Reviews (129)

Wow you have to read this!!!
Reading this book has changed the way I have looked, felt and believed in life. I couldn't put it down, and everyday I keep thinking about it. I have shared with others the aw inspiring inspiration I have received. I am not one to read a lot of spiritual books or self help books. I have read a few but this one definitely surpasses any book I have read in a very long time. I am blown away. And it has made me take stock of my own life and my beliefs and it has shifted. I started thinking about whom in my life do I need to forgive. I truly recommend this book to everyone! We all need it especially now with what is going on in the world today.

Life-changing story
I could not put this book down.I've read several other books on the Rwandan genocide and I really appreciate this one the most for breaking down a complex political situation/history into one that is easy to understand for all readers, not to mention one of the most emotionally touching books I've ever read.This book has changed my perspective on life.

Best Book I've read all year!
I love to read, mostly spiritual self-help books, and a few biographies. I would say I read about 2 books a month on average, sometimes more. Any way I simply could not put this book down. I felt as if I was experiencing everything she was experiencing, and I could not help but admire her faith in God. She reminded me how good God is, and how he can do the impossible if we just trust him. I plan to give the book to a couple people as Christmas presents this year, so that they can truly embrace how blessed they are. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa - Central    2. Africa - History    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Catholics    6. Civil War, 1994    7. History    8. Ilibagiza, Immaculâee    9. Inspirational - General    10. Motivational & Inspirational    11. Personal narratives    12. Prayer    13. Religion    14. Religious    15. Rwanda    16. Spiritual Healing    17. Self-Help / Motivational   

Editorial Review

The life and times of Abraham Lincoln have been analyzed and dissected in countless books. Do we need another Lincoln biography? In Read more

Reviews (204)

The Power of Patience
Lincoln has been the focus of seemingly endless analysis, yet Doris Kearns Goodwin offers a fresh and illuminating perspective.By focusing on the men around the president, Goodwin portrays Lincoln as a remarkable judge of human character, a consummate conciliator, and a man of remarkable wit.Goodwin obviously writes well, although her spotlight on so many players does confuse the reader a bit.She is a talented historian, and this is another solid piece of work.

Lincoln's strength in humility
Although at first I did not understand why writing about Lincoln's cabinet members was going to be revealing about Lincoln himself, I found myself pleasantly surprised.
WHEN THE MEN AND THE MOMENT MET
During this election cycle of 2006 I have been asking myself a question. When was the last time leftist could have unambiguously supported a Republican or Democratic Party candidate. As indicate below the clear choice is the Lincoln-Johnson ticket in 1864. By a happy coincidence Doris Kearn Goodwin's book under review here provides more than enough ammunition to confirm that opinion. Normally, my concerns as a fighter for socialism and hers as a fawning devotee of the New Deal, Fair Deal and New Frontier eras of the Democratic Party are miles apart. Here we can, at least for this moment, agree that Lincoln, as a man and politician was worthy of support by militants and those not so militant. Make no mistake Lincoln and his compatriots were big men who confronted big tasks. And did it. Underlining Goodwin's thesis is a belief that what passes for today's Republican leaders pale in contrast. Again we agree. Here's why.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Case studies    5. General    6. Genius    7. Government - Executive Branch    8. Historical - U.S.    9. History    10. History: American    11. Political    12. Political leadership    13. Presidents    14. Presidents & Heads of State    15. U.S. Political History    16. U.S. President    17. United States    18. United States - Civil War    19. Biography & Autobiography / Political   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (120)

Too much dialogue for an enjoyable history
This book is the story of the escape and capture of John Wilkes Booth.But, at its heart it is really the story of John Wilkes Booth and the man who accompanied him on his escape, David Herold.I really wanted to like this history, and I understand they are going to make a movie based on the author's work.I found it a bit too chatty, so much so, that by the end of it I wanted hang John Wilkes Booth.And that is the problem with this book.While it does a good job of telling how the Federal bureaucracy and the military fumbled Booth's capture, it focuses too little on that aspect.We get a lot of dialogue between Booth and those who help him make his escape, but this reader would have liked to know more about those who help Booth.Things like how the relatives of Dr. Samuel Mudd, obviously a racist and Confederate, got his life historically rehabilitated in the 20th century.After a while it just drags on.This is my first reading of anything about John Wilkes Booth and I hope there are better works out there.

