Book Description

The story in pictures of the life of Robert E. Lee. It is our good fortune that the life of Robert E. Lee, hero of the Confederacy and a giant in American history, coincided with the early years of photography. It is thus possible for Emory M. Thomas, author of the highly acclaimed recent biography of Lee, to assemble a wealth of images that, with engaging and extended captions, give us a picture of the man and his times impossible to render with words alone. Lee as commander of the Southern army is an imposing vision held by most Americans. Far less known are his childhood years; his family and home life; his early career as a civil engineer, redirecting the flow of the Mississippi River in St. Louis; his stint in the Mexican War; and his tenure as superintendent of West Point. After the Civil War Lee had a third career as president of Washington College (which would become Washington and Lee). Here are the people, places, objects, and events that intersected with Lee's life, a full and fascinating pictorial biography. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good Complement to Biography
This is a book of photographs about Robert E. Lee, and features photos not only of Lee but of the people, places, and events that were important in his life. The book has some commentary on the photos, but the focus is the photographs, not the text. The book is designed to complement Thomas' biography of Lee. As a stand-alone book, it provides a brief overview of Lee's life.

Robert E. Lee in Pictures
Without a doubt I have been a diehard fan of Emory Thomas since I attended one of his guest lectures promoting the highly acclaimed biography on the man and soldier Robert E. Lee. His words on the death of LEE were most memorable.

His recent pictorial essay embodied in this new publication chroniclizes Lee throughout his lifetime in vintage photographs. When I met Lee's great grand daughter Anne Carter Zimmer, I realized that some rather poignant pictures existed, but this book supports the fact.

This book should be purchased as a bedtime companion to Thomas's brilliant biography of the icon we know as Lee. The layout and selection of photographs in this publication truly satisfy one's soul in meditative reflection. Don't miss. ... Read more

Book Description

The character and legend of Robert E. Lee make him one of the most beloved figures in American history, particularly in the South.This attractive gift book captures that character and legend for Southerners, Civil War buffs, and home school students

“Do your duty in all things,” Robert E. Lee told his youngest son.“You cannot do more.You should never wish to do less: Robert E. Lee, commander of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War, embodied all that is honorable in the tradition of an American soldier. A Commitment to Duty captures the essence of Lee through his most significant quotations and observations.

Reviews (1)

a must read for everybody
this book has many quotes to live by Robert E Lee was a geniouse and should be potrayed as a role model to the masses. This book shows the true side of Lee that the history books don't teach you. The kind loving man who had time for everyone yet lived his life with dignity and honor ... Read more

Book Description

An offbeat Southern commentator takes a fresh look at the great Confederate hope, Civil War hero and nationally controversial figure

Iconic Virginian, brilliant general, and complex human being --- that last aspect of Robert E. Lee has daunted biographers and been disregarded by partisans.Now Roy Blount Jr. combines acute character insight with lively storytelling and full-hearted Southern directness to craft this unique portrait.

Fascinated by what made Lee such a charismatic, though reluctant, leader, Blount delves into the influences of Lee's illustrious but scandal-clouded ancestry, his hero-turned-scapegrace father, and his beloved, beautiful, husband-forsaken mother.In 1861 Lee was Lincoln's first choice to lead the Union troops, but his Virginia roots drew him, instead, to Confederate command.Blount vividly conveys Lee's audacity and uncanny successes in battle, and also his humility, his quirky humor (certain jokes in particular), his faults as a communicator, and his sorrowful sense of responsibility for his outnumbered, half-starved army.Robert E. Lee, the first brief biography of this American legend, will appeal to history and military buffs, students of Southern culture, and every reader curious about the makeup of a man born to be a myth. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Admirable Insights Into A Complex Man
Robert E. Lee remains one of the great heroic figures--and one of the great enigmas--of the Civil War era.
A host of factors, from his own noble stocism and reticince, to his adoption as a symbol of reconciliation in the decades after the great war, have conspired to rob Lee of much of his humanity. More than 130 years after Lee's death, Roy Blount does a remarkable job of transfusing the blood of life back into the marble man.
If you're looking for a comprehensive biography of Lee, Emory Thomas' might be a better choice. But if you're looking for a briefer sketch that manages to cover the outline of his life, while providing some insights to the upbringing, education and other factors that shaped his character, this book is an excellent choice.

