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Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South

Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South

  • Downloads：3370
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2023-11-14 13:21:50
  • Update Date：2025-09-08
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Elizabeth Varon
  • ISBN：1982148276
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

JoAnne McMaster （Any Good Book） ，

I have to say that I love anything at all to do with the American Civil War。 This is because I married a man who grew up close to Gettysburg， and once I went to the battlefield， I was in awe。 Not only because of what I saw there， but because of the history that it tells。 Since then， I have collected hundreds of books on the war， and many of them are biographies。 However， this is the first one of Longstreet that I have read， and I have always wondered why no one has written anything -- until now。 I have to say that I love anything at all to do with the American Civil War。 This is because I married a man who grew up close to Gettysburg， and once I went to the battlefield， I was in awe。 Not only because of what I saw there， but because of the history that it tells。 Since then， I have collected hundreds of books on the war， and many of them are biographies。 However， this is the first one of Longstreet that I have read， and I have always wondered why no one has written anything -- until now。The author gives us a complete history of this general， and how he came to be who he was in his later years。 As a southern gentleman， he went into the war with illusions， but came out with reality。 He was seriously wounded during the earlier Mexican-American war。 He came out of that with many accolades。He was both a friend of Ulysses S。 Grant and Robert E。 Lee。 General Lee called him "The Old War Horse。" and he was a close confidant。 Perhaps if Lee had listened to Longstreet's warnings， the battle at Gettysburg may have gone differently; but we will never know。 While he began as a Democrat he later changed to a Republican， and this book details the reasons why。 He came to know that slavery was wrong， and tried to do the right thing as he aged。This biography is detailed and done with great research; although somewhat dry at times， it is still worth the read， and not too hefty of a tome （weighing in at 480 pages）; it has given me a new understanding of the man and both his personal and professional life。 Indeed， it stands well with other military biographies that I have read。 Even those who revile the Confederates should understand that it was a different time with different mores。 The writing is done very well， and the author has done herself proud。 Highly recommended。I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher but it in no way influenced my review。 。。。more

Brendan Dowd （History Nerds United） ，

Great biographies need to have two things。 First， a balanced view of the subject which avoids painting them as either all hero or all villain。 Second， an excellent writer who knows how to be engaging while doing this because let's be honest， being thorough and fair can be boring！ Longstreet is an excellent example of a great biography。 I was engaged; I learned a lot; and I feel like I finished it with a better understanding of all aspects of James Longstreet。Longstreet was a Civil War general （f Great biographies need to have two things。 First， a balanced view of the subject which avoids painting them as either all hero or all villain。 Second， an excellent writer who knows how to be engaging while doing this because let's be honest， being thorough and fair can be boring！ Longstreet is an excellent example of a great biography。 I was engaged; I learned a lot; and I feel like I finished it with a better understanding of all aspects of James Longstreet。Longstreet was a Civil War general （for the wrong side）。 By all accounts， he was exceptional， at least for the first part depending on which side you are on。 After the Civil War， Longstreet turned traitor （again！） by becoming a Republican。 He had a long career which does not neatly fit into a narrative。 Did he become more open minded to Black people？ Yes。 Did he believe in full blown equality？ Eh， not really。 These consistent inconsistencies make Longstreet absolutely fascinating to a nerd like me。 He went from general to politician with the expected growing pains。 Some of his Confederate compatriots later decided the South lost the war because of him。 It all becomes quite messy。 This is where author Elizabeth Varon's style and eye for detail is so exceptional。 She never lets the narrative slow down while explaining both sides of these arguments。 She appreciates Longstreet's evolution but does not make him a better man than he actually is。 If you have any interest in the Civil War or just good biography， then this is a must read。（This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Simon & Schuster。） 。。。more