Good read and hard to put down

Great read
This book is really a great read. The action flows petty much nonstop, from page one. Swanson manages to put a lot of facts in front of you, yet never bores you. I learned a lot from this book- buy it, you won't be displeased! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Assassination    2. Case studies    3. Criminal Investigation    4. Criminology    5. Fugitives from justice    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History - U.S.    9. History: American    10. Investigation    11. United States    12. United States - 19th Century    13. United States - Civil War    14. History / General   

Reviews (3)

Poor Logic
Thomas Dilorenzo shines at misinformation in his new book.Among the lies he states is that it is not widely taught that the Civil War was not just about slavery but also for economic reasons.This is interesting to me as a history teacher, since any modern text, college, high school or grade school would have this information.
Lincoln Unmasked: Dishonest Abe. By Thomas Dilorenzo
A lot of research examines Abraham Lincoln and other origins of American National Socialism. Much of the work helps to explain the massive growth of government in these United States of America and the growing police state. More work needs to expose the influence of American National Socialism upon socialists worldwide, and upon the National Socialist German Workers' Party.
A Real Inconvenient Truth
I've already read DiLorenzo's The Real Lincoln; and I must say, this new book of his is far more trenchant in its libertarian exegesis of creepy "Father Abraham."Anyone interested in human freedom and dignity should get this book.Its a twelve-pound sledge of intellectual dynamite to evicerate the socialist propaganda of Eric 'Stalinikov Marx-o-holic' Foner with.
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Subjects:  1. 1809-1865    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography And Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Historical - U.S.    8. Lincoln, Abraham,    9. Presidents    10. Presidents & Heads of State    11. Public opinion    12. U.S. History - Civil War And Reconstruction (1860-1877)    13. United States    14. United States - Civil War    15. History / United States / General   

Editorial Review

This novel reveals more about the Battle of Gettysburg than any piece of learned nonfiction on the same subject. Michael Shaara's account of the three most important days of the Civil War features deft characterizations of all of the main actors, including Lee, Longstreet, Pickett, Buford, and Hancock. The most inspiring figure in the book, however, is Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, whose 20th Maine regiment of volunteers held the Union's left flank on the second day of the battle. This unit's bravery at Little Round Top helped turned the tide of the war against the rebels. There are also plenty of maps, which convey a complete sense of what happened July 1-3, 1863. Reading about the past is rarely so much fun as on these pages. ... Read more

Reviews (474)

The Worst Book Ever written
I despised this book! It was absolutely horrible! It was assigned as a summer reading book and it was just so bad! I enjoy reading books, fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and even nonfiction! It was really really bad. I never want to read another book by Michal Shaara ever ever again! I never even want to hear or see the words Killer Angels again.

Stunning Novel of Combat and Sacrifice at Gettysburg
This novel won the pulitzer prize for fiction and for good reason. It's superbly written with a keen eye for military and character details. The commanders come alive in this book like in no other except perhaps Shelby Foote's brilliant (non-fiction) trilogy. The movie "Gettysburg" was based on this novel. If you love historical fiction and the Civil War you must read this fantastic book. The author's son has made quite a career (Jeff Shaara) out of writing a series of novels based upon this one - before and after Gettysburg (which is the setting for Killer Angels). Unfortunately, in this instance, the apple fell quite far from the tree as far as writing capabilities are concerned. Steer clear of the Jeff Shaara books and read the non-fiction histories instead. But, if you need a good/great civil war novel, you're likely to find no better one than this.

The Killer Angels
For history buffs, students and Civil War fanatics I would advise them to read this book and then see the movies "Gettysburg" that was made a few years ago.The books is about as sharp as one can get when covering the horrors of war.The characterizations are very sharp as and the story telling from the beginning of the battle to after its end is about as accurate as it comes.Sometimes one can actually see the action and often it is disturbing.This novel should be required reading in High School and College history classes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1861-1865, Civil War    2. Civil War, 1861-1865    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Historical    5. Gettysburg (Pa.), Battle of, 1863    6. Historical - General    7. History    8. Literary    9. United States    10. War & Military    11. Fiction / Literary    12. General & Literary Fiction   

Reviews (3)

The last throes of the Civil War
Nicholas Lemann's book, "Redemption", which chronicles the turning points of Reconstruction, centers around the race struggles that occurred in Mississippi in 1874 and 1875 and his central character, a decorated Civil War hero cum governor of Mississippi, Adelbert Ames. It's a good book and a quick read.
Sean Wilentz
After reading Mr. Wilentz's review of this book in the New York Times, I can only conclude that the book's value lies in its review by Mr. Wilentz, who describes it as an "arresting piece of popular history," "uneven," and "simplisitc."I was about to buy Redemption until I read Wilentz's review.Given Mr. Wilentz's personal and cultural background, I can only encourage prospective readers of Redemption to forgo the book and read Mr. Wilentz's prize-winning offerings instead.