Excellent short bio of a military enigma
Several generals of the American Civil war are enigmas, to various extents. Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson, for instance, is very difficult to read, because he left so little in the way of letters or whatever that tell you anything of what he was thinking. Robert E. Lee was equally close-mouthed about this sort of thing, and amazingly stiff and standoffish with most male acquaintances and friends, to boot. The result is that we know very little of what he thought or felt about a variety of things, and must piece together opinions from various sources.

So it was with some trepidation that I approached the Penguin Lives version of Robert E. Lee. These are intended to be very short biographies: sketches rather than anything detailed. In addition to the fact that it's a short book, the series editor took a chance and commissioned Roy Blount Jr. to write the book. Blount is a Southerner (though he lives mostly in the North now) who writes newspaper columns and books, and is generally what's called a humorist. He also appears on the radio. This is (as far as I know) his first venture into real non-fiction (as opposed to funny stuff that's based on reality) and I'll admit I was some what curious and a bit apprehensive as to what he would do with the book. I needn't have worried.

Blount is an accomplished writer (obviously) and does a good job of outlining Lee's life and career. He's also a Southerner, and understands the mystic attachment people of the south have for their culture and society, and recreates what things must have been like for Lee in the mid-19th century. The military aspects of Lee's life are dealt with only in outline (as you would expect in a book with ca. 170 pages of text, but they're explained in enough detail that you get the gist of what's happening. There's a fair amount of information on Lee's life, little of it new, but much of interpreted in a fashion different at least in nuance from previous biographers.

Unusually, Blount relegates his speculation about Lee, his character, and such things as his sexuality, to an appendix labeled "Speculation." This is very unusual in a biography, and I would encourage other writers to use a similar device. While I didn't agree with every one of Blount's judgments, I could see how he came to the conclusions, anyway. On that note, I enjoyed the book a great deal, and think it valuable, in spite of its small size.

Nothing Great
I know little more about Robert E. Lee now than I did before reading this book. Unlike the other Penguin Lives I've read, this one does not fit much significant information into a compact book.

Ah, the history of Robert E. Lee, I think.
Well, Blount gives us the biography of Robert E. Lee and then some. Blount tries to give us the psychology of Lee and tends to put the focus off Lee when he does this. I am sure Blount is a real good cynic, but Robert E. Lee and the Civil War need better than this. When you do a biography of a great man like Lee, why spend excessive time talking of his tiny feet. For that matter, why talk about a joke called Pusyism and then spend ten or more pages reviewing this. (Pusyism was a movement in the Church of England, instilling more Roman Catholic traditions into the church, such as unmarried priests and the lead proponent was Father Pusy). Blount focuses on this an awful lot, when he should expand on Robert E. Lee.
Blount does an alright job reviewing the personal life of Robert E. Lee. However he does very poorly in analysis of his professional life and focuses a great deal on areas not relevant. I would have loved to have had Blount's opinion of the relationship between Lee and Davis, but sadly this is missing. What we get is jokes about feet and Pusyism. Jeepers, I could have done better with another book about Lee, by somebody more professional like Burke Davis.

Not bad but a little o rambling
this book was a basic biography of one of the greatest men in history. I learned a lot about Lee's non-war years in this book but I felt the author looked at some things and made them out to be more then they truely where. So what if Lee liked to have his feet tickled it doesn't make who he is I like to make my self sneeze does that change who I am no so some of he things looked into are kind of stupid and he talks about them for way to long.This is a good book though because you do learn about Lee also as another reviewer states the appendixes are kind of rambling and probably could do with out them all together. ... Read more

Book Description

All his life, Robert E. Lee relied upon his faith for strength and guidance not only in troubled times, but also as the foundation upon which he based all of his dealings with others. In this age where self-interest often rules, these short statements, often jotted by General Lee at odd moments, provide young readers with some of the qualities that Lee practiced himself: humility, erudition, faith, duty, wisdom, and respect for all God's creations. Each section is preceded by a brief anecdote from his life, and each of the quotes is described with the time and circumstance. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An Authentic Hero
Samuel Johnson once quipped, "Any man honored by both his enemies and his compatriots is a man worthy of our closet attentions-for in him you may be sure to find authenticity. After all, authenticity is the rarest of all human traits."Of all the men who fought during the un-Civil War Between the States only R.E. Lee stands out as universally praised by both sides.

The English historian Paul Johnson had this to say about Lee: "General Lee has accomplished in both life and death what few, indeed, hardly any have ever accomplished in all of the annals of history: ubiquitous respect, renown, and acclaim."

