it together long enough to finish off a job that could have been done years ago. He is considered a beneficiary of overwhelming resources and military advantage - a person who simply didn't screw it up the way the previous Union commanders did: the Barry Switzer of the Civil War. This misconception comes about because of his failed presidency, his simple way of speaking and writing (thus producing nothing of note or of anything possessing generally accepted grace or eloquence), and his historical portrayal as a drunk. This period study of the man goes a long way in debunking that perception, and sheds light on his Western career, a history that escapes most deriders. The book flows well with an engaging narrative that easily moves from event to event, battle to battle. It portrays Grant as a determined and smart man who recognized the failures of his predecessors and the weaknesses of the Confederacy forces, and sought to take advantage. It doesn't gloss over his own failures and weaknesses - it chronicles his miscalculations in the Wilderness, Cold Harbor and other costly Union advances as well as his reluctance to confront his subordinates, leading to occasional sloppy troop management. However it paints them in a light that neither praises or criticizes but allows the reader to understand the circumstances and make his or her own conclusion. Grant's early failures in the east show that defeating the Army of Northern Virginia took more than flinging Union troops at Confederate lines, and Union disasters in battles such as Fredericksburg show that he wasn't the first Union commander to try that strategy. The evolution of his strategy outlined in the book, along with the realities of the shortcomings of his own Army of the Potomac goes a long way in debunking the myth that Grant simply outlasted Lee, and deserves little military credit for doing what couldn't be done in four years prior. A great read that portrays Grant in a better light simply by telling the whole story.

Wonderful.
Bruce Catton's Grant Takes Command is a wonderful look into the role U.S.G. played in reversing the fortunes of the Union. Operating quite independently in the West, Grant's career was not always in ascendency, but his tenacity in the seige and capture of Vicksburg certainly earned him an opportunity to command at a higher level (though this was not necessarily what he had in mind). That meant a transfer east to the politically charged world of wartime Washington, as well as a 3rd star, placing Grant in the position of General-in-Chief of the Union Armies. How he mastered the assignment that so overwhelmed those who came before him is beautifully retold in this book. In the end, there can be no doubt that the humble General Grant was a man of remarkable political and military judgment, without whom it is almost certain the Confederacy would have prevailed.

Engrossing and accurate Grant portrayal
Bruce Catton is arguably the greatest Grant biographer and is largely responsible for changing the negative views about Grant in the 1950's and 60's. Catton wrote several books about USG and this is the third and final part of a grand Grant trilogy begun in 1949 by Lloyd Lewis with "Captain Sam Grant."

Bruce Catton thoroughly understand Ulysses Grant and became his vociferous proponent. He correctly grasped that Grant was the preeminent strategist of the civil war and was also the war's greatest, most innovative and most determined general. Those who errantly believe Grant won with brute force or superior numbers need to read this book. Others who espouse the line that Robert E. Lee was the real genius of the war also need to consult this volume. At its conclusion, you will change your mind and realize that Grant was not only a magnificent soldier, he was also a highly intelligent, humorous and marvelously humane man. He has been unfairly maligned and Catton sets the record straight.

Catton writes with perception about Grant as a father and devoted husband, but the thrust of the book is painting an incise portrait of Grant in the pivotal period 1861-1863 when his greatness was forged. This is a "must have" book for anyone interested in U.S. Grant or the American civil war. There are few, if any, factual errors and the narrative flows smoothly from beginning to end. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Modern-day Anne Frank
Zlata's Diary is a masterpiece. A modern-day Diary of Anne Frank is what comes to mind when I think about this book. Zlata is a girl from Sarajevo, writing as only a child can write about terrors that only adults can inflict. From start to finish, this remarkable books keeps you hoping and praying, for Zlata and for her family and friends. Her diary begins before the war, with typical young-girl items like piano lessons and parties, but quickly becomes a nightmare of bombs and guns. She escapes to Paris, and looks back with sorrow. It is a truly moving text.

