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emilybryk's review against another edition
4.0
Largely excellent, meticulously done.
My only issue is that, once the war begins, we occasionally (often?) fall into the Civil War Book trap of devoting more time to movements of troops and battle maps than to the actions of the person the book is actually about. I think that, for lots of big time Civil War buffs, this is really the core anyway, so maybe it's not even a flaw, but I'm here for the biographical, rather than the battle-analysis, aspect.
My only issue is that, once the war begins, we occasionally (often?) fall into the Civil War Book trap of devoting more time to movements of troops and battle maps than to the actions of the person the book is actually about. I think that, for lots of big time Civil War buffs, this is really the core anyway, so maybe it's not even a flaw, but I'm here for the biographical, rather than the battle-analysis, aspect.
lindasdarby's review against another edition
3.0
I have been reading this book for over 2 weeks and I am on page 60. It is really interesting and really well written but the truth is I am just not that interested in every single battle and strategic move made in the civil war. I am interested in the people and the stories but the strategies not so much. I would really like to finish the book but I think it might take me an entire year it is so dense. So I am giving up which pains me to be honest.
tarmstrong112's review against another edition
4.0
Fairly interesting look at the life of Stonewall Jackson. I found the book easy to understand and the writing enjoyable. I did not like the formatting of the narrative however. There are two points where the narrative shifts into the past to explore Jackson's upbringing and early years. I wish the narrative had just been presented linearly. However, I felt it was a balanced account of Jackson's life and I am glad I read it and was able to learn more about the man, his life and his career.
wellejj's review against another edition
4.0
Every time I read about the Civil War, I always wonder how the North actually ends up winning. I mean, granted the North has more troops and more industry and it kinda seems like a foregone conclusion, but then you get into it and Lincoln is in a never ending game of general roulette, complete with giving notorious wuss/bitch George McClellan chance after chance despite the fact that McClellan uses every excuse in the book not to attack.
But that's a diatribe for another day.
After this, I'm fairly convinced that the South was doomed from the second Stonewall dies. The man was a galvanizing figure with a military mind ahead of his time. It takes a special breed in war to be respected by both sides, and yet Jackson was able to do so (and it's well deserved). This book does a great job of highlighting Jackson's Civil War days along with providing insight into the man himself. A very interesting read.
And seriously. McClellan sucks.
But that's a diatribe for another day.
After this, I'm fairly convinced that the South was doomed from the second Stonewall dies. The man was a galvanizing figure with a military mind ahead of his time. It takes a special breed in war to be respected by both sides, and yet Jackson was able to do so (and it's well deserved). This book does a great job of highlighting Jackson's Civil War days along with providing insight into the man himself. A very interesting read.
And seriously. McClellan sucks.