Another brilliant achievement in the Aubrey/Maturin series. Too bad I read many of them before I reviewed books, not that my reviews add much, they arAnother brilliant achievement in the Aubrey/Maturin series. Too bad I read many of them before I reviewed books, not that my reviews add much, they are largely for introspection. But 'The Thirteen Gun Salute' is somewhat unique for the lack of action, military that is. But it is far from lacking in the action of life, the human drama that plays out in these pages completely convincing in its own arena. I loved following the long trip itself from the trickiness of navigating in the Irish Sea, the approaches to the port of Lisbon, the strength and danger of currents near isolated islands such as Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic, the abundance of bird life in the Kerguelen Islands of the South Indian Oceans or the absolute terror of a South Pacific typhoon (no Watches, Warnings or Cone thank you very much!). A cool site has the entire journey mapped--https://www.cannonade.net/map.php?The.... It is high drama of a different sort as they finally reach the 'roaring 40's (of latitude) and every sail is thrown up--"As the Diane sailed south and south with even stronger winds, through even more tremendous seas, reaching forty-five degrees and then steering due east, he set about learning her true inner nature and her capabilities when she was pushed to the limit." Prose of this caliber is simply rare in our literature and it is on almost on every page. There are keen observations about nature (both human and physical) and an immersion into an early 19th century mindset and physical surroundings (food, clothing, medicine, social class, etc.) that are simply astounding. I especially enjoyed the frequent reference to 'their Humboldt measurements' in reference of course to the great Prussian naturalist Alexander von Humboldt who would have been near the height of his fame at this time. These were measurements of seawater temperature and salinity at various depths along their path. They took it seriously! It was critical for them to rescue the observation books as the ship was being wrecked in the storm. As in many of the books in the series there is constant discussion of the natural world, Stephen Maturin is an 'amateur naturalist and his interactions with Sir Joseph Banks (a real and famous British naturalist) and the fictional Van Buren in Malaysia are fascinating and edifying. Frequent asides about Cuvier (French naturalist and zoologist, sometimes referred to as the "founding father of paleontology") lend credibility to the conversations. Maturin encounters several rare animals in Malaysia (Pulo Prabang in the book) that today are on the IUCN CR (critically endangered) list, including the primate tarsier (CR), Sumatran Rhinoceros (CR) and the Orangutans (CR) of the region.
Cannot fail to mention the diplomatic (The thirteen-gun salute refers to the number of volleys given in honor of an ambassador) machinations and the brilliant exposition on warfare by other means in the early 19th century. One quote on the slippery nature of truth--"for him, Truth was what he could make others believe...What I meant was that if he could induce others to believe what he said, then for him the statement acquired some degree of truth, a reflection of their belief that it was true; and this reflected truth might grow stronger with time and repetition until it became conviction, indistinguishable from ordinary factual truth, or very nearly so.” Wow, if only more of our 'leaders' today recognized that! ...more
There are almost 5k reviews on Goodreads for 'Silas' so will be brief. This was my second George Eliot (aka Mary Ann Evans) book (Middlemarch) but unlThere are almost 5k reviews on Goodreads for 'Silas' so will be brief. This was my second George Eliot (aka Mary Ann Evans) book (Middlemarch) but unlike that one, it is easily readable in a long day or two. I suppose many have heard the title as had I, but I was fortunate to have no idea what it was about. They call them classics for a reason. It is a wonderful story with timeless themes and and a prose style that remains among the finest in our written language. Having recently read a long Dickens (her near contemporary) work it was interesting to compare the styles. I might slightly prefer his at this moment but they are both superb. As one funny reviewer alluded for some it might have been an early high school reading assignment. I am glad I was not assigned to read this in 9th grade or something, would probably have hated it! The Everyman Library edition I read had a nice chronology with headings for Author's Life, Literary Context and Historical Events. ...more
Well-researched mostly academic treatment of the life of Toussaint Louverture but not without a undertone of hero-worship, though he would not be the Well-researched mostly academic treatment of the life of Toussaint Louverture but not without a undertone of hero-worship, though he would not be the first biographer to fall into that trap. For a book with considerable discussion of military matters there are no maps and very little intelligent discussion or analysis on how the various campaigns unfolded. Instead he employed numerous anecdotes about Toussaint's activities, usually in support of the thesis of his brilliant leadership. It may be true but was not especially convincing as they came across more as stories. He is more convincing on the personality, moral standards and energy of Toussaint through his incredible volume of letter writing and his attempt at forming a Constitution for Saint Domingue (i.e. Haiti). His often-stated aspirations to creating a merit based, religious (Catholic), multiracial society seems almost quaint when compared to the bitter identity politics and anti-religious sentiments of the political establishment in the West today. Either way the author devotes considerable resources to depict image of Toussaint as an ongoing international symbol of solely black pride and accomplishment. There's nothing 'wrong' with that but few biographies I have read devote as much effort to discussing and managing the current image of a historical distant character. Unfortunately, there is barely a word about Haiti itself over the intervening 225 years up until today and what the Toussaint legacy means for that country. Reading this did pique my curiosity and I will be looking for a good history on Haiti itself. 3 stars-even....more