The Racists Win In Mississippi
Eric Foner in his "Reconstruction : America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877" (1988) wrote the definative account of the post-Civil War South. Mr. Lemann is focusing on one small rural state (Mississippi) in its struggles for racial equality during Reconstruction as opposed to Mr. Foner's big picture approach. In contrast to the images of vile carpetbaggers from "Gone with the Wind", it was southern whites terrorizing newly freed slaves to keep them from political power. The Union army was attempting to be the equalizer as it fought with the KKK, the White Line and other white supremacy groups. The author tends to idealize the Reconstruction politicians (like Adelbert Ames) and demonize the Southern whites (some of whom rightly earned demonization for their violence tactics). Still, it is a good read and a good story to know. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. African Americans    3. Civil rights    4. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - Histor    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History - U.S.    8. History: American    9. Segregation    10. Southern States    11. U.S. History - Civil War And Reconstruction (1860-1877)    12. U.S. Local History - Southern States    13. United States - Civil War    14. United States - Reconstruction Period (1865-1877)    15. United States - State & Local - General    16. United States - State & Local - South    17. Violence    18. History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)   

Editorial Review

Abraham Lincoln, who had worked as a riverboat pilot before turning to politics, knew a thing or two about the problems of transporting goods and people from place to place. He was also convinced that the United States would flourish only if its far-flung regions were linked, replacing sectional loyalties with an overarching sense of national destiny.Read more

Reviews (207)

a wonderful journey back in time
we loved this book - transported back to a time where our country was expanding - highly recommend

Very Well Written, Factual and Fulfilling!
Stephen Ambrose did a great job of explaining the complicated details that led to the miracle of the transcontinental railroad. Anyone who appreciates herculean feats and the web of intrigue surrounding their beginnings, eventual birth and their effect on our great country will love this story. A true five star book.

The Great race
An engrossing story about the companies and the men behind the building of the Railroad from Omaha to Sacramento. The US Government with its hands tied in the Civil war, sets up a competition between 2 private companies Union Pacific and the Central Pacific who start laying tracks from Omaho and Sacramento. The book details the progress through each state, with insight into the leaders and the workforce behind the construction. Then it reaches a fast pace once we enter Utah where the two tracks meet.
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Subjects:  1. 19th centurry    2. 19th century    3. Central Pacific Railroad Compa    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: American    7. Railroad construction workers    8. Railroads    9. Railroads - History    10. U.S. History - Civil War And Reconstruction (1860-1877)    11. United States    12. United States - 19th Century/Old West    13. United States - Civil War    14. United States - Reconstruction Period (1865-1877)    15. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    16. History / United States / General    17. Railway transport industries    18. Trains & railways: general interest    19. USA    20. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (8)

The Civil War: one battle at a time
Ed Bearss is a crown jewel of civil war history: As a historian, author and field guide. Fields of Honor views the Civil War through the lens of battlefield tours that Ed has conducted over the years. His unique perspectives are enjoyable just for reading or for one visiting a battlefield he so aptly describes. I have read the book twice sine purchasing earlier this year and it is a keeper.

The Dividers
Regrettably, I have not yet read this book as I have been too busy taking pictures. My photographs illustrate the cover and year dividers so I feel like I was as much a part of the production of this volume as was Ed Bearss.It took a long time to get this volume out, but in the final analysis I like the way the book looks. My pictures in this book show only a few of the battlefields I have shot but these images are among my favorites.