Zlata writes as any girl would write, in the beginning. The early part of her diary (it begins in September 1991) deals with ideas about school starting and what happened last summer. Short entries into a girl's diary, not too deep, somewhat interesting but also very typical. She could be any girl in any city in this country. She talks about her friends, her favorite TV shows, her music lessons, and enjoying pizza.

She is 11 years old.

But in less than a year, all of that changes.

She is writing letters and entries recounting horrible events of warfare. Less than a year after she was wondering about the top songs on MTV and her music and friends, she was writing profound letters of love, life and survival.

She recounts hiding in dark, ugly cellars, and hearing bombs dropping, and being very afraid. She writes of her friend Nina who died in of shrapnel in the brain -- another 11 year old girl, just like Zlata. They went to kindergarten together, they played together. Now Nina was dead.

Zlata and members of her family escaped to Paris by December 1993; the diary ends at that point. Zlata grew up tremendously, much as Anne Frank did, during those few years of the war. She learned the terminology and dangers of war as well as any professional soldier. She learned the horrors and deprivations. She also remained a little girl, with her childish, childlike hope for peace for all.

She escaped, but how many didn't? Published in 1994 while there was still fighting in Sarajevo, this is a book of hope. And sadly the fighting hasn't stopped in that part of the world. Children have lost parents, siblings, family members, friends, and their whole way of life.

It is for them that Zlata wrote her diary. We should remember them.

An honest overview of Zlata's book from some1 who was there!
Zlata's diary is an overall so-so book. It does not have the literal quality, nor the originality of Anne Frank's diary, but it has something else very important: a clear picture of what was going on in Sarajevo during the beginning of the Bosnian war.(Remember, Zlata left in mid of 1993, there were two and a half more years that other Sarajevans spent in war...This book was a view of a girl, 11 years old, who saw the people that were her neighbors until yesterday go to the mountains around the city and shoot at her, her family and friends, and innocent many others she didn't know but she felt sad for...Zlata gives out a picture of what it was like to live under fire every day, where your every move could be your last, where you are not safe not in your home, nor deep underground in the shelter. It was a time of sadness for Sarajevo, which used to be one of Europe's most metropolitan cities. Zlata's diary serves not to spread propaganda and evoke sadness in the West and make sure it does something,this book is so the West can be ashamed of what it didn't do. It is a great reference for anyone who plans to write about, or visit Sarajevo.

Zlata's Diary
Zlata's Diary by, Zlata Filipovic is a tremendously exciting book. This book was defiantly a page-turner for two main reasons. First, the thoughts and feelings coming from this 11-year old girl is phenomenal. Second, her story starts out like any other and it is incredible to see how much her life is affected by a war. A girl having a near to perfect life, going through a war, then having her friends and family ripped apart. The reader thins they can predict how things are going to turn out, then all of the sudden, it all changes. I loved this book because of it's theme and I recommend this book to anybody who has the chance to read it!

5th graders [from] Caracas Venezuela
We are a group of 5th graders ... We just read the book Zlata's Diary and it was a great book and we decided to give a book review to Amazon.com. It is a book about a depressed girl named Zlata who is living through a war. This war has taken away her childhood. She has recorded her daily life through Mimi, her diary. The book was a little confusing because it had so many names of people we did not know. Even though the war is going on Zlata finds a way to bring humor out. We really think you should read this book because it is informative and intrigung. We highly recommend this book to 5th grade and above

TRIUMPH THROUGH THE TRAGEDY OF WAR
The story of Zlata Filipovic is a very touching story of a young girl that escaped the terrors of war not just physically, but through writing in her diary which she fondly refers to as "Mimmie." This story brings a sense of reality to the wars that we read about in newpapers and watch on TV - it tells the stories of people just like you and me who find themselves caught in the middle of the ugliness of war. Zlata's story has an added sense of innocence to it because it is told through the writings of a child - through her eyes in the way she saw it. Zlata Filipovic is the story of a courageous individual, who as we see in the book along with her fmily managed to escape the horrors of war after writing her story. I feel that her story gives us a similar perspective to that which Anne Frank gave us through the diary which she kept during World War II. ... Read more

Book Description

Edwin Booth and his younger brother John Wilkes Booth were, in many ways, two of a kind. They were among America's finest actors, having inherited their father's commanding stage presence along with his penchant for alcohol and impulsive behavior. In other respects, the two brothers were very different. Edwin was more introspective, while John was known for his passionate intensity. They stood at opposite poles politically, as well: Edwin voted for Abraham Lincoln; John was an ardent advocate of the Confederacy.