I read three of the major Dickens in the far past, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and David Copperfield but when I came across a well worn I read three of the major Dickens in the far past, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and David Copperfield but when I came across a well worn copy of 'Dombey and Son' in a used bookstore ($0.25), I was intrigued as I had never even heard of it! Not that I am much of a British literary scholar. I sort of figured it must be more obscure for a reason, but it utterly exceeded my 'expectations'! Experts may argue, but to me it was a brilliant and moving work of literature right up there with those better known volumes mentioned above. When you compare Dickens with most modern writers it is almost like a child to a master. Pick almost any page from 'Dombey' and you are almost certain to encounter an incomparable use of the English language as a tool to draw an unforgettable portrait of people, places and times. So many memorable characters! I almost wish to name them all--but Captain Cuttle was perhaps my favorite 'minor' figure. Or was it the repulsive Mrs. Pinchpin? All this while exploring a slew of fundamental and timeless themes of the human condition. Another GR reviewer wrote a list that will do--pride, deceit, the value of love over money, child to parent relationships, the degradation of the human soul, unrequited love, feminist themes (I added), the insufferability of blowhards, retribution, revenge, and reclamation. And another list just as long could easily be constructed!
The edition I read (Modern Library Classics) had excellent footnotes, which are an entire education in themselves (the book might be unreadable without the context they provide). The origins of 'John Doe' and 'Rule of Thumb' are just two gems, in addition the frequent literary allusions to the Classical world, the Bible and Shakespeare or to daily life in Victorian London. This does not make for 'easy' reading. You have to read at a measured pace simply to understand the complex style of writing and then savor the brilliance (and frequent laugh out loud humor) of many passages. With reference to the notes, progress is necessarily paced. Are there things 'wrong' with 'Dombey and Son'? The experts may tell you so, but I cannot recommend more highly!...more
Ever since reading T.R. Fehrenbach's superb book 'Comanches: The Destruction of a People' a long while back I have had an abiding interest in their stEver since reading T.R. Fehrenbach's superb book 'Comanches: The Destruction of a People' a long while back I have had an abiding interest in their story and of the Texas frontier where they finally lost out to the modern world. That was probably during my modest stint in Texas back in the 90s when I become not quite obsessed but certainly interested in Texas history. So finding this book at the Rockwall, TX library used book sale in my recent visit to Texas was a welcome chance to revisit the frontier. This was a very well-researched and somewhat personal story by a fellow whose great-great? uncle was among the 'Captured' in Indian raids along the Texas frontier in the late 1860s. He tells the story of nearly a dozen white child captives of the Indians, mainly Comanche but Apache as well. Someone mentioned in a review that Paulette Jiles author of 'News of the World' (which is now a movie) recommended 'The Captured' for more information on the child captives and their experience. It all seems like ancient history but it's not THAT long ago. Mr. Zesch does a superb job in placing these events in historical and geographical context while retaining great sympathy for both the Indian tribes and the settler families, both caught between historical forces beyond their control. The psychological aspects of captivity and subsequent 'release' are fully explored with interesting results. Most of the captives (especially the boys-teens) ended up preferring Indian life which is no surprise after you read about how that compared with the drudgery of life on the frontier! Many lost their native (German or English) languages in a surprisingly short time and became full-fledged tribal warriors, often becoming 'more Indian' than their captors. Anyway, it's a fascinating read and overall very well done....more
My Amazon review on July 15, 2018: Great story with a few flaws
First-rate storytelling on a subject that few will be very familiar with. My main quibbMy Amazon review on July 15, 2018: Great story with a few flaws
First-rate storytelling on a subject that few will be very familiar with. My main quibble came early, in an area where I have some knowledge and deals with her assertion that the Battle of Middle Creek alone decided the fate of Kentucky in the Civil War. That is simply a gross simplification, if not distortion. The reality was much more complex. Her assertion that Garfield's command was 'hopelessly inexperienced, outnumbered and ougunned' flies in the face of everything I have ever read about the Civil War. First of all both sides were completely inexperienced in January 1862 and few indeed were the battles when the North did not have numbers and armaments substantially superior to the South. The Battle of Middle Creek had roughly equal numbers and was nothing more than a skirmish by standards later set in the war. Even Mill Springs a week later was bigger and perhaps more pivotal, and the losses of Fort Henry and Donelson were huge factors in sealing off KY from the South. It also ignores the 1862 CSA offensive back into KY, culminating at Perryville. Anyway, inaccuracies such as this early on in a work of history will tend to undermine overall confidence in the product; where else did she cut corners or embellish the truth? That said, the bare facts alone remain and it is a wonderfully crafted read about Garfield, his time and the tragic story that unfolds. His suffering and grace in the face of it will move you to great sadness and admiration for a life cut short. While reading this, I asked a few random people who the 2nd President to be assassinated was, and none could answer. Garfield is mostly forgotten now but he was really an extraordinary man who could well have been one of our great Presidents. His statements on civil rights alone could be used even today in a speech and ring as true as ever. ...more
My Amazon review on March 3, 2018: Buy it for the Jackson essay!