A 'must' for any avid Civil War student
FIELDS OF HONOR: PIVOTAL BATTLES OF THE CIVIL WAR is the first book gathered from Edwin Bearss' recordings of his battlefield tours, gathering the Civil War's history and offering details on fourteen pivotal battles throughout the war. Bearss has presents over six decades of battlefield study, and surveys strategies used by both sides: his is a fine survey which pairs over seventy black and white photos and nearly twenty maps with detailed descriptions of leaders, maneuvers, and conflicts. A 'must' for any avid Civil War student.
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Subjects:  1. 1861-1865, Civil War    2. Campaigns    3. Civil War, 1861-1865    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. History: American    7. Military    8. Military - United States    9. Military History - U.S. Civil War    10. United States    11. United States - Civil War    12. Civil war    13. History / Polar Regions    14. History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)    15. USA   

Reviews (19)

An Extraordinary Man
A powerful and reflective telling of what it means to live, not in the dualistic world of black and white, but in the reality of many shades of gray.Paul Rusesabagina was able to find and draw out the good that he knew to be in each person, offering even the most despicably behaving individual an opportunity to see beyond themselves.The Rwandan genocide is described in a broad historical and cultural context, including the role that the United States and Europe played in it.The shameful lack of response from the world powers speaks for itself and highlights even more clearly the courage, faith and power of individuals.The book provides a window into the family and community life in this country and reminds us of the influence that our choice of words and actions has.This would also be an excellent choice for a book club, HS or college course and is hightly recommended.

A must-read, even if you've read other books on the subject & seen "Hotel Rwanda"
Because I'd done all mentioned in my review title, I opted to borrow rather than purchase this book on the assumption that what few new tidbits I'd learn really wouldn't merit the expense. How wrong I was.Can't count the number of times I wished the book were mine so I could underline one of Mr. Ruseabagina'smemorable ways of seeing the situation and people in it.In explaining why he maintained contact with an old friend who became the vice-president of the group leading the massacre, for example, Ruseabagina wrote, "People are never completely good or completely evil.And in order to fight evil, you sometimes have to keep evil people in your orbit.Even the worst of them have their soft side, and if you can find and play with that part of them, you can accomplish a great deal of good.In an era of extremism, you can never afford to be an extremist yourself."The absence of braggadocio in this passage is characteristic of Ruseabagina and the story he tells, something else that is pretty astonishing, given what he did. I also thought he did a masterful job of explaining the history of Rwanda that led to the genocide.Finally, his description of his childhood home in a beautiful land is quite poetic. In sum, so well-written, informative and thought-provoking was the book that I'm buying a copy, rereading it and underlining the many things I truly do not want to forget.

Hardly ordinary
You know the story. But the history, background and thought processes added to other details, make this unforgetable. A modern hero. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa - History    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Civil War, 1994    7. Genocide    8. Historical - General    9. History    10. Human rights workers    11. Personal Memoirs    12. Prevention    13. Rebellion And Insurgency    14. Refugees    15. Rwanda    16. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Editorial Review

This beautifully written trilogy of books on the American Civil War is not only a piece of first-rate history, but also a marvelous work of literature. Shelby Foote brings a skilled novelist's narrative power to this great epic. Many know Foote for his prominent role as a commentator on Ken Burns's PBS series about the Civil War. These three books, however, are his legacy. His southern sympathies are apparent: the first volume opens by introducing Confederate President Jefferson Davis, rather than Abraham Lincoln. But they hardly get in the way of the great story Foote tells. This hefty three volume set should be on the bookshelf of any Civil War buff. Read more

Reviews (120)

America's War and Peace
My interest in history has been directed mostly at Russia. American history has never been that interesting to me. That changed when I read Foote's history of the Civil War. I had never read a history so rich, so beautifully written, so engrossing. This reads like the most satisfying kind of novel, the characters finely drawn, the plot compelling. That it isn't a novel at all only adds to its power. My anger at the stupidity and cruelty of some characters and the bad treatment of others, my sorrow over the deaths, and even my exultation over some of the victories (I was alternately rooting for both the North and the South, so strongly did Foote make me care for their respective soldiers and leaders) were all the stronger for knowing that they really lived. They could scarcely be more real to me had I met them.
Nobody does it better!
Shelby Foote created a masterpiece that assured his own place in history.Who can't think of the mini-series without thinking of Foote?Well, this is the work that got him his place in The Civil War and deservedly so.Many books have been written about the civil war from the perspectives of its actors, but none have been so evenly treated, nor so thorough.Fifty years old, it is still a relevant work and worth owning, in any form.

