Customer Reviews

From Sea to Shining Sea: From the War of 1812 to the Mexican War; The Saga of America's Expansion

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

 

 

This book is readable, intelligent and intellectual without being incomprehensible, and doesn't get bogged down in theory. In other words, not a book for professional historians, but for laypeople with a keen interest in American history. The main (really, only) flaw is that the book is badly mistitled. It does NOT tell the story of America's expansion, it narrates the US's three main conflicts betwen the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. This is minor, but irritating.

This book is a good introduction to the Wars Between the Revolution and the Civil War. Unfortunatly, it does not cover much of the rest of the "Expansion" story of the US as the title suggests.

The book is breezy, with interesting facts and stories. The author likes describing the personalities of those who make his history, but one suspects he takes a lot of "writer's license" with personality traits / reactions he probably does not have any sources for.

The book is best when shedding light on little known conflicts such as the Barbary War and the War of 1812. Also interesting, are the "early" indian wars of the south and midwest. These conflicts have long receeded into American Memory and it is difficult to find much describing what were at their times major influences on our policy and history.

The book is interesting the way a long magazine article is. You keep reading because it is an interesting story, but realize that there are gaps that if filled, would more completely tell the tale.

The author probably makes a good deal of inference about motives and states of mind with many of the sagas.

Ok, not great. Quick Read.

As the title suggests, this work covers the WARS fought between the Revolution and the Civil War, giving little regard to the political climate or social climate of these "expansion" times. Still, Robert Leckie presents a well written narrative that is useful to those who's expertise in American history does not cover this area. Not to be used for research and having questionable research documentation, this book is a good introduction to this era and the general reader as well as the amateur historian (again those not well-versed in this area) would do well to use this as a starting point.

Starting with the end of the Revolution, Leckie's narrative takes the reader to the beginnings of the War of 1812. Correctly assessing that conflict as one where the fledgling U.S. government exercises it's newly gained independence by confronting Great Britan over illegal naval impressments, Leckie covers this conflict in a largley episodic nature. Choosing to discuss the battles that were of prime importance only, we get little to no political or diplomatic perspective...indeed the Treaty of Ghent signaling the end of the War is largely forced upon the reader with little diplomatic buildup and the Louisiana Purchase is given relatively short shrift.

Leckie's success with this work is his ability to give short, concise but entirely comprehensive biographies of the major characters of the era. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Andrew Jackson, Tecumseh, James Monroe, Winfield Scott and Jean Laffite take center stage throughout the chapters that cover the War of 1812 and beyond. This portion of the book makes for good reading and further enforces Leckie's reputation as a historian/storyteller. Post war expansion and frontier fighting capably sets up the last half of the book, Texas Independence and the Mexican-American War.

Blaming the Texas Revolution on the absurd Mexican government policy of unabated immigration, Leckie discusses the causes and personalities that led to the famous struggles at the Alamo, Goliad and San Jacinto. The treacherous and manipulating Santa Anna leads the Mexican forces against the famous trio of William Travis, James Bowie and Davey Crockett at the Alamo and Leckie's narrative really stands out at this point. Converging the Texas Inedependence conflict succinctly into the larger Mexican-American War, Leckie brings to life such personalities as Zachary Taylor, James Knox Polk and a host of future Civil War leaders such as Robert E. Lee, Ulysses "Sam" Grant, and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. These chapters finally succeed in being comprehensive as the political as well as the military actions are well integrated as we follow the broad struggles from Texas to California culminating with the Mexican surrender outside Mexico City.

Robert Leckie's reputation as a broad-sweeping historian is further enhanced with "From Sea to Shining Sea". Notably lacking some important aspects that would make this work more cohesive, Leckie nontheless succeeds in bringing this little covered era in U.S. history to light. Well written and pleasing to read, the reader gains some remarkable insight into this period and should use this as the starting point for further study.

When I was thirteen years old my dad had me read this book. Though I began reluctantly, by the time I finished I could not get enough of this book. It takes you from the very end of the Revoulutionary War right up to the end of the Mexican War. Filling a gap this large in a book only 623 pages long is surley a feat worth celebrating. Full of interesting facts, ranging from the splitting of Captain Hull's pants durring a battle with the English Ship Guerriere to the origin of Major General Andrew Jackson's scar, as well as very accurate information, it is deffinitly my favourite book that I have read in the two years that I have been reading History. I would recommend this, and any of the many other books that he has written.

this is the most excellent 628 page book i have read. not a word was wasted in the content. it is consistantly exciting reading throughout the book, whether you're interested in the time period or not. if all Leckie's books are this wonderful he's found a new reader.