Award-winning author James Cross Giblin draws on first-hand accounts of family members, friends, and colleagues to create vivid images of Edwin Booth and his brother John Wilkes, best known today as the man who shot Abraham Lincoln. He traces the events leading up to the assassination and describes the effects of John Wilkes's infamous deed on himself, his family, and his country. Comprehensive and compelling, this dual portrait illuminates a dark and tragic moment in the nation's history and explores the complex legacy of two leading men—one revered, the other abhorred. Notes, bibliography, index. ... Read more

Amazon.com

William Clarke Quantrill was quite possibly the most dangerous man to fight in the Civil War. The leader of an almost psychopathic band of guerrilla warriors, Quantrill participated as a Confederate in a deadly border war between Southern sympathizers in Missouri and the Unionist Jayhawks of Kansas. He was largely responsible for the 1863 massacre of nearly 200 unresisting men and boys in Lawrence, Kansas, as well as dozens of other brutal acts that today would be called terrorism. Among the notorious men who rode with him were Frank and Jesse James, whose postwar crime careers are briefly reviewed. Edward E. Leslie provides an objective treatment of his controversial subject, and readers will appreciate his ability to tell a good story--including the one about why Quantrill's bones currently rest in three different states and why a forensically correct wax reconstruction of his head can be found in the refrigerator of an Ohio historical society.--John J. Miller ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Entertaining new biography of William C. Quantrill.
Leslie's grass roots research into the shadowy life of Civil War guerrilla chieftain William Quantrill has produced a vivid picture of the realities of life on the Missouri-Kansas frontier from the late 1850's until Quantrill's death in Kentucky in 1865 and has resulted in a book which will become the resource work in the field. Leslie spent years as a professional researcher doing background work for other authors writing on various topics, both fiction and non-fiction. Some of his research can be found in the works of James A. Michner, and others. Leslie knows how to dig out the facts of a story. On occasion, I accompanied him as he visited sites in both Missouri and Kansas where Quantrill stamped his name on the history of the War. I witnessed firsthand Leslie's feel for the subject material and his expertise and passion for fact-finding. "The Devil Knows How to Ride" tells Quantrill's story from his Ohio childhood, thru his arrival on the Kansas frontier, to his development as the leader of a band of Missouri men and boys who became the guerrillas who sacked Lawrence, Kansas and caused the Union to divert troops and resources from war operations in the East. While the story of Quantrill and his band has been told and retold, Leslie's research covered many years and addresses questions not heretofore answered: * Was Quantrill a recognized Confederate officer, or did he operate outside the rules and customs of "civilized" warfare"? * How did he achieve leadership, and then lose that leadership role of the men and boys who had at first flocked to him? * Why did he meet his death in Kentucky, and not on the Missouri-Kansas ground which he had terrorized? * What brought his followers to the band, who were they, and what became of them afterwards? * Did Quantrill teach Jesse and Frank James the lessons which led to their infamy? * What effect did his activities in Missouri have on the Civil War? * Was the man inherently evil, or was he a product of his times - fighting for what he took to be a just cause? These questions and more have been previously discussed by other authors who have not returned to the primary source material which is essential to the accurate telling of a biography that has not been addressed for many years. "The Devil Knows How to Ride" has an extensive bibliography, along with photos of documents and personalities not previously published. The depth and breath of the story, which is told in a readable and entertaining style, sets forth previously untold facts which are essential to an understanding of the tragic guerrilla warfare which rocked and shocked Missouri and Kansas during the Civil War. The book is a monumental achievement and a good read! -James P. O'Connor Nov. '96

