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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Keneally discovers "political correctness", November 25, 2002
Keneally has offered us a roller coaster of a biography of one of the most controversial American figures of the 19th Century. Dan Sickles rose from Tammany Hall politics in New York through a London posting to Congress. While a representative his lovely, but often abandoned, wife Teresa became involved with the widower son of the composer of the Star Spangled Banner, America's national anthem. Ignoring this heritage, Sickles slew Barton Keys on a Washington Sunday in view of several witnesses. After a bizarre trial, in which the then novel plea of "temporary insanity" was invoked, Sickles left the courtroom free of guilt. Almost fortuitously, the onset of the War Between the States allowed Sickles to redeem whatever reputation he lost. As one of the Union's "political generals" Sickles proved to be a popular and capable leader. Gettysburg, that icon of American military history, proved his salvation or disgrace according to which account you follow. Did he risk another Union defeat by ignoring his superior's orders? Keneally uses Teresa's lonely existence as the focal point of this biography. Although Sickles was hardly a paragon of virtue, Keneally is perplexed at his long-standing avoidance of Teresa. He muses over why Sickles kept separate habitation after the killing when Teresa clearly would have welcomed his return. Later, he mourns the lack of her presence at Sickles' various Army encampments when other generals had their wives visit, if for no other reason than troop morale. Meagher, a favourite of Keneally's, is held up in contrast. This Irish ex-convict's wife "Libby" graced the camp frequently. Libby, however, hadn't taken any lovers to arouse her husband's ire. Even after a thorough analysis of the mores of the times, Keneally can't forgive Dan Sickles failure to forgive. This book is strangely structured. Keneally provides a long build-up to the murder, then dwells over the details of the trial. No particular is overlooked, from the courtroom temperature to the malodorous spectators. Forced to limit his description of one lawyer's two day long presentation to eight pages, Keneally manages to convey the role of oratory in the United States at mid-19th Century. Sickles' role as a general is well-presented, but is over-focussed. Sickles' ability to deal with Mary Lincoln is given more space than military engagements or the war environment. As a biography, there is some rationale for this, but the reader best consult some other works for a fuller picture. The post-war years, with Sickles postings to the Reconstruction South and his escapades in Europe slide past rapidly. His bizarre second marriage and later life could use some analysis, no matter how far-fetched, but Keneally simply rambles through the known information and leaves the reader to work out the motivations. At the end, he frankly states the book was written in honour of Teresa's memory. An unusual approach, but one likely to find favour with today's audience.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Events Aplenty, But Not Much Insight, November 25, 2002
By A Customer
Keneally writes about Daniel Sickles in an engaging style that certainly captures the reader's attention. This reader must confess that he was, at times, guiltily amused by some of Sickle's exploits both amorous and political. But the most successful biographies of controversial or notorious figures in history are those that provide the most perceptive insights into the motivations and emotions of the subject and in this task Keneally falls short. Without question Daniel Sickles was one of those occasional personalities who manage to glide through life under a lucky star and, according to Keneally, without an iota of shame. Keneally also makes it abundantly clear that that the morality of the era and the political situation in New York and the young United States facilitated Sickles' rise to prominence and notoriety. After reading passage after passage describing Sickles' exploits,however, one comes away with little real understanding of the man or his motivations. Given some of Sickles'seemingly contradictory actions, it is difficult to simply accept corruption or misplaced loyalty to Tammany Hall politics as the principle motivators of this man. Several examples of the contradictory nature of the man appear throughout the book. Sickles' introduction of his prostitute-mistress to Queen Victoria of England is described as one of Sickles'early yet typical controversies. After reading of this gross breach of diplomatic protocol and good manners, the reader is almost forced to stop and ask "What on earth could have caused Sickles to do such a thing?" Even in this rambunctious period of US diplomacy, there might well have been serious ramifications to such an escapade. Yet, Keneally suggests that such was the charm of Daniel Sickles that Ambassador James Buchanan, the State Department, the President, and Her Majesty's Government more or less shrugged off the event as little more than a prank. Surely there was more to it than that and surely someone of Sickles' intelligence must have been aware of the great risk he was running, yet the book contains no real explanation as to why Sickles did what he did or why the US Government let him get away with it. Keneally spends a great deal of ink describing Sickles' support for the construction of Central Park in New York City. Again, a controversial action because most of the people that Keneally would have the reader believe Sickles cultivated were actually opposed to the creation of a park. Yet, Keneally writes that Sickles persisted. Again, the reader is forced to ask why Sickles would confront a number of his own patrons. Again, no satisfying explanation from Keneally. At Gettysburg,Sickles is numbingly heroic. This is not the usual behavior of "political generals" in that war. Why is Sickles different? Unfortunately, readers never really learn the answer to that question from this book. An insightful biography that skillfully addresses Sickles' contradictions, impulses, and personality combined with an analysis of the social events of the time would be a very interesting study indeed. Unfortunately, this isn't that book.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Wasted Effort, July 5, 2002
The author appears to be more interested in General Stickes' first wife than with the General. Read his biography on any of the many web pages and you realize what an extraordinary person he was. The author devotes the greatest part of the book to the murder of Barton Key. Once past this eiposode, he seems to run out of material. Little mention is made of the relationship that the General must have had with the various Presidents that he served, the extended time he spent in Spain, or his second marriage. Better than waste your time reading this book search the internet for the General. Read the obituary and editorial of the NY Times at the time of his death to get a contemporary feeling as to the statue of this man.
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