Courage and Country: James Shields: More Than Irish Luck [Paperback]

John Callan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2, 2004

Courageand Country is a psycho-biographical study of General James Shields, and histimes, written by psychiatrist-journalist Dr. Sean Callan,after five years of in depth research in Ireland and America.¿ Shields, anoff-the-boat Irishman, was elected U.S. Senator from three different states,was the only commander to defeat Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson in opencombat, was a State Supreme Court Justice who advanced women's rights, wasdescribed as "a knight-errant who lived too late," was one of the few nineteenthcentury national figures accepted equally on both sides of the Mason-Dixondivide, and was a man who crossed swords figuratively and almost literally withAbraham Lincoln, the US President. Courageand Country, depicting American history from a different perspective, includesa reinterpretation of the psychological motivations underlying theswords-in-hand face off between Shields and Lincoln on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River in 1842.¿ Theinescapable conclusion is that the near duel resulted more from passion over awoman than politics.¿ Shields proved timeand again that persistence pays off.¿ Hisamazing achievements did not spring merely from luck; they resulted from doggeddetermination and time-tested techniques that still apply today.¿ How Shields succeeded is spelled out in thisriveting account of life, politics, intensity and inspiration on the Americanfrontier.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr.J. P. Sean Callan is a psychiatrist-journalist whograduated from the National University of Ireland, former U.S. correspondent Irish Medical Times, former clinicalassistant professor of psychiatry Chicago Medical School, and former contributing editor Journal of theAmerican Medical Association.¿ Dr. Callan served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam and retired from the Air Force Reserve with the rankof Colonel.¿ Dr. Callan'splays The Day Room and The Sixteenth Man have been produced in Chicago and, Hearthstone was a winner at Tara Circle, New York.¿ Dr. Callan's booksinclude Your Guide to Mental Health and The Physician, A Professional Under Stress.¿ Courageand Country is Dr. Callan's first historicalbiography.¿ Dr. Callanand his wife Clair live in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse; illustrated edition edition (February 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1410788954
• ISBN-13: 978-0975935101
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,022,592 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courage and Country, March 27, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Courage and Country: James Shields: More Than Irish Luck (Paperback)

This book gives a good overview of the life of a very successful immigrant who has disappeared into the pages of history. It also provides a historical perspective of the US during James Shields life with some different information on the early days of Abraham Lincoln's political career. An easy way to remind yourself of history you may have forgotten.