Customer Reviews

Douglas Southall Freeman

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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.

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!

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

Johnson, a lawyer by training, wrote this book with the enthusiastic support of Freeman's eldest daughter; and although it's not a hagiography, Johnson is clearly sympathetic to the Pulitzer-prizewinning biographer of Robert E. Lee and George Washington. Johnson has done a fine job of research, and his writing is, at its worst, workmanlike.

Nevertheless, the author might have quickened the pace with no loss of understanding if he had cut many of the quotations and reduced the book's length by say, a fourth. Freeman's workaholic writing habits are both astonishing and a bit scary, but his political positions, overseas trips, and friendships with important people are fairly humdrum, and do not require the space that Johnson has given them.

One aspect of Freeman's life might have been more deeply explored: his religion. There is a seeming conflict between the devout Baptist and long-time Sunday school teacher who maintained a personal chapel, and the man who confessed near the life of his life that he did not believe in immortality. (337)