An awesome account of life on the MO/Kan Border in the 1860s
This book is a must-have for all civil war enthusiasts, as well as should be mandatory reading for history classes on our local history. As a native of the town that Quantrill formed his raiders and a civil war enthusiast, I can confirm that Edward Leslie went to great lengths in researching the towns and the terrain that the Quantrill band frequently covered. Unlike previously released books on this subject, Leslie takes an unbiased approach at describing attrocities committed by both sides of the Missouri-Kansas border. As many people cling to the idea that men such as William Quantrill, Bill Anderson and George Todd were simply murderers quenching their own thirst for blood, even General Sterling Price himself viewed the efforts of the Missouri Conferderate Guerrillas to be a necessity for the Conferderate Cause. I commend the author for conveying the facts from both sides of the border and describing this truly dark period of Missouri history

Great Insight on why Kansas and Missouri were enemies
Great Book
This is an excellently researched book about the pre-Civil War era along the Missouri and Kansas border and why their conflicts escalated into a all out war between them during the Civil War.
This book is well balanced and not a bunch of hyped up exaggerated stories about a notorious outlaw. Excellent read for any student or history buff desiring to better understand the turmoil and terror the local communities and people endured and suffered on both sides of the civil war.

Never fully at rest
William Clarke Quantrill, Confederate raider, self-proclaimed officer in the CSA, and many other things, good and ill, depending on who is speaking. Edward E. Leslie presents a well-researched biography of the guerilla who roamed the trans-Mississippi theater of the War Between the States, harrassing Union troops and worrying Confederate generals. There was a certain genius in the man followed by the James boys and Bloody Bill Anderson, and who led the infamous raid on Lawrence, Kansas. However, this is not only a story of the life of one man. Leslie also gives a good account of the cruel conditions present in that part of the country before and during the war. He relates more hatred and cruelty than in nearly all the rest of the country combined. It is even said in some quarters that the war began on the border between Kansas and Missouri.

The story did not end with Quantrill's death, either. The fight over the man's bones up to today is both interesting and bizarre. At the end of the book, his bones still had not all been buried in one place. In some ways, this is the most interesting part of all.

Although the organization of the book often leads to a bit of confusion, anyone interested in the border wars will enjoy it, as will many Civil War buffs. They might also enjoy the movie, "Ride with the Devil," which tells the story of young men who rode with Quantrill.

Absolutely amazing
This is a really outstanding book on the subjects not only of Quantrill but of the Civil War, the Abolition movement, the James brothers, Bloody Bill Anderson, North Central Texas, and life in mid nineteenth century America in general. You can't go wrong with this one.

From start to end of epilogue is 440 pages of intense information and you will not tire of any page of it. The book is very fair and portrays how a man I thought was a base criminal when I started was just one of many, many men in a brutal surrounding. The author does not gloss over the horrific burning of Lawrence or the Baxter Springs Massacre but he also gives significant time to the Union Orders that affected Quantrell's policies and the actions undertaken by Lane and Jennison that spawned much of the Missourian animousity.

From his history, real and mythic, to his life and the times it was in, to his death and (multiple) dispositions, I can't believe the author could have left anything out. In fact, I will have to go back through to try to condense the information in my head. ... Read more

Book Description

Gripping, minute-by-minute account of the day President Lincoln was struck down by an assassin's bullet in Ford's Theatre.Parallels of the activities of the President with those of his assassin in an unforgettable, suspense- filled chronicle.320 pages. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Among the best Civil War era history books ever written.
Jim Bishop was a terrific newpaper columnist of the 50's and 60's who wrote the prize winning book, "The Day Christ Died" and followed it with this one during the Civil War Centennial. It is well worth this re-print edition. An absolutely relentless march of the men, women and events of the last 24 hours in the life of Lincoln. The detail here does not slow the history. Indeed it is the life blood of this enthralling book. Meticulous research brings the story to full color. You will feel the heartbeat of Booth as he approaches the President's box. You will suffer the shock of Mrs. Lincoln when she realizes her husband has been wounded. You will weep for Abraham Lincoln. Seldom is history as truely revealing as this. You do not read this book really. You breath it. Scott Brundage