An interesting and very diverse set of essays, though somewhat uneven in quality and rMy Amazon review on March 3, 2018: Buy it for the Jackson essay!
An interesting and very diverse set of essays, though somewhat uneven in quality and relevance to the battle itself. For a person wanting to know about the entirety of the campaign and battle of Chancellorsville the book is basically useless. It is best read after a more complete overview such as Ernest B. Furgurson or Stephen Sears accounts. The essays cover a wide range of topics from 'medical' care to wars effects on children, in addition to focusing on pieces of the battle. But I would concur with several other reviewers that the 'Smoothbore Volley that Doomed the Confederacy' stands out among them and is almost alone worth the price. If you have any interest in exactly how Jackson met that volley then this is a worthwhile purchase. ...more
My Amazon review on January 4, 2018: Generally hostile, but still interesting
It says on the cover of my version NYT 'bestseller'? Can there be any lesMy Amazon review on January 4, 2018: Generally hostile, but still interesting
It says on the cover of my version NYT 'bestseller'? Can there be any less meaningful statement about a book? Frankly, I would be shocked if very many people actually read this entire book. It is not an 'easy' read. First off from a purely physical standpoint, the text font is tiny, perhaps 10-point? And the huge number of direct quotes are in even smaller font..8-point? There is no little section describing all that typset info, though I actively searched for it for perhaps the only time in a book. I struggled with that, perhaps another sign of my own coming senescence. As to the actual content of the book. First, the narrative is erratic due in no small part to that massive number of inserted quotes and letters, more than in about any biography I have ever read. You can admire that for the author's desire to let the actors of the time describe their feelings and views on various issues but it does interrupt the flow of the writing. Yet there are some real gems among the letters (Disraeli, Odo Russell) but you have to be dedicated to finding them and some have little to do with Bismarck per se but address societal trends which are often, but not always, quite interesting. Some you read and ask why? Still there are excellent short portraits of many interesting leaders and thinkers of the era including Lasker, Windthorst, Roon, Moltke and the various Royal family members. Second, the material is incredibly 'dense' especially with regard to internal German politics. The actual structure of the government (and its various roles) is never clearly explained and the profusion of political parties and personalities can be a minefield and difficult to understand. Perhaps some diagrams and a glossary (certainly a timeline) would have helped. International political intrigues seem simple by comparison and are more fascinating as a result. It is clear that Bismarck never wanted Russia as an enemy but perhaps the greatest 'what-if' is if his successors had maintained an alliance with Russia that prevented the fateful Franco-Russian alliance. This was perhaps the greatest failure of diplomacy in history (certainly German history) and it did not occur on Bismarck's watch, though he too slid perhaps too close to Austria-Hungary over time. Then there is the portrayal of Bismarck himself. This is mostly a very unflattering biography with a seemingly endless list of negative portrayals of Bismarck's personality (rude, angry, vindictive, ruthless, power-crazy, utterly without gratitude, are just some of the more often noted) and little to counterbalance that (charming at times and he was nice to his sister). Knowing nothing much about the man I would conclude from this apparently well-researched book that he was not a 'good guy' at all, lol. Yet this book is essentially hostile to the point of blaming Bismarck almost directly for Hitler. That seems like a mighty reach and more than a little unfair. He does however, provide some very interesting insights on the rise of anti-semitism in Germany, most of which cannot be laid solely at Bismarck's door. But the 'inordinate' success of Jews in the modernizing German economy (with solid statistics to back up his assertions) and their heavy involvement in what was then often considered revolutionary politics (socialism, even 'liberalism' as then defined) resulted in resentment that developed and persisted at many levels within German society. This was used by politicians, (including Bismarck) to to justify certain policies and behaviors and of course this trend worsened as time went on and especially after Germany was smashed and humiliated in WW1. The path to the Jewish holocaust becomes much more understandable, although certainly not inevitable. In some ways it is not so very different than America today. The politics of resentment and envy are part and parcel of the current Democratic Party strategy, with the villain this time being the white, heterosexual male. In alliance with the complete destruction of free thought in the American University system in nearly every department outside the sciences this trend should be disturbing on many levels....more