In this concise and handy little book of Maxims, Richard Williams Jr. has provided us a window into the man who accomplished ubiquitous respect, renown, and acclaim.In a generation dearth of real heroes it is vital that we put before our children men of valor, duty, and courage.One need look no further than to the example of Robert Edward Lee to see these principles brilliantly exemplified.This is a book that can be read in one sitting, but you will not want to read it just once.If you are like myself you will use this book over and over again.My copy is already marked up and the pages ruffled from where I keep drinking from the wonderful wisdom of the man.

It's my hope that with the publication of books like this one, we may yet again see a generation of leaders who embody the principles of Robert E. Lee.

A guide book that is timeless
In an era where the primary role models for our children are self-absorbed entertainers, out of control professional athletes, and corrupt politicians, where does one turn to find credible examples of how to live one's life that you can point to when counciling your children?Granted, there are some fine modern role models, but they aren't usually being highlighted in the news, or being profiled on TV.However, Richard Williams, Jr. has provided us a handy book that gives us a glimpse at a role model that is timeless.

Whether one believes Robert E. Lee fought on the right side of the War Between the States or not, his life is a great example of self-sacrifice, devotion to duty and always acting in a manner so as to do the right and honorable thing.Not by today's modern selfish, materialistic standards, but by standards that were the foundation of all that is good about Western Civilization.

This book contains a treasure trove of maxims by Lee that he used to guide his own life and to influence the lives of his children as well as those who served under him in the military and were under his care while they attended Washington College (later Washington and Lee University).It is not a cumbersom tomb, but a simple, straight forward book that is broken down into sections that lend itself to being a quick reference book as well as a wonderful insight into a man whose life is truly an example to all.

If more people followed R.E. Lee's maxims, this would definitely be a better world.I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to buy a special graduation gift for that special person graduating from high school or college.This is something that will last a lifetime.

Author's Comments
Robert E. Lee has been a hero of mine since I was a small boy. With Confederate ancestors on both sides of my family, my father made sure that respect for Lee's character was instilled in my impressionable mind when I was just a lad. Growing up and playing on my father's ancestral home and land that was the site of an engagement between Federal and Confederate troops, love and respect for the gallantry of Lee came natural for me.

I began collecting quotes and anecdotes from the life of Lee many years ago and started dreaming about a book in 1999. This book is the result of that dream. The book is specifically directed to "young gentlemen," or those who aspire to be, but I believe the book can be enjoyed by everyone. It is full of some of the better quotes culled from reliabile biographies and Lee's personal letters. Some were Lee's "personal maxims" that were found after his death in a worn military satchel by CSA chaplian, William Jones. The book also contains some little known anecdotes from the life of Lee that illustrate his sterling Christian character and humility. Many that have reviewed the book have been complimentary:

"The Maxims of Robert E. Lee for Young Gentlemen is inspiring and full of anecdotes and quotes, some long forgotten, that will guide men of all ages towards the lost art of being a `gentleman.' " ~ Joe Farah, Editor in Chief and CEO of WorldNetDaily.com.

"I can think of no better guide for young men embarking on the adventure of life than the maxims of Robert E. Lee." ~ From the Foreword by Harry W. Crocker, III, author of Lee on Leadership and Executive Editor at Regnery Publishing.

"The example of Robert E. Lee illustrates in stark colors what it means to be a man - a model essential for all of us who are products of this distinctly unmanly age. Rick Williams has placed us all in his debt with this wonderful anthology of Lee's wisdom and grace. Must reading for all fathers and sons." ~ Pastor J. Steven Wilkins, author of Call of Duty: The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee.

"This riveting collection of Lee's own stirring words and personal thoughts give amplified insight into the life of a rare and much-needed role model. Imagine for a moment the impact just one hundred young men could have on our land should they develop Lee's passion for personal purity and selfless pursuit of Christian honor. My prayer is that many will read these words not as antiquated or romantic philosophy, but rather as a challenge to humbly follow - and then boldly lead." ~ James McDonald, Publisher, Homeschooling Today® Magazine ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Meticulously researched and enormously entertaining!
Anyone interested in Robert E. Lee the man, will be delighted with the insights into his family provided by author Coulling. Lee was an exceptional leader, but his role as a father was even more revealing of his loving nature and the nuances of his personality. In my opinion, this book does a lot to demystify Lee. I do not see him as such a complex and mysterious individual as some historians have labeled him. His consistency is especially evident in this chronicle of family life.

Apart from Lee, the book focuses extensively on the lives of the daughters. Each daughter is portrayed as a complete person, and their individuality is celebrated. One can learn quite a bit about Mary Lee the mother, too, and even the grandparents who were so deeply loved by the girls. The sons are not ignored, either.