Entertaining "biography" of an event
The Day Lincoln Was Shot is an old book. It was available when I was in grade school, but although I entertained an interest in history at the time, I was not yet into US history. A friend recently reintroduced me to the book, since he knew I had developed an interest in the period. I must say, I am glad he did. The book is strikingly well written and very well researched. Jim Bishop was not a professionally trained historian, but he was a writer with an interest in history and a methodical manner of approaching his subject. According to the introduction, the author kept notebooks on each of the major participants of the drama of Lincoln's last days, adding to them whenever scraps of information came his way. When he finally put pen to paper he had such voluminous data in anecdotal form, that he was able to untangle events in a way that no one before him had been able to do. Although he puts speeches into the mouths of his subjects, this dialogue is reconstructed from information from diaries, printed speeches, trail transcripts, and other documents from the time, that give credence to the author's construction.

The book is written on an hour by hour basis, departing from this format only to add a chapter on events that immediately preceded the fateful day. The author follows the activities of each of the major participants, describing their behavior, interactions, and words, creating a drama every bit as riveting as a novel or play.

I had read a biography of John Wilkes Booth that had raised the possibility of a conspiracy by Northerners to remove Lincoln and his more conciliatory approach to reconstruction by using a misguided Booth as a pawn in their political designs. At that time, I felt that there was a distinct possibility that this might have been the case. Bishop's book, however, made it apparent that this theory is not new but has been around since the events themselves. The author discusses the theory that the Secretary of War Stanton may have been behind such a scheme, but dismisses it as misguided, though I'm not entirely sure that his reasons for doing so are any more valid than the previous author's were.

One of the things I enjoyed most about the book is that Bishop doesn't leave one hanging at the end. Lincoln isn't just dead as the finale. The author details some of the fates of those who participated in the events. We are not only told what happened to the perpetrators of the murder, but what became of individuals like Secretary of War Stanton, Vice President Johnson, Surgeon General Barnes, Ulysses S. Grant, among others. We are even told of the fate of the Ford Theater and its owner. The wrap up is very good.

The book is a delight to read. It's full of information and colorful detail. It's clearly and understandably written, and would make entertaining reading for anyone from 5th or 6th grade reading level to the adult.

A classic book
This is a classic book on the Lincoln assassination. Anyone contemplating a serious study of that fateful night of April 14, 1865 should start with this book. Even though it was published over twenty years ago, Bishop's book has stood the test of time.
What is so appalling is the gross neglect and incompetence by the government after the shooting.

The Lonely Hearts Assassin
This is a colorless telling of the Lincoln assassination but, to those suffering from inflated verbiage and "recreated" personal accounts of historical events, the absence of editorial opinion may be one of the strengths of this book. Author Jim Bishop gives us an hour by hour account of events leading up to Lincoln's murder. 9:00 a.m.; 10:00 a.m....etc...written as one would write a newspaper story. The effect is occasionally dull as everyday life, but my purpose in reading the book was to garner the unembellished facts of the Lincoln tragedy and to learn some things I had omitted from my education. This book did that very well for me. It also gave me insight into contemporary feelings and thought during the last days of the American Civil War.

Much of what I learned from reading this book is well known by more astute readers of history, but I was surprised to find out the larger dimensions of the conspiracy to murder Lincoln. I didn't know, for example, that Booth and his fellow conspirators tried to kill William Stanton, Secretary of Defense; and vice-president Andrew Johnson, and others on the same evening that John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln with a single-shot derringer at Ford's theatre. I didn't realize that the president's wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, was such a hard pill to swallow and I was completely mystified by the cast of characters who gravitated to and were lead astray by the egoistic and self-absorbed actor who saw himself as the saviour of the doomed Confederacy.

