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When Philosophers Were Kings (Hardcover)

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Based on the true story of a Wisconsin family drawn into the dramatic and dangerous events of the American Civil War, When Philosophers Were Kings by former military intelligence analyst Steven M. Best is a powerful novel of two men, both educated in the philosophy of Plato, who must confront the horrors of the American conflict that pitted brother against brother. An impressively written Civil War saga of dilemmas, both physical and spiritual, ruthless conflicts and unforgiving tolls, When Philosophers Were Kings is thoroughly entertaining and will linger in the mind and imagination of the reader long after the novel is finished and placed back upon the shelf.

Sagas of the Civil War continue to abound. This novel has a most unique twist in that is is based largely on the experiences of a family, as taken from period family letters and other research. While many novels are produced from growing and building on an idea, this novel is constrained to the experience of the Best family, a group of Wisconsin River valley pioneers. In the 21st century it is hard for us to relate to the hardships and determination of the folks that built this great nation. This novel carefully weaves together the lives of the family in those engaging times.
The author made me a part of the determination of these families. He swept me into the youthful enthusiasm of the early volunteers for the Union army. His descriptions are vivid and appropriate. Yet, you also feel the anxiety of those left at home -- mothers and fathers and the other brothers. With one of the brothers and his family now in East Texas, you feel their determination to make the new life they sought, so far from the rest of the family.
The vivid battle scenes are also uniquely portrayed through the eyes and feelings of the private on the line, not knowing the plan of battle, but doing what soldiers do -- follow orders. Much of the chronicling of the Civil War is from the "grand strategy" viewpoint, and that is important. This novel give a very personal view to the impact of that strategy. The horrors of battle are not avoided. The private's eyes see much. Andersonville Prison is shown for what it was -- gripping.
Who could not sympathize with one who was forced to fight, and for a cause he could not respect? The agony he felt was always apparent. While the author is very aware that no one today could really know the feelings and dialogue he writes for the characters portrayed, any even modest student of the time will find the author's handling of these dimensions of the novel most believable.
My congratulations to Dr. Best in bringing me "down to earth" on the realities of the struggles and determination of this family.

Just finished this great little book last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Steven's depiction of his ancestors, the reality of their doubts about the goodness and plans of the Lord and yet perseverance to push on to obtain character and hope that does not disappoint, I'm sure, characterized his own personal struggle over the last 20-30 years. Through all their struggles, losses, awful death and carnage, they believed that God was in control... they might not know the reason why something happened... but that's ok, cuz that's why God is God and we're not. May I be able to describe to my children and grandchildren as well as he did what their ