Customer Reviews

Custer

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I very much enjoyed the book,It was alittle long winded in some areas,but for most part very welly researched, documented, and told.It cleared up many misconceptions i had about custer and the battle of little bighorn.I would recommend it to anyone who likes history.

Jeffery Wert has proven once again that he is an excellent Civil War historian and that is part of the problem with The
Controversial Life of George Armstrong Custer.

After a cursory swipe at Custer's pre-civil war life, Wert devotes the majority of his book to the Civil War. Not Custer, but the Civil War, battle after battle in incredible detail. Page after page. Major or minor battle, it matters little. Custer's involvement? Sometimes important, most times not. For a Civil War buff (I plead innocent) I imagine this book is a treasure. For a Custer buff (guilty), I would love to have seen the detail devoted to meaningless battles to events in Custer's life such as the day Custer shot his own horse out from under him while chasing buffalo, a silly but telling event in Custer's western life.

Wert's biography of the flamboyant soldier, who has become
more of a symbol in the 20th Century than a genuine person,
is highly objective, addressing both the positive aspects
of Custer's personality and career and also the negative
side. In examining the numerous controversies and charges
which surround the memory of George Custer, Wert carefully
presents the evidence pro and con and renders a judicious
conclusion. The book is balanced between Custer's early
career with its extraordinary successes during the Civil
War and his life after the end of that war, when he was
faced by challenges worse than those of a Virginia
battlefield. Through strong, unembellished prose, Wert
builds a well-rounded portrait of a soldier and a man,
neither without flaw nor yet the caricature that he has
become in recent decades.

The best review of Custer I've read. Better than Monaghan's read. A must read for those interested in his life.

This book incorporates many of the rather recent findings by Gray and others into a well told narrative. Wert "broke new ground" for me, by threading the begining of the division among Custer's officers into two camps, all the way back to the Civil War. Benteen served as a Lt. Col. under Custer's rival, Gen. James Wilson. Benteen carries the rivalry into their first meeting and it is reemphasized throughout their almost 10-year association. The chapters between the Civil War and the Little Big Horn add texture and dimension to the story. Wert quotes from some naughty letters to Libbie to demonstrate their genuine affection. While Wert's treatment of Custer's final battle may have differed with one reviewer, his assessment of Custer in the final paragraph of the Court-Martial chapter is harsh, accurate, and no "white wash" I like Gray for facts and Wert for flavor.

This was my first autobiography to read about the life of Custer and it was well worth the time spent reading it.
Mr Wert's research was very extensive so he was able to bring to light some fasinating things about Custer's life, and particularly his love affair with his wife Libbie.
If there is a negative about this book it is the great amount of time spent covering the Civil War battles, but the Civil War is Mr Wert's area of expertise and I do enjoy reading about that period of American History.
Both the positives and the negatives are discussed about this very controversal figure leaving the reader to decide for himself what history will ultimately have to say about George Armstrong Custer.

Jeffry Wert's biography on George Custer adds another book on already heavy load on this historical military leader whose main claim to fame was that he got himself and his command wiped out by the Indians. Wert's book proves to be well written, nicely researched and very readable. But I think Wert feel bit too sympathetic toward his subject, mildly whitewashing many of Custer's gross sins both as a man and as a commander. Outside of that, the book doesn't add much to the Custer lore. For novice Custer reader this would be a good start (first of many). For veteran Custer reader, it won't add much more then what you already know so you can let your money make your decision on if this book is worth your while.