Douglas Southall Freeman [Hardcover]

David Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 30, 2002

Douglas Southall Freeman (1886-1953) won two Pulitzer Prizes for his biographies R. E. Lee and George Washington; he also edited the Richmond News Leader, made twice-daily radio news broadcasts, and taught journalism at Columbia University.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

David E. Johnson serves as senior counsel to the attorney general of Virginia. He graduated from the College of William and Mary and the T. C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond. He lives with his wife, Holly, and their three children in Midlothian, Virginia.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing; 1St Edition edition (April 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589800214
• ISBN-13: 978-1589800212
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,527,683 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, October 2, 2002

By 

Richard G. Williams, Jr. "Gentle Blood" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Douglas Southall Freeman (Hardcover)

David Johnson has done us all a great favor by finally writing a biography of the most amazing "Doc" Freeman. The son of a Confederate soldier, Douglas Southall Freeman's life is a study in self-discipline and perseverance. Freeman was a man who crammed 4 careers into one life - Pulitzer (One for the biography of General Lee and one post-humously for George Washington) winning author, newspaper editor, teacher and broadcaster. Ever since learning of Freeman many years ago, I'd wondered why no biography had ever been written of him. Freeman was a man that was faithful to his calling, to serving his fellow man and to serving his God. The book should be in every history lover's library. ~ Richard G. Williams, Jr., editor of "The Maxims of Robert E. Lee" to be released in November.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read on a Fascinating Person!, October 3, 2004

By 

Michael Taylor "Michael Taylor" (Indian Trail NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Douglas Southall Freeman (Hardcover)

The author grabs the reader's attention at the very beginning of the book when describing Freeman's daily schedule (typically from 2:30 am - 8:30 pm), a schedule that would tire the typical person after only a few days.

Johnson reveals Freeman's interesting background as the son of a Confederate soldier whose interest in writing about history was conceived at a gathering of Confederate veterans at the Battle of the Crater in Petersburg, Virginia years after the Civil War ended. The author includes the excellent relationships Freeman enjoyed with his family (with the exception of his son), newspaper associates, academic peers, and other areas of his interesting life. These revelations personify the definition of a true Southern gentleman! I might add too - Freeman was also a vocal and determined opponent of racism.

I was particularly inspired by the author's description of Freeman's extremely disciplined (though not necessarily always rigid) life. While Freeman had a fulfilling and extremely busy life and was often away from his family, he did manage to spend time with them when possible.

An excellent and highly enjoyable read of the eminent biographer of Robert E. Lee and George Washington. Highly recommended!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed reading this biography, March 29, 2007

By 

David J. Dante, Jr. (Warren, New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Douglas Southall Freeman (Hardcover)

I highly recommend this book. It's easy to read, well researched and balanced. It belongs on the bookshelf of every Civil War Buff.