I feel now, after reading this book, a great deal of the gloom that settled down on the nation's capital, much like America felt the pall that fell upon the nation after the Kennedy assassination. It is gratifying to know that most of these miscreants and bumblers who changed history were hanged. Nonetheless, the tragedy always looms larger than whatever satisfaction may be derived from the execution of justice. That heroic men and women can be laid low by the idiot's bullet, that history can be altered by the serendipitous juxtaposition of events, that the best energies of our universe can be thwarted by back-shooting cowards...are facts that haunt us especially much today as we struggle to make sense of political terror and assassinations of large dimension.

Fascinating - You will live that day by reading this book
I truly enjoyed this book. A masterpiece in the sense that it reconstructs the day Lincoln was shot. You will live that day in the 21st century by reading this book. Hour by hour all the actions and conversations of all key personalities have been dissected and presented. This is a great historical forensics book. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A great companion to Sear's biography of McClellan
Stephen Sears's biography of George McClellan is probably the best ever written about the Civil War general. This collection of his writings during the Civil War, collected by Sears makes a wonderful companion to that biography.

This collection of papers is facinating on so many levels. We read not only his official letters to the likes of Lincoln and Halleck but also his personal letters to his wife. It's in these personel letter that we see glimpses into the man's mind and sadly his paranoia. His letter home, especially during the pennisula campaign show a man suffering from a real psychological problem, made worse by the increasingly stressful situation he's in. As the campaign goes on you see his paranoia slowly begin to increase to the point that he feels he can trust nobody. He becomes a man who in his mind is surrounded by enemies.

One word of warning. This isn't a light read. The collection is a whopping 600+ pages. Sears is holding nothing back here. If you are new to the Civil War and McClellan I strongly suggest first reading Sears's biography of McClellan. His books on the the Pennisula campaign and Antietam I would also recommend reading. They're great books and will help you understand what was going on around McClellan as he wrote all these correspondence.

Exceptional Writing of then and now
This may be one of the most exceptional pieces of writing of his time as well as of today.You can't find this anywhere I know except here, so snatch it up as quickly as you came

revisionist historian collects GBMcC papers to suit his purp
I feel that Mr. Sears book is just another example of what historians can do with selected facts. In brief, to write, in his comments between chapters, such rubish, shows whatkind of a historian he is. The bottom line is that either McClellan was right,(the only General R.E. Lee's daughter said he ever feared, and R.E. Lee when asked who was the greatest Union General, he said McClellan by a longshot,) and he could have ended the Civil War in its first year (with some well deserved help from Lincoln) or else Lincoln the subject of so many myths was right. But then, how many remember that he did the same to the General who won at Gettysburgh, fired him. Yet Gettysburgh is part of our heritage. I am hoping to write a book to set the record straight, not depending on todays' revisionist historiaans but original texts, books articles written by those who survived to tell it as it was. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Still the Best Biography of Lee
While Freeman definitely admired Lee and could be accused of putting Lee on a pedestal, I cannot dispute his writing style that kept my interest throughout the book.

Freeman's book is comprehensive and covers the most important events in Lee's illustrious life:

1. Early childhood and humiliation of his father's bankruptcy.
2. Brilliant academic standing at West Point.
3. Brilliant service during the Mexican War that won the admiration of Winfield Scott and others.
4. Stressful family life (experienced many separations from his children and invalid wife).
5. Fateful decision to side with Virginia during the Civil War.
6. Early Civil War service (somewhat indistinguished compared to his later service).
7. Brilliant generalship at 2nd Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and other battles.
8. Going up against US Grant the last two years of the war.
9. Last years at Washington and Lee College.

All in all, a highly recommended read of an excellent general!