There is an overcast of sadness about the story, at least I felt a little sad, because they did have a difficult life. It's true that the Lee family was prominent in society and certainly they can be seen as privileged, but these privileges carry their own burden.

I highly recommend The Lee Girls to all those who want to escape to the past for awhile and enter into the Lee household.

A truly excellent and well balanced chronicle
The Lee Girls by biographer Mary P. Coulling is the informed and informative story of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's four daughters: Mary Custis Lee; Eleanor Agnes Lee; Mildred Childe Lee; and Anne Carter Lee. Diaries, letters, paintings, and other contemporary records were utilized as primary source materials upon which to base an bibliographically historically accurate narrative of these women's lives through girlhood, the horror of war, and the era of reconciliation and rebuilding. A truly excellent and well balanced chronicle, The Lee Girls is a welcome and highly recommended addition to American Regional History, Civil War Studies, and Reconstruction Era Studies collections and supplemental reading lists.

well writtern and researched
Enjoyed the time frame of the book. It was not just the girls during the civil war period but also gave attention to the sons as well. The black and white photos were a plus but I wish the author had featured photos of the two surviving daughters in later life. This is an excellent well researched book into the lives of four charming girls of American history.

Beautifully poignant
Robert E. Lee's daughters are the subject of this beautiful and poignant book. So touching is the correspondence between the General, his wife and daughters that you feel like an interloper. The lost art of letter writing as praticed by the Lee family gives a vivid picture of Antebellum, Civil War, and Recontruction-era social history.

Wonderful book for those of us from southwest Virginia!
This book gives a glimpse of the correspondence between Robert E. Lee and his wife and daughters. As a Virginian, it was even more personal to read about the areas of the state where his family travelled to escape the ravages of the war and to know that these are still beautiful sites, worth visiting even today. It was a poignant look at this great general's love for his family. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A heartwarming look at a lovely girl
The Journal of Agnes Lee was written over a 5-year period while Agnes was between 12 and 17, and before the Civil War that would make her father such a legend. Don't expect breathtaking adventure here, but rather sit back and enjoy a view of this young girl coming of age in the 1850's. My strongest reaction to the book was, "How I would have loved to know Agnes!" She really does come alive here with exuberant spontaneity. Her writings provide many glimpses into the overall family life and way of thinking about her life. Agnes' love for her family is intense, and it can make the reader jealous of such closeness, rarely seen in today's society. I do recommend this book to those who want to know about General Lee's family life, and those who are interested in knowing more about this delightful girl, taken from the world by illness at age 32.

The Journal of Agnes Lee
Eleanor Agnes Lee was the daughter of General Robert E. Lee, the famous Conferderate Commander in the War Between the States. This is the journal from her girlhood. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are many books about Robert E. Lee, but there are very few about the rest of his family. This is one of the only sources on his third, beautiful daughter, Agnes, and lets us see better the life of the Lee family. It tells of her faith, her struggles, and her wonderful relationship with her family. I loved this book! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A nice introduction to the life of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee is still considered one of the greatest military leaders in American history, which is rather ironic since he achieved his successes on battlefields against Federal troops. In this juvenile biography, Patricia A. Grabowski explains how this fine young man became a gentleman soldier, appointed to West Point by President Andrew Jackson. She does a nice job of setting up Lee's difficult decision to resign from the Army when his state of Virginia seceded from the Union and showing how Lee came to be put in the position of leading the armies of the Confederacy. The attempts to explain the strategic and tactical brilliance of Lee, as well as his fatal error at Gettysburg, are less successful, but Grabowski does make an effort. However, what we have here is definitely a solid introductory biography for young readers interested in Lee and the Civil War.

This book is illustrated mostly with historical paintings (many of which you will see in other volumes in the Famous Figures of the Civil War Era series), as well as some contemporary photographs of a few Lee related sites. Sidebars provided some additional details on Lee's life and the events covered. As always, the fact that these books insist on calling their subjects by their first name continues to nag at me. Marse Robert I could accept, but calling Lee "Robert" the entire book just sounds strange. Sorry. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

THE Biography of a great man
This has got to be the authoritative biography on Robert E. Lee. Ms. Sanborn shows all sides of Lee: the husband, father, soldier, friend, and loyal Virginia resident.
Including primary sources ad nauseam, this book gives you all the silver and none of the dross.
If any person dismisses Lee as a traitor (which I heard a man say) they show their ignorance of a noble life. They should also read this book.
Also, the author does not hesitate to state the shortcomings of Lee (although there weren't many). ... Read more

Book Description

While most scholars agree that Robert E. Lee's loyalty to Virginia was the key factor in his decision to join the Confederate cause, Richard McCaslin goes further to demonstrate that Lee's true call to action was the legacy of the American Revolution viewed through his reverence for George Washington. Like Washington, Lee wore a colonel's uniform. He rode a horse named for one of his idol's mounts, Traveller, and carried one of Washington's swords. On January 19, 1861, his fifty-fourth birthday, Lee sat alone in his room at Fort Mason and faced the prospect of war by reading the latest book by his hero.