This is a pretty well written book that covers the period of time from the War with the Barbary Pirates to the War of 1812 to the Mexican War. Thus, the book's title is immediately somewhat obscure--since it doesn't start with the War of 1812! In addition, the first two chapters bridge the key battle at Yorktown to the Louisiana Purchase to President Jefferson's decision not to pay tribute to the Barbary pirates. I could not really find the purpose of this book in those early chapters. Still and all, a decent volume.

The first substantive part (Listed as Part II in the Table of Contents) focuses on the American struggle with the Barbary Pirates. The chapters within this segment of the book trace the arc from Jefferson's decision not to pay tribute to the American efforts to suppress threats to American interests and shipping by the pirates. The chapters show the trials (capture of an American ship and its crew) and the triumphs (Decatur's successes and the shores of Tripoli).

Next, the War of 1812. From impressment of Americans by the British fleet, to conflict with native Americans (including the Battle of Tippecanoe) to futile efforts to invade Canada to the Creek War to the sacking of Washington by the English to the Battle of New Orleans (fought after the signing of a peace treaty to end the war!!).

Part IV features the Mexican War. The first part of this section looks at the background, including the efforts by Texans to declare independence, followed by defeats by Texans at the Alamo and Golead--concluding with Houston's defeat of Mexican leader Santa Anna. After Texan Independence, maneuvering began. Ultimately, the United States moved to add Texas to its territory, culminating in the Mexican War. Here, the tale is told, first, of Zachary Taylor's victories in the north and, then, Winfield Scott's advance on Mexico City after an amphibious assault. Finally, the successful military victory by the outnumbered American forces.

Much as it began, without a sense of what this work is about, it seems to end in the middle of things. What did these years really mean? How do we make sense of the different events that took place?

From Sea to Shining Sea is the second or third Leckie I have read. Some readers believe him to be too basic while others like his writing style. Personally, I am in the latter category. While a life-long fan of American history, I prefer the writing style of a Leckie over the dry writing style you would find in many college textbooks.

While the reader can argue with some of Leckie's conclusions, he definitely writes in a style that holds the reader's interest.

From Sea to Shining Sea covers the period from the Barbary War (just before the War of 1812) to the period just after the Mexican War (late 1840s). Throughout the book interesting descriptions of several characters, including politicians (Monroe, Polk, Jackson, Madison, Jefferson, etc.) and military officers (Jackson again, Taylor, Scott, Decatur, etc.) and battles of the War of 1812 and the Mexican War.

I heartily recommend From Sea to Shining Sea as an excellent introduction to American history from the early 1800s to the late 1840s - peroid that is often overlooked because of the Civil War, Revolutionary War, World War 2, Vietnam War, and other periods.

While I'm sure there are other more detailed and scholarly books out there, Leckie's book is a great introduction. Read and enjoy.

Very few books cover our nation's Manifest Destiny as well as this one does. Robert Leckie is at his absolute best.

Starting at the end of the American Revolution and continuing through the close of the Mexican War, Leckie covers every aspect of our nation's territorial expansion. War with the Barbary Pirates, the War of 1812, the Louisiana Purchase, the impact of Texas Independence and its subsequent annexation are all covered in complete detail.

Written in Leckie's straight forward, hurried, rushing style, this is a book that definitely will not disappoint. It is a pleasure to read and, if you are like me, it is a book you will enjoy more than once.

This is a good work of history dealing with the conflicts in America between The War of 1812 and he Civil War. It is not intended to be a History Text book and does not cover all aspects of American History from 1812 to 1865. It covers good topics on pretty much a topic by topic basis. Basically, it appears that Mr. Leckie picked like the top 10 topics he liked about American History from 1812 to the civil war and wrote about those. And since it is written for the general reader, it does not have a lot of footnotes. That all being said, I still love this book. Mainly because it deals with a lot of things that get short shrift inAmerican History classes in high schools and colleges. Things like the Indian Wars with Tecumseh (which most Americans would just think of as William T. Shermans middle name if American History classes were anything to go by.) and the war with Mexico and how this lead up to some aspects of the Civil War.

In other words, it is geared for somebody who knows something about American history but is looking to fill some key gaps that were never met by the Educational system (which pretty much seemsAmerican history and the Revolution, Civil War and Two World Wars followed by a Cold War with a little extra thrown in for color and mood.)

Don't come here thinking you will learn all there is to know. But then, never go to any book thinking you will learn everything.

I have read with great appreciation this book by career soldier and historian, General John Eisenhower. I had previously read and also have specific books on the Mexican War and the predecossor Texas Rebellion. The issue simply stated is "Who will steal the lands of the Native Peoples, Weak corrupt Mexico or Strong, corrupt United States?"
Currently, Mexico is reconquering the Southwest, which is a natural event in the history of "civilization". This book, which is a thorough military and political history should be part of the "normal" high school and college education of all young United States citizens, if only to remind them that the SouthWest and California were stolen, not from the Mexican who were colonizers, but from the Native Peoples.