My Amazon review on November 20, 2017: 1940-1914-1870-1807...and so on
Very good account of this lesser-known conflict. Not sure it would stand as the My Amazon review on November 20, 2017: 1940-1914-1870-1807...and so on
Very good account of this lesser-known conflict. Not sure it would stand as the definitive work on the subject but well done and quite readable. Perhaps it is lacking in maps on some of the later battles when the outcome seemed a forgone conclusion but may not have been. I read Michael Howard's book on the war many years ago but too long ago to make a comparison. The usual links to WWI/2 are drawn in the conclusion but what I found most interesting was the very real connection of the 1870 conflict to the Napoleonic Wars. For many Prussians the war was in part revenge for things that happened in 1806 (Jena-Auerstadt) and 1807 (the highly punitive Treaty of Tilsit). So 63+ years earlier, not so much more time than the interval between 1870 and 1914. So the connection of the Napoleonic Wars to WW1/2 is well established and something I never really considered. In fact, the quote by a Prussian (Bismarck?) about France having declared war on Prussia 34 times before 1870 was astounding (have not really checked that statement) especially given the historical verdict of Prussian militarism as the scourge of Europe. Overall, the book is solid in describing the strategy and tactics of this vicious conflict which carried many harbingers of modern war and the real nastiness that took place later on. It should have been enough for Europe to realize that an all out war would be utter folly, yet it happened just a generation later. The beginning of the end for Europe. ...more
Not sure it was Pulitzer Prize level whatever that is and perhaps I marked it down a star for just that (anotherMy Amazon review on September 29, 2017
Not sure it was Pulitzer Prize level whatever that is and perhaps I marked it down a star for just that (another reason for a 0.5 star increment or just a 10-star system!). Shouldn't a Pulitzer be extraordinary? When you compare it with Caro's LBJ bios, cannot really hold a candle, though few can. As others have also noted, it is perhaps not a good first read about Jackson since so much is left out about his life. I was also perplexed on the Bank issue which was poorly explained. Still a nice book on an interesting period and man. ...more
My Amazon review of July 29, 2017: Probably can't do much better for a one-volume bio
I dunno. This is certainly a solid biography, perhaps even excellMy Amazon review of July 29, 2017: Probably can't do much better for a one-volume bio
I dunno. This is certainly a solid biography, perhaps even excellent. It is thorough and well-written no doubt. Though I am not not entirely sure how much new it brings to the table and otherwise what is the point? I heard once (not claiming as a fact) that only Jesus Christ had more biographies written about him than Napoleon. One would have to be an expert in Bonapartism to know with any certainty how much is really new here. Yes, a lot of new letters were apparently unearthed but other than slightly humanizing the younger Bonaparte I don't feel too much new has been learned. The complexity of the subject (20 years of frenzied activity across several continents) is daunting. Even 800+ pages leaves barely enough room to treat the battles in anywhere near the detail that might actually explain what in the hell just happened. The motivation and basic courage of the average soldier in that era is flat-out mind boggling. They ran at times but far more often than not held ground against unimaginable mayhem and horror. And on both sides, despite not much in it for them. Maybe they get to shout Vive L'Empereur! a few times. The battle maps are good and serviceable for a one-shot synopsis, although a date on the map would have been a nice addition. The plates are are beautiful and make having a copy well worth it. This is clearly a 'sympathetic' biography (and perhaps that is the 'newest' aspect of the bio) and Roberts takes pains to make us realize that Nappy was really a pretty 'good guy' and not the monster who walked over a million dead for his own personal aggrandizement. Yet at the end of the day (or the two weeks it took to slog through) is sort of hard to avoid that conclusion. So many battles and so many losses (on both sides) and for what? Mainly so he can place another relative in charge of a country or duchy. Roberts does a very good job chronicling Nappy's maniacal work-ethic, strong scientific curiosity (the science and cultural aspects of the Egypt expedition is fascinating), desire for fair laws in the Napoleonic Code (although none he would have to follow), his stunning greed (he stole art from all over Europe) and even his amazing good health. There are moments of PC-creep of course which any modern academic today apparently feels compelled to add. He summons the racism card several times especially in the Egyptian campaign to castigate Nappy and the French while of course ignoring the 'racism' of the Muslims who have never bothered to feel guilty about any atrocity. Because of course only the white 'Christian' Europeans can be the racists. At one point he even describes fierce fighting between Poles and Prussians as racist as if he had some notion of the battle motivations of those particular soldiers (who are differently ethnically but certainly not racially). With a huge number of incredibly fierce and savage engagements described in nearly every battle he would have to be wise indeed to figure out the incentives of an infantryman in the general insanity of these wars. I would recommend the book highly especially to someone with some knowledge going in because I imagine this could get fairly confusing. But even though I know a lot more about Napoleon than I did (and I have read several histories of the period and numerous related accounts) I am not much closer to understanding why it all had to happen....more
