CUSTER: The Controversial Life of George Armstrong Custer [Hardcover]

Jeffry D. Wert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 1996

In a stunning biography of one of America's mythic figures--the first in four decades to examine Custer's complete life--Jeffry Wert answers the central question of Custer's life: How did an officer who enjoyed the unquestioning loyalty of his Civil War troops come to be reviled by many of the soldiers who served under him on the Plains? of photos.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The outlines of Custer's life are familiar to all: After graduating last in his class at West Point, he rose to become the Union's youngest general on the strength of his flamboyance and military genius. Next came 12 years of checkered service in the American West, ending with the famous massacre at Little Bighorn. The most interesting unanswered question about Custer has less to do with his history than ours--why, more than a century later, are we so captivated by the man and his story? Wert believes the answer lies in the fact that Custer is a "symbol of the nation's guilt over its sad history of continental conquest."

From Publishers Weekly

Like a cavalry charge led by its celebrated subject, fast on the heels of Louise Barnett's Touched by Fire (Forecasts, Apr. 15) comes a second, even finer Custer bio from Wert (General James Longstreet) based on a broad spectrum of archival research and recent scholarship. Wert's Custer is eager for glory and greatness. At one time the Union's youngest general, Custer found both during the Civil War by establishing an unsurpassed record as a cavalry officer. He also made many enemies because of his flamboyant personal style, but his exuberant self-confidence carried him so far between 1861 and 1865 that, Wert contends, he saw no reason to change in the different environment of the postwar frontier army. According to the author, Custer resisted maturity and understood neither himself nor his new enemies, the Plains Indians. Custer took personal and professional risks, Wert shows, because he was most alive living on the edge. At the Little Bighorn, he took one set of chances too many. Like Barnett, Wert offers a sensitive reading of the Custers' marriage, which Barnett sees in the context of gender relations and which Wert limns as a 19th-century love story. Wert's work outshines Barnett's in its comprehensiveness, however, particularly in its treatment of Custer's military experiences. His Custer is at once hero and victim, archetype and original, and consistently compelling. Photos not seen by PW. History Book Club main selection; BOMC alternate selection.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1ST edition (June 12, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684810433
• ISBN-13: 978-0684810430
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #530,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for the person looking for just 1 book on Custer, September 30, 2004

By 

B. Morris (Raytown, Missouri United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Custer (Paperback)

Jeffry Wert has done a wonderful job here in covering the life of one of the more controversial Generals in American history. The book is comprehensive and covers Custer from his early days as a boy (and for a short time, school teacher) in the midwest through West Point, the Civil War, his days in Kansas and finally his famous and final battle at Little Big Horn.

This book is a perfect fit for anyone who is interested in Custer but doesn't want to read 3 or 4 different books on the man. Yes, there are books out there that cover his life in the Civil War more in depth or that deal with Little Big Horn more but for those new to Custer and want a good overview of the man in one volume, this is perfect.

One thing I like about Wert is he's very balanced on Custer. We read in Wert's book about the man, his triumphs and some of his not so shining moments. Custer had great success during the Civil War and was highly thought of by his fellow commanders for both his courage and skills. He truly was one of the great calvary commanders of the Civil War.

At the same time Wert recounts some not so shining moments like Custer's attempt to trump his commanders at Appomattox by crossing the lines and trying to bluff Longstreet into surrendering the Army of Northern Virginia to him (Longstreet in short told Custer to buzz off). It also frankly deals with Custer's court martial at Fort Leavenworth where Wert does not excuse Custer's actions that landed him in hot water.

Wert really did a nice job on the research. At the same time Wert is a talented writer with a style that is easy and enjoyable to read. If you are looking for one book to read about Custer, this would be a good choice.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An epic book about an epic life, August 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Custer (Paperback)

I completely enjoyed this book. I have read it twice and keep a copy for reference. Mr. Wert tells an exciting story of possibly the most maligned military leader in American history. The reader gets a feel of what the real Custer was. Not a super-hero of the wild west and not the evil egomanic that has been put forth by some revisionist. Custer was above all a solider doing his duty and except for one fatal day in June 1876, he did it better than most. Great job Mr. Wert.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A well documented, and balanced look at an American hero, November 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Custer (Paperback)

I knew little about George Custer before reading Mr. Wert's book. I found it to be a well documented, balanced, but limited view of Custer's life and career. Wert provides a view of Custer that is different from the traditional found in average text books. This is the story of a fearless, and courageous American Cavalryman who possessed the traditional qualities that make a great military leader. It also tells the story of a man who has faults and vices like any other. What pleased me most about the book was the extensive documentation effort put forth by Mr. Wert, and the fact that he would always tell the reader whenever he was making an assumption that was not based on tangible documentation. I believe this is a must read for anyone wanting to learn about George Custer, especially his military experiences.