Live the Civil War... It's worth your time and effort
Even as an avid reader of US history, I'd read nothing about the Civil War before reading Foote's work.I was frankly intimidated by a topic that plenty of people spend their entire life studying.This spring, I finally tackled the Civil War and I jumped into the deep end by starting with Foote's 3-volume set.I couldn't be happier with my choice.
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Subjects:  1. 1861-1865, Civil War    2. Civil War, 1861-1865    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. History: American    6. United States    7. United States - Civil War    8. Civil war    9. History / General    10. USA   

Reviews (11)

Generals in Bronze
You will not be able to put this book down! It is not written in the word's of Bill Styple or even the artist James Kelly. He wrote down what civil war generals told him while he was sketching them long after the war. If you are interested in civil war history, it will blow your socks off!
Candid Conversations with Civil War Generals
This is one of the best books for candid and truthful conversations with Civil War Generals.This is archival quality and should be a must read for any student of Civil War military and social history.

GENERALS IN BRONZE
I highly recommend this book. Styple does an excellent job of editing James Kelly's notes and presents a picture of famous generals that is rarely seen. The general's views of each other were of particular interest. I think I will always remember that on the monument at Monmouth that actress Nell Starett posed for Molly Pitcher and that Thomas Edison posed for one of the gunners. These are facts that are little known. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History - U.S.    4. History / Military / United States    5. History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)    6. History: American    7. United States - Civil War    8. Army    9. Civil War, 1861-1865    10. Interviews    11. Personal narratives, American    12. Soldiers    13. Veterans   

Reviews (21)

For the layman's library as well as the expert's
If you--like this reader--want to be an educated newspaper reader and voter, then this book is worth the investment in time and money.Professional reviews indicate Amar's brilliance in the field of constitutional law, but that brilliance translates into a highy readable book.
For lawyers and scholars only
America's Constitution follows the US Constitution, from the soaring brillinace of the preamble, through article 7 and each of the amendments.Amar describes in depth the historical and political background of each section and explains what the drafters had intended, why it was written with the particular words and expressions that were used, and the intended and unintended consequences of the choices made by the framers.
great intro to the constitution
Amar explains in his postscript that his aim in writing this book was "to offer a comprehensive account of America's Constitution, introducing the reader both to the legal text (and its consequences) and to the political deeds that gave rise to that text." He has achieved this aim splendidly. This phrase-by-phrase guided tour through the document never fails to inform and provoke, whether or not one agrees with its author (and I don't always). It's also a very approachable book, in terms of both style and content. The knowledge base assumed here is considerable, but not forbidding: anybody with a good working knowledge of the Seven Articles and the better-known Amendments ought to be able to thread his way profitably through Amar's lucid and energetic narrative.
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Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional History    3. Constitutions    4. Legal Reference / Law Profession    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. U.S. History - Constitutional Period To Civil War (1789-1860)    9. United States    10. United States - General    11. Political Science / Constitutions   

Editorial Review

Published in 1988 to universal acclaim, this single-volume treatment of the Civil War quickly became recognized as the new standard in its field. James M. McPherson, who won the Pulitzer Prize for this book, impressively combines a brisk writing style with an admirable thoroughness. He covers the military aspects of the war in all of the necessary detail, and also provides a helpful framework describing the complex economic, political, and social forces behind the conflict. Perhaps more than any other book, this one belongs on the bookshelf of every Civil War buff. ... Read more

Reviews (149)

Excellent treatment of the war and its causes
Since its publication nearly 20 years ago, Professor McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom has enjoyed the status as the definitive single volume treatment of the Civil War.Over the years I have read Shelby Foote's great three part "Narrative History" and the three part Bruce Catton Civil War Trilogy, while those accounts are somewhat easier reads written with a novelist's touch, there is certainly much here to be admired.
Beyond the X's and O's
This Pulitzer Prize winning book is touted by many as the `best one-volume history of the Civil War'.McPherson's preview says that US history, and the Civil War in particular, are a tapestry of many economic, religious, and social issues and that his intent is to weave them all together into a hermeneutical lesson as opposed to a topical one, since they all interact. He also gives us some history leading up to the Civil War and some history following the Civil War, since there is no such thing as a vacuum in history. It is about the X's and O's of the battles of the Civil War, as well as the reasons why the Civil War was inevitable.