Ralph Peters is a true American treasure! Another amazing effort to tell a piece of the incredible CivMy Amazon review on July 14, 2015: His best yet!
Ralph Peters is a true American treasure! Another amazing effort to tell a piece of the incredible Civil War story through the eyes of the participants. Michael Shaara may have invented this particular form of the wheel but Peters is perfecting it. I learned so much from this book and I consider myself a Civil War 'buff', though not an expert. And no history book can really get at what the men suffered and felt like this book does. From generals to privates, fear, elation, dysentery, hunger, cold, heat, wet, utter filth and yes even poison ivy (a particular horror of mine!). I hope a few of the younger generation pick this up and understand exactly what a lot of men went through back then. Yes, the cause was misplaced for the South, but the suffering immense enough to quash anyone's desire to avenge. You see a lot of that in the post-war reconciliations among the veterans. The whole thing makes you shake your head (violently!) when reading about college-age kids today fretting about micro-aggressions! ...more
Amazon review on July 29, 2014: Vastly overrated..
Wow. If this is actually considered 'the greatest non-fiction book' ever written then the genre is dAmazon review on July 29, 2014: Vastly overrated..
Wow. If this is actually considered 'the greatest non-fiction book' ever written then the genre is deader than I even realized. If the essence of writing is about communication then this book fails so miserably that is is almost laughable. For a young person today this book would be almost completely unreadable. I have read a LOT of non-fiction and this was one of the most boring and unrewarding reads I have ever slogged through. And I mean slog. That is not to say a book has to be simplistic to be effective but this thing is so full of opaque prose, irrelevant references and boring asides that it is maddening. While there is some interesting history at times, it is all presented in the most mundane, offhand and incredibly uninteresting manner. There is barely a shred of drama infused into the narrative. The diplomatic history in England during the Civil War had potential to be fascinating but you got no idea of the personalities involved or insight into the dynamics of the situation or the motives of the participants. He actually seemed more interested and frustrated by the social scene in London, but even found way to make that boring. For a guy who was supposedly obsessed with education he spent a lot of time chilling out in Paris and other nice places doing not much at all except staring at art. But even there we get no idea of what he thought makes art great. All the baloney about the scientific measurement of historical progress was an utter waste. Like much of the world he was obviously impressed with the march of science but frustrated at his inability to grasp its intricacies and assigning that some meaning. There were moments of course, the anecdote of his grandfather JQ Adams taking him off to school. And all the bits on Clarence King. It made me want to know more about King. John Hay too, but he is a better know figure than King. The descriptions of the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893 and the St. Louis Worlds Fair of 1904 both had the potential to be interesting but were squandered. To be fair, I understand that this book was not written or intended for a general audience and seen in that light I gave it one more star over the lowest possible rating. But the so-called 'Modern Library' that called this the #1 work of non-fiction in the 20th century needs a serious reassessment of their criteria for what makes a book great. I could name dozens that surpass this effort by a long shot. Now I will await the profound readers out there to tell me how my own education has been a total failure due to my inability to grasp the greatness of this 'Education'. ...more
This was a wonderful, but heartbreaking book that filled a huge gap in my own knowledge of the history of the 19th centAmazon review on June 12, 2012