In his thematic biography of the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, McCaslin locates the sources of Lee's devotion to Washington and shows how this bond affected his performance as a general in battle. He argues that Lee used the strategy of attrition to attempt to persuade the North to quit just as Washington had wearied the British. But reliance on Washington as a role model led to tragic irony: in 1864 it was Lee's Confederates who became trapped like the British in the Yorktown campaign. After his surrender Lee could no longer emulate Washington the revolutionary, and he became the president of a small college that bore Washington's name, surrounding himself with mementos of his hero.

Challenging conventional interpretations, McCaslin's absorbing book lays to rest the argument that a posthumous "Lee cult" superimposed Washington symbolism onto Lee's life to link it with the Revolution. Rather, Lee himself created the association, which yielded an enduring paradox: Washington earned his reputation as a statesman, whereas Lee never escaped his self-imposed image as a revolutionary in Washington's shadow. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A superior look at Lee
One time when Lee was on his travels, a woman ran from her house, grabbing his arm and dragging him into her front arm. She told of how her grandfather had plant the tree in the front yard, how it had grown so tall and perfect. The tree was now nothing but dead limbs. She told how the dreadful Yankees came and stayed in her home, and they destroy the tree for fun and target practise. To her the tree was her 'red badge of courage', and she was proud to show Lee how terrible the in justice the Yankees visited up her, how she suffered. Lee quietly told her to cut it down. Not the reaction the woman hoped for, but so like Lee. When the war ended, it ended. He made sure there the war did not devolve from armies fighting armies, into a situation similar to Northern Ireland, local resistance prolonging the fighting, likely bringing down swift retribution from the Northern Reformations.

Lee started his memoirs, but never finished, and at his death, the part of history was never really addressed by Lee. There have been many like Longstreet who wrote about the war, but not Lee.

His father had been Lighthorse Harry Lee, a friend of George Washington and a Revolutionary War Hero - a role that would have been Lee's had the Confederacy won. Instead of helping to forge a new nation of independence as his father had, by the simple act of the South losing, he was on the 'wrong side'. Instead of hero, he was a rebel. Lee was troubled deeply by his decision to leave the Union Army and take up leadership for the Army of Northern Virginia. He was the husband of Mary Ann Randolph Custis, great-granddaughter of Washington. Arlington, our national cemetery that is so honoured, was her plantation, and the dead originally put there was done so as an insult to the Lee family.

Lee was a brilliant tactician, did what so few did before him, divide his army in the face of superior forces, and succeeded until the fiasco at Gettysburg in Pickett's Charge.

Since Lee could not or would not complete his memoirs, A.L. Long, with backing of Lee and later his family, took up the role, an amazing chore since most of his work was done when he was losing his sight, and the writings accomplished with a slate used for the blind. Long was military secretary to Lee and the vast amount of information was unpublished before this work. The papers were collected with the assistance of Marcus J. Wright, formerly Brig. General of the Army of Tennessee and Agent for the Collections of Confederate Records.

This books provides a wealth of information on a gentleman, a husband, a father, a lady's man, but first and foremost a soldier and leader.

I highly recommend this for anyone wanting a clear pictures of Robert E. Lee.

Outstanding and reveals insight into Lee
Long knew Lee in the pre-war army and was with him in notth-west Va. and the sea coast defenses in '61 through Appotamox. As his milt. secretary, Long drew on his own resources as well as those of Taylor and Venable also on Lee's staff, in addition to corrospondance with Lee's family members after the war. When one wonders why Lee resigned his commission to offer service to his Virginia, one can readily find the answers in this text....As a professional soldier being above politics, Lee merely was"doing his duty" to Vriginia and his family. Who won was not as important as duty, in the life and times of Lee. One can readily understand the resolve displayed by Kempe, Gordon, Armistead and others after reviewing the text. A recommended reading for any serious student of history studying the period ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Finally Some Truth about the Teflon Man of American History
For years I've felt Bobby Lee to be the most overrated man in American History.A traitor to his country, a racist and a loser, it's amazing how many of my fellow Virginians think he's the best our great state can produce.Bonekemper delivers a thoughtful and damning analysis of Lee's grotesquely overrated military career and manages to make a dent in the mythological edifice.Let's hope, for truth's sake, it's the first of many.