Informative & complete
Douglas Freeman presents the life of Robert E. Lee well from his early days up through his last days at Lexington. Interestingly enought, some of the most intriguing stories are from Lee's days fighting in the Mexican/American War. After finishing this book, my first thought was to pick-up a book on that conflict. But that's not to say the rest of the book lacks the same insight, and indeed, its interesting that Lee's biggest flaw appears to be his "gentleman's way". It would appear that if Lee were more like Patton, the outcome of the Civil War might have very well been different. Unfortunately, by the end of the book it becomes very evident that the author can't seem to come up with enough glowing characterizations of the General and the overly God-like descriptions become old and make one wonder how accurate the character judgements were. But regardless, the book is very well written and enjoyable/informative to read. Any person who has a budding interest in the Civil War must read this novel. Its well worth the investment in time & money.

The Summit of American military biography...
Douglas Southall Freeman's multivolume "R.E. Lee" may have been published nearly three-quarters of a century ago, but this abridged version remains the best single biography ever written about the legendary Confederate general. Although there have been numerous books written about Lee, none have come as close to capturing Lee's military genius, or why so many Southerners enthusiastically fought and died under his banner, as does Freeman's work. When it was first published "Lee" was a sensation, and in the 1930's only Margaret Mitchell's wildly fictionalized "Gone With the Wind" surpassed it in sales and publicity. Senator Harry Truman read every volume, as did other famous political and military leaders. Freeman's work did much to spread the "Lee Legend" outside the South and made Lee into a national, and not merely regional, icon. Of course, Freeman has since been criticized, and in some ways justly so, for his overwhelming pro-Lee bias. In Freeman's elegant prose Robert Edward Lee is nearly perfect in every respect - he is a modest, deeply religious man who dislikes slavery and secession but reluctantly agrees to side with his native state of Virginia when the Civil War begins. If the rest of Freeman's story sounds familiar it is because this book made it so. Lee, despite facing constant shortages of men and supplies, meets the overwhelming forces of the Northern States and defeats them in battle after battle. Yet after each defeat the Northerners simply recruit new soldiers, resupply their vast armies, and come after Lee's valiant but shrinking forces again and again. In the end not even Lee's tactical genius can save the outnumbered and outgunned Confederates from eventual (and in Freeman's opinion, inevitable) defeat. Naturally, other historians have not always agreed with this view of the Old South's greatest icon, and later books on the "Gray Fox" have disputed Freeman's assertions that Lee was opposed to slavery and secession, or that his military decisions were always correct. For example, Freeman argues that the South lost the crucial Battle of Gettysburg largely because of the stubborness and jealously of Lee's second-in-command, General James Longstreet. Longstreet had opposed Lee's plan in June 1863 to try and crush the Northern Army of the Potomac by invading Pennsylvania and forcing the Yankees into a final, apocalyptic battle on their own turf. On the second day at Gettysburg Lee ordered Longstreet to have his men attack a small rocky hill, called Little Round Top, which offered a commanding view of the battlefield. Longstreet didn't want to attack such a well-defended position, and instead he tried to convince Lee to simply move around the Northern Army's flank and attack it from behind. According to Freeman, when Lee disagreed with Longstreet's suggestion and ordered him to attack the hill, a sullen Longstreet moved so slowly against Little Round Top that it gave the Yankees time to "dig in" and repulse his assault. However, more recent historians (as exemplified in Michael Shaara's famed novel, "The Killer Angels") have claimed that Longstreet was correct in his reluctance to attack Little Round Top, and that Lee should have taken Longstreet's advice. Yet no matter how disputed Lee's strategy or beliefs are in these "politically-correct" times, this book's elegant prose, flawless research, and passion for its subject shine through on every page. There may have been other books written about Robert E Lee, but none have done so well at potraying his life or in explaining why, even today, his tactics are studied at military academies and his legend continues to thrive in many parts of the South. A genuine "must-read" for any Civil War buff or student of military history.

Comprehensive and well done!
I really enjoyed this book, even though I found it a bit tedious and dry in the details in some sections. Most of it held my riveted attention, though. I would have preferred more information about the private life and human side of Lee, whereas this biography focused more on justifying his leadership skills and strategic decisions in each battle. Now that I've read it, I have been told that the longer, 3-volume set contains more about Lee himself. I wish now I had elected to tackle the whole shebang.