This was a wonderful, but heartbreaking book that filled a huge gap in my own knowledge of the history of the 19th century and I suspect for many. You learn how much of the groundwork for WW1 was really laid out in this conflict, despite the shifting alliances. The Austrians may have lost WW1 in 1855 by essentially siding with the Allies! The Jihad aspects were repeated (but reversed) in WW1 as Europeans fell over themselves trying to stir up Holy War against the other powers. Amazing to consider in light of the current fear of Jihad evident in the world today! The number of firsts for war (telegraph, rail, rifle, etc) and politics are myriad but the propaganda aspects were fascinating. No power looks very good but the British press and politicians came off as particularly execrable in my mind. They seem to have been the most determined to dehumanize their enemies (this continued in the Boer War and WW1) when there was any perceived threat to the Empire. Ironic in that they ruled an empire full of people they considered beneath them as well. The author does a commendable job in laying both the groundwork for the war and the aftermath and consequences. Bravo! ...more
Well according to some reviews there have been better recent accounts of the 1864 Shenandoah campaign but reading Wert's account in conjunction with lWell according to some reviews there have been better recent accounts of the 1864 Shenandoah campaign but reading Wert's account in conjunction with listening on CD to Ralph Peter's excellent 'Shadow of the Valley" gave me about as much as I need for now. This is a fairly thorough account though not overwhelming and clearly well researched and documented. The maps unfortunately are substandard (luckily I have plenty of wargame maps to supplement) and I would call the writing borderline dry. In battle accounts he moves ceaselessly among regiments, brigades, divisions and their officers and it can be as confusing as those battles must have been. For a non-Civil War 'buff' this is going to be hard going. In terms of style it almost seems as if he is concerned that dramatizing things a bit might somehow detract from the level of scholarship. Interesting that Jeffery D. Wert was 'only' a high school teacher in Pennsylvania and perhaps he worried about the reception of his work from the professional historian class, small as it might be. Who knows, but this was his very first book, written in 1987. He has written a total of ten now (two others of which I have read). He gives a fair summary of the 1864 Valley campaign in the final chapter and an assessment of the relative performances of the generals Early and Sheridan. In this campaign like the entire Civil War, it was always going to be long odds for the Confederacy against the numbers and industrial superiority of the North. Union cavalry in the 1864 Valley campaign alone outnumbered Confederate by something like 7 to 1 with fresh horses and armed with Spencer repeaters. Infantry odds were more like 3 or 4 to 1. That the South came close to prevailing remains somewhat astounding, just as they almost prevailed at Cedar Creek (Oct. 19, 1864). In his conclusion, Wert suggests that the Battle of Cedar Creek could almost stand as a microcosm of the entire war and I had the exact same thought before I came across that very line. Solid 3.5 stars, rounded up....more
I listened to 'Valley of the Shadow' on CDs as the same time while reading Jeffrey D. Wert's account of the 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign, from 'WinI listened to 'Valley of the Shadow' on CDs as the same time while reading Jeffrey D. Wert's account of the 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign, from 'Winchester to Cedar Creek'. I think it helped greatly in understanding the campaign added greatly to the enjoyment of both books. This is the third in Peter's series on the Civil War and apparently he has two more. They are written in the style pioneered so wonderfully by Michael Shaara in 'The Killer Angels' by employing both fact and fiction, the latter being mainly in the actual words and thoughts that were not recorded. The reader in this book Peter Berkot does a superb job in coming up with all those southern accents both patrician and 'cracker', especially with Jubal Early's apparently high, squeaky voice and often profane language.
All the generals and higher officers are actual historical personages--Wallace, Ricketts, Sheridan, Custer, Hayes (Rutherford B.) for the USA and Early, Gordon, Pendleton, Hotchkiss, Ramseur for the CSA with cameos by such luminaries as Halleck, Stanton, and Lee. Getting inside their heads, imagined or not really complemented the narrative in Wert but where possible he inserts actual dialog as recorded in various memoirs and reports mentioned in Wert's book. Yet the utter lunacy of lines of men advancing across open fields into massed rifle fire and artillery canister remains almost unfathomable to our modern minds, especially after 3 full years of it! You might have thought that the CSA foot soldier in the book Nichols, was a made up character but as you learn in the afterword George Nichols did write a history of his regiment, the 61st Georgia under Lawton, Gordon and Evans (published in 1898) and his final thoughts and words as he looks back on all the regrets of the war are among the most memorable and perhaps most human out all those high-ranking officers! To really understand the Valley campaign this book might have been somewhat lacking but the human side is very compelling and worth a solid 4-star....more
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