A review by badbrad002
The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson

4.0

I really enjoy Erik Larson books, and this one gives a thorough and surprising look into the build-up to the American Civil War. Sides and beliefs and geographies were not at all as clear-cut as they are often thought to be --and the tale is especially prescient in the midst of today's divided and combative politics. There are a lot of details and unlike in most of his previous books, the narrative does not follow a single individual's account but rather, jumps around from person to person; perhaps this offers a more well-rounded perspective, but it can make it a little confusing as well!