I won't expound on the obvious fact that the author presents a completely one-sided view of Lee and the War. Maybe I've missed something out there, but I haven't seen ANY book about the Civil War or Robert E. Lee that did not clearly reflect the subjective views of the writer. So...I do not find that the author's regard for the man is a detriment in any way.

I recommend this book highly for anyone interested in Lee or the battles of the War. Just don't make this the only book you read about it!

A beautifully written Hagiography
Every serious student of the Civil war and U.S. history in general must read this book. The book is absolutely critical to an understanding of the myths of the Lost Cause and Lee as "the Marble Man" that dominated all Civil War scholarship, North and South, until the last few decades. This is not a book that can really be taken seriously as a work of history or biography. The comments by other reviewers that it is not objective and that there is an agenda at work here are polite understatements. In the world Dr. Freeman grew up and lived in -- late 19th and early 20th century southern U.S. -- "the War Between the States" had nothing to do with slavery and everything to do with the noble Confederates fighting a holy war, literally sanctified by God almighty, against a literal evil Empire in the North. The rhetoric in this book, unabashedly presented as fact, embodies and promotes that viewpoint. Robert E. Lee is, as presented by Freeman, no less a divine, infallible utterly good being than Christ himself. (Those, by the way, are not overstatements). It is difficult not to chuckle sometimes when reading Freeman's gushing prose. I stifle the laughter by remembering the dark side of this idolatry and worship for the Lost Cause: the racism, segregation and murder of African-Americans (and sympathetic whites) in the American South that until relatively recently was sanctioned by laws passed under the shade of the Confederate flag. This book is an historical artifact, a reminder of a point of view that still exists, albeit in a mercifully less widespread way. If that is known going in, reading it is a must. ... Read more

Book Description

After the heartbreaking death of his son Willie, Abraham Lincoln and his family fled the gloom that hung over the White House, moving into a small cottage outside Washington, on the grounds of the Soldiers' Home, a residence for disabled military veterans. In Lincoln's Sanctuary, historian Matthew Pinsker offers a fascinating portrait of Lincoln's stay in this cottage and tells the story of the president's remarkable growth as a national leader and a private man. Lincoln lived at the Soldiers' Home for a quarter of his presidency, and for nearly half of the critical year of 1862, but most Americans (including many scholars) have not heard of the place. Indeed, this is the first volume to specifically connect this early ""summer White House"" to key wartime developments, including the Emancipation Proclamation, the firing of McClellan, the evolution of Lincoln's ""Father Abraham"" image, the election of 1864, and the assassination conspiracy. Through a series of striking vignettes, the reader discovers a more accessible Lincoln, demonstrating what one visitor to the Soldiers' Home described as his remarkable ""elasticity of spirits."" At his secluded cottage, the president complained to his closest aides, recited poetry to his friends, reconnected with his wife and family, conducted secret meetings with his political enemies, and narrowly avoided assassination attempts. Perhaps most important, he forged key friendships that helped renew his flagging spirits. The cottage became a refuge from the pressures of the White House, a place of tranquility where Lincoln could refresh his mind. Based on research in rarely tapped sources, especially the letters and memoirs of people who lived or worked at the Soldiers' Home, Lincoln's Sanctuary offers the unexpected--a completely fresh view of Abraham Lincoln--through the window of a place that helped shape his presidency. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Something new about Lincoln
This book provides new information about Lincoln and his family, which is highly unusual for someone as researched as Lincoln. Based on letters and recollections of the people who saw him there, this book gives a picture of Lincoln in robe and slippers away from the chaos of the war time White House. A definate addition to what is known about Lincoln.

excellent and timely
This is a well written book and very timely as action is being taken to renovate the Lincoln Cottage. I reside on the grounds of the Soldiers' Home where the cottage is located and know the value of the cottage in our history. The facility is now known as the Armed Forces Retirement Home-Washington. The cottage has always been known as the Anderson Cottage. ... Read more