Lee's Myopia
Calling Robert E. Lee myopic in any context of the war he fought is crazy. Lee followed a strategy that was highly tuned to Southern desires. His strategy was well calculated to exert influence in the North and the crowned thugs in Europe. Lee could see a truth in the war nobody else could see, the war could be lost in either the east or west but only won in the east. Lee knew his men in the east were superior to the generals in the west, this however gave Lee no satisfaction but he did know it. As far as Lee being too aggressive is out of play as well. The southerners demanded aggressiveness and clamored for one thing, more war! Lee's style was exactly what southern temperment required. Look at what he achieves during the war and any one can see that because he was not successful does not mean he was wrong. At Seven Days he saved Richmond, at second Manassas he gave Lincoln a true emergency and at Chancellorsville, with the exception of Grant, haunts all other generals in the North during the rest of the war. Lee alone gave the Confederacy its only chance of victory and lived a life that was a vibrant heritage to everyone. So all of you on the Robert E. Lee myopia train need to get off, quit playing Monday morning quarterback and start studying a piece of history that can hold some water.

Should be paired with J.L. Harsh's "Confederate Tide Rising"
If you're interested in this book, you should also read "Confederate Tide Rising" for well researched counterpoint.I enjoyed both perspectives.A warning about this book:you'll want to have a Civil War era map to refer to while reading since the descriptions of army movements/battle logistics gets very dense.It would have been better if the book included such maps since the author goes into blow-by-blow accounts of several battles.I don't see how he could expect normal readers to keep up with the information without some visuals aids.I give 4 stars for the author's competent writing--not necessarily for his conclusions.Some reviewers gave this book a bad review because they disagree with his conclusions which is o.k. but that doesn't mean the book is written badly.

Could not agree more with the author
I recently came across this book, but have long agreed with it's premise.I think that the others reviewers who call this book revisionist, or monday morning quarterbacking are missing the point.First, Lee missed the biggest and most obvious military lesson from a man to whom he was related by marriage - George Washington.Washington was not the tactician Lee was, but he understood that in fighting for independence from a numerically superior foe, all you need do is survive long enough to tire out the enemy.You don't even need to win any battle, just make sure that your army stays in the field.Even territory, for the most part, is irrelevant, except in a symbolic sense.Some people may not see it, but the Revolutionary War, was largely a guerilla war.Northern opinion was sharply divided throughout the was and the South really never took advantage of this fact.

Second, the revisionist history is that which was propagated soon after Lee's death by the anti-Longstreet cabal, led initially by Gen. Early.That is what has become accepted as "history", in spite of all the evidence to the contrary, because the South needed something coming out of the was to have pride in.Lee sybolized that.

I do, on the other hand, think that the author's anti-Lee attitude comes out a little too much.His cause would have been better served with a more neutral tone.I disagree with his idea that Lee should have resigned in late '64, when it was apparent that a military defeat was inevitable, especially after Lincoln's re-election.That thought pre-supposes modern values that did not exist in the mid 19th century.The idea of the cavalier fighting the good fight was still a very real ideal at that time.There was no way Lee was going to walk away while the cause still possessed the ability to fight on.

However, in spite to the tone, I found the book to be mostly well reasoned, and supported by the evidence.Either way, a definite read for any Civil War enthusiast.If nothing else, it's great conversation fodder.

Worthwhile attempt to discuss Lee's generalship
How Robert E. Lee Lost the Civil War by Edward H Bonekemper is an interesting book whichgoes too far to prove its point. In overstating his case that Lee was responsible for the Confederate failure, Bonekemper belief that Lee was not the military genius that history has made him is lost.

The central thesis is that Lee's offensive strategy, combined with overly complicated battle plans,led to the destruction of the Confederate Army and their inability to respond to Grant's offensive

strategy in '84 and '85. There is much evidence for the proposition that the offensive strategy bleed the Confederacy to the point where Lee was forced to retreat to Richmond. There is also much evidence to support the proposition that most of Lee's victories resulting in a higher percentage of casualties then suffered by the Union were phyric, at best. The most obvious fact is that the Union could absorb the losses and the South could not.

