Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Stonewall Jackson, Jeb Stuart, William Sherman, George McClellan, George Armstrong Custer—these and many other great generals who fought on both sides of the Civil War had one thing in common: they were all graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. This is the fascinating story of friendships formed during cadet life that somehow endured through the bitter conflict that divided the nation. Through failure and triumph, West Point Blue and Gray reveals the skill, daring, and character displayed by the West Point graduates as they waged war against each other. The book continues beyond the last shot fired, and reveals their efforts in rebuilding the country.
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About the Author
Thomas Fleming is a New York Times bestselling author who is one of America's most respected living historians. He has written numerous books on American history and appeared on many television historical documentaries.
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"How do you write a book?" 24 year old Thomas Fleming asked bestselling writer Fulton Oursler in 1951. "Write four pages a day," Oursler said. "Every day except Sunday. Whether you feel like it or not. Inspiration consists of putting the seat of your pants on the chair at your desk." Fleming has followed this advice to good effect. His latest effort, "The Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers," is his 50th published book. Twenty three of them have been novels. He is the only writer in the history of the Book of the Month Club to have main selections in fiction and in nonfiction. Many have won prizes. Recently he received the Burack Prize from Boston University for lifetime achievement. In nonfiction he has specialized in the American Revolution. He sees Intimate Lives as a perfect combination of his double talent as a novelist and historian. "Novelists focus on the imtimate side of life. This is the first time anyone has looked at the intimate side of the lives of these famous Americans, with an historian's eyes." Fleming was born in Jersey City, the son of a powerful local politician. He has had a lifetime interest in American politics. He also wrote a history of West Point which the New York Times called "the best...ever written." Military history is another strong interest. He lives in New York with his wife, Alice Fleming, who is a gifted writer of books for young readers.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Book About Heroes,
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This review is from: WEST POINT BLUE AND GRAY (Paperback)
West Point: Blue and Gray is an enjoyable, faced-paced read. More hagiography than biography, it highlights the personalities and deeds of some of the Civil War's greatest and most famous soldiers. Lee's grace and genius, Grant's sternness and single-mindedness, Stuart's flamboyance, Custer's daring, all these and more are illustrated in this little book. The one thing all these men have in common is that they attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Fleming's style is anecdotal, and he flits from one story to the next. He doesn't capture the horrors of the war, but that isn't his goal. He is writing about heroes and legends and he is telling a story that is not about the war but that is ultimately about the reconciliation. Fleming's argument is that the bonds grown at West Point were ultimately stronger than the battles the men fought over four years in the Civil War. This book may simplify the truth, but it does justice to the myth of the Civil war.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting Perspective but Contains Errors,
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This review is from: WEST POINT BLUE AND GRAY (Paperback)
The description of personal relationships between civil war generals built from their west point years adds to my understanding of the American Civil War, a subject matter I got interested in only one year ago. This book provides an interesting perspective that weaves a web of connections between familiar names.
Unfortunately, I was able to spot a few editing mistakes and factual errors even though I am relative new in civil war reading and reading this book casually. This, in addition to author's anecdotal style of story telling, made me wonder how much reliance I should give the stories told. Certainly I don't doubt the hard work by the author, it's just these defects is a little unsettling. In any case, it's a short read and the knowledge gained is efficient comparing to time spent.
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