4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Early Bio on Longstreet: with all the Warts, January 18, 2004
This review is from: James Longstreet: Lee's War Horse (Hardcover)
This is one of the first bios on Longstreet going back to 1936 when the first edition was published. The subsequent second edition is graced with Gary Gallagher's introduction that is more balanced and gives you a better and fuller picture of Longstreet with the benefit of more recent research. The authors' writing is very good and presents all of Longstreets warts full bore and pretty much hang Gettysburg on his shoulders. But, the Gettysburg segment is not very balanced and the authors do not write very complimentary of Longstreet and are more than punishing. It is still an engaging book but oddly the authors wrote a complete book without foot notes so sources are missing. But still, the book gives you a reference point of what Longstreet's reputation was in the south in the 1930's, virtually a pariah in the south still. The high point of the book is Gallagher's introduction that in 1986 was up to date on a broader perspective that the authors do not give. A much friendlier more up to date book is Piston's classic.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Very Well Written Yet One Sided of the MAN., March 8, 2002
Although this book was very easy to read, excluding the very boring aspect of the Seven Days Campaign which was very hard to understand, the book made Longstreet seem like the bad man in every situation. This book even made Longstreet seem bad at Fredricksburg, quite possibly one of the greatest defensive stands ever. The authors clearly do not like Longstreet and show it throughout the book. However, I am a Longstreet and Civil War fanatic and I would still suggest you read this book just to get everyone's opinion on the controversy that is James Longstreet.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Read right after a visit to Gettysburg, February 1, 2006
I'm a fair student of the Civil War and read this book a week after making my first visit to Gettysburg. In all my years of reading about the War I had read of Longstreet, but, not a considerable amount about him. It finally occured to me that this wasn't from a lack of my reading, but, a lack of material. I picked this book up at my library to learn more about him.
Most of my impressions of him in general reading had been fairly positive. Particularly the "Killer Angels" portrayed him as Lee's discenting General, but, one that obediently obeyed. From other readings I had him listed as the Godfather of trench warfare of WWI.
This book really took that shine off his overall generalship, but, showed him as an EXCELLENT defensive tactician. If it was a defensive operation none was better. Other than that he is made out to be an extremely egotistical person who will sacrifice anything for his own glory. That sacrifice including his men, his army, others army's, and, his country he is fighting for. I'll need to read other sources to be sure this is true, but, this text definately changed my opinion.
I would have liked more detail on his life after the war. I briefly coves how he was a Republican and a friend of Grant, but, this part is a mere sketch at best. If the detail of troop movements can be covered for Chickamauga, then the last forty years of his life can be covered in more than one chapter.
Having personally walked Gettysburg and seen the terrain involved, I can only conclude that Lee was absolutely insane to keep attacking after the second day. The successes seen at this battle were made in spite of Lee's direction. Lee's men would have been justified in shooting him as they came back from Picketts charge. The Japanese Kamikazees were at least given upfront expectations of their mission.
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