Whether a change in strategy would have resulted in a Confederate victory is an open question. However, given the political nature of the war, and the Northern war weariness, Lee's ability to continue to bleed the North could not have helped Lincoln get reelected.

Lee forgot that he did not have to win, just not lose. If there had been more Frederickburgs and less Chancellorvilles, both Lee "victories", Lee may have not lost. Bonekemper does a fine job bringing these issues to the forefront. If for only this reason, this is a worthwhile book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Robert E Lee
Knute Rocken Young Athelete by Guernsey Van Riper Jr.is an excellent book for kids eleven to fifteen years of age. I would recommend
this book to boys more then girls because of the fact the main charter is a
young man and in the most parts of the book is about Knute as an
athlete. In this book, Knute the main charter, does many breath taking
things. Guernsey Van Riper Jr. gets the reader caught on his hook to
read this book. The events make them want to fall out of their chair.
Knute has a sister Anne who takes him out to the berry patch to gather
berries. On their way back from the berry patch Knute decides that he
wants to go swimming so Anne gives in and joins Knute. Suddenly . I
will leave you hanging. Try to get your hands on this book before it is
gone, Also try to get your hands on some of the other books that Guernsey
Van Riper Jr. has written. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Review of A Picture Book of Robert E. Lee
This biography explained the life of Civil War General Robert E. Lee. This book explains his life from birth and his family, to the marriage and his influence in the war. It explained how the general was the leader of the Confederacy. The book also explains the Civil War so that it is easy for the kids to understand. In the book there are also great pictures that mildly display war along with quotes ad images from that time period.
The author did a wonderful job displaying the war and allowing children to understand the concept on a very neutral level. I also liked the outline at the end of the book on his life. It helped children really visualize the order of events.
I like this book for all the above reasons also for the ease of reading. I found it so easy to understand and I think that this book will allow the children to gain interest into biographies and the war. Maybe even lead them into reading all Adler's other biographies. ... Read more

Book Description

After his surrender at Appomattox, Robert E. Lee lived only another five years - the forgotten chapter of an extraordinary life. These were his finest hours, when he did more than any other American to heal the wounds between North and South. Flood draws on new research to create an intensely human and a "wonderful, tragic, and powerful . . . story for which we have been waiting over a century" (Theodore H. White). ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Great writer, great historian and great biographer!
Flood has produced a masterpiece that reveals the personality and character of Lee more than any book I've read. Lee's tremendous contribution to society after the war is presented in such an enjoyable, readable manner that each revelation unlocked about the inner man becomes a delight to the reader. I read this book in two sittings because I was so entranced by it. The author does not write from a hero-worship perspective but rather allows the facts and anecdotes of Lee's family life speak for themselves. It is for the reader to conclude that Lee had one of the most fully integrated characters a man can possess--honor, self-discipline, love of his Creator, humility, regard for all people, and an innate sense of fairness and reason. Lee lived only five years after the war but these years were spent performing maximum service to the South and to the US at large. It's a shame that so many books about Lee focus mainly on battle strategies and have the agenda of supporting the lost cause or revisionist view of why the South lost. If you are interested only in battle statistics and strategies, this book may not excite you, but if you want to really know the man himself, don't miss this treasure of a book.

An Officer and a Gentleman
This book shows a side of Robert E. Lee that seems to have been lost in the history books. After the end of the Civil War, we hear little or nothing about General Lee. In truth, he died five years after the war ended, but he made the most of that time in trying to repair the damage done by the war. This book is an excellent chronicle of those years.

Lee lost most of his property during the war. He was a career soldier, and didn't have many prospects for employment. He hoped to move onto a farm and to live quietly in the country.

However, other plans were being made for him. The trustees of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, voted unanimously to offer him a job as president of the college. Lee was not a professional educator (although he had served as superintendent of West Point), but the trustees believed that his leadership and integrity were just what the college needed to survive the harsh economy left by the war. For his part, Lee saw this as an opportunity to help young Southern men to become productive citizens.

The college's wager paid off. Enrollment grew each year that Lee spent at the helm. The college developed new programs, and Lee's stature and good reputation were such that Washington College received large donations from philanthropists, even in the Northern states. Lee took a personal interest in the students, learning to address them by name and taking responsibility for disciplinary measures.

Yet Lee's last five years were not years of unabated bliss. His health declined steadily, his wife was an invalid, his brother died, and his reputation suffered from some unjust attacks in Northern newspapers. Throughout it all, Lee held his head high and maintained his dignity, his character, and his principles.

