Sickles the Incredible: A Biography of General Daniel Edgar Sickles [Hardcover]

W. A. Swanberg (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 433 pages
• Publisher: Stan Clark Military Books (December 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 187966402X
• ISBN-13: 978-1879664029
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,623,682 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Incredible Life, May 18, 2002

By 

Max H. Moen (Chicago, IL.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sickles the Incredible: A Biography of General Daniel Edgar Sickles (Hardcover)

There are few characters in history, let alone American Civil War Generals, as controversial as Daniel Sickles. That his story remains so obscure defies explanation.

W.A. Swanbergs book opens with perhaps the most notorious chapter in Sickless long life, the killing of his wifes paramour in the shadow of the White House and the first use of the temporary insanity defense in American jurisprudence.

I expected the remainder of this book to be anticlimactic and was gratefully disappointed. Swanberg is admittedly an exuberant fan of Sickles, perchance affording him more credit than his due, but the amazing facts of his life seem to deserve more attention than other historians have provided. A man of obvious contrasts, Sickles was a Tammany Hall politician who made it his duty to bring down Jay Gould and his cohorts because he loathed their corruption. The confidant of many presidents who presented his prostitute/mistress to the court of Queen Victoria and the Civil War General who is given equal credit for winning and losing the battle of Gettysburg.

Though somewhat dated, especially in its respectful treatment of someone who doesnt always deserve it, there simply isnt a more entertaining or complete depiction of Sickles incredible life.

5.0 out of 5 stars Sickles, June 29, 2011

By 

Peggy Annis (LUCAS, OH, US) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Sickles the Incredible: A Biography of General Daniel Edgar Sickles (Hardcover)

This book is about one of my husbands relatives. He was a real scoundrel but did alot for our country during the Civil War. A great book to read and the author keeps you entertained.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars SICKLES --MORE THAN INCREDIBLE, October 10, 2007

By 

Barrie W. Bracken "Researcher" (Daytona Beach, FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sickles the Incredible: A Biography of General Daniel Edgar Sickles (Hardcover)

ONE BIOGRAPHER OF DANIEL SICKLES THINKS "INCREDIBLE" IS TOO KIND A WORD FOR THIS POLITICIAN/GENERAL. AS A GENERAL HE RANKS WITH MOST OF THE POLITICAL GENERALS OF THE CIVIL WAR--POOR AT BEST. THE MOST INTERESTING FEATURE OF SICKLES LIFE IS HIS POLITIAL AND PERSONAL LIFE AND THIS AREA SWANBURG RELATES VERY, VERY WELL. SICKLES TRIAL FOR THE MURDER IN LAFAYETTE PARK OF FRANCIS SCOTT KEYE'S SON FOR SEX WITH MRS. SICKLES IS THE MOST FASCINATING. SICKLES WAS SUCH A FOREMOST POLITICIAN THAT HIS DEFENSE ATTORNEY WAS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES. HIS TRIAL MAY HAVE SET THE PRECEDENT FOR THE NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY PLEA. THE BOOK OFFERS A VIEW OF THE POLITICAL MACHINES IN THEANTEBELLUM AND WAR YEARS, AND LEANS SOMEWHAT TOO FAVORABLY TOWARD DAN SICKLES. HOWEVER, IT IS STILL A BOOK WELL WORTH READING AND HAVING FOR PROFESSIONAL HISTORIANS AND THE READING PUBLIC.