Lee put much effort into healing the wounds left by the war. He appreciated the esteem in which he was held by his fellow Southerners, but he encouraged them to be loyal citizens of the United States of America. He never said a word against General U.S. Grant, and even rebuked an employee of Washington College who did. One of the most fascinating (and mysterious) episodes in the book is Lee's trip to Washington, D.C., to visit President Grant in the White House. No one else was present for the meeting, and so no one really knows what they discussed.

The book ends abruptly with an account of Lee's death, without going reporting on his funeral and his family's life without him. Even so, this book makes great reading and has fascinating insights into the private life of an American icon.

candy/lee review
The Last years of Robert E. Lee's life were very interesting.The sbook was great.IT has made me laugh and made me almost cry. It is very emotional.I can truly relate to the story.I almost found myself feeling as though i was actually there.Great book.I would recommend it to anyone
candy

Great book but disapointing at the end.
Lee the last years is a great read on the life of ROBERT E LEE after the war between the states.
My only complaint is that I would have liked just a little more reaction to lee's death around the South,and north ...

Awesome!
This book is written and researched so well, it feels like you are travelling around alongside Lee during the last years of his life. People sometimes ask the question, "If you could sit down and have a conversation with anyone from the past, who would you choose?" If your answer is Lee, reading this book will be the next best thing. Flood really puts the reader in touch with Robert E. Lee, the man. The book is so well done that I feel like I know Lee personally now. Better than any other biographical/history work I've ever read. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Stirring, Thrilling, You Are There
Anyone with a sobriquet of "Lighthorse Harry" sets up some expectations with his memoirs, but this book delivers on them. Not only does the book take you into the thick of battle in the Revolutionary War's "Southern Campaign", it also takes you to deliberations about how the Colonists reacted to British Rule and what kind of government America should have and how it should solve practical issues of the day. Henry Lee was there for all of it as one of the "Lees of Virginia". This book has a zest and pacing that gently draws the reader in for the next installment.

a "must" for the student of the Revolution in the South
Lee's work is well written and, in some cases, provides the only description of the legion of battles and skirmishes that characterized the Southern Campaign. The reader needs to keep in mind that Lee wrote in the 18th century tradition of exagerating one's own triumphs and glossing over any shortcomings. Lee likewise writes in a seemingly authoritative manner about events where he wasn't present. For example his condemnation of the NC militia at the battle of Guilford CH has influenced most subsequent accounts although Lee wasn't aware that their orders allowed them to leave the field after delivering up two rounds. In contrast he fails to mention the flight of the Virginia militia in the right wing. Given these faults, Lee's work is still the best of it's kind. Any Rev War library should have a copy. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Very rewarding read
I enjoyed this book very much. The contrast between Grant (who led a hard scrabble life, even resorting to selling firewood by the side of the road to make a living) and Lee (perhaps the greatest man of the South) and Grant's triumph was a great story. You get a great introduction to the Civil War, even though there is a focus on the Virginia campaign because this is a biography of these two men, not an overall history of the Civil War. Highly recommended.

Lee and Grant
Gene Smith's Lee And Grant was a well-written documentation of the lives of these Civil War generals. The way the book was set up kept it interesting and almost fun to read. The format was such that consecutive chapters paralleled each man's life. For instance the first chapter pertained to Lee's father and his childhood while the second chapter was about Grant's Father and childhood. One warning I have to potential readers: this is a great book for those interested in the Civil War and these two men. If one doesn't have any interest in the topic, then this book is not for them. There aren't and underlying driving plots or surprises that make the book suspenseful. This is a historical piece highlighting two great men in our country's history. It's a great book for those who want to read specifically about these two men, not for a reader just looking for a book to read.

Outstanding history of the Civil War and two great men
I was enthralled by the unique view that this book afforded. I have read many histories of the Civil War from many perspectives. This is the first time that I was introduced to these two pivotal historical figures from the human side. The juxtaposition of each of them to the other was very helpful to put the time and sequences of the war into perspective and give true scale to all that happened.

Scottish Generals
The genealogical material included in this book allows the reader to see that both of these generals were of Scottish extraction, both raised with honor, and both excellent examples of Scottish-American heroes.

A Highly Readable History of the Civil War !
In telling the stories of Lee and Grant, Smith is really writing a neat book on the Civil War. I found this book to be very informative and highly readable. I especially enjoyed the chapter on Chancellorville. This is a pretty basic book. A good starting point for anyone interested in the Civil War or just looking for a good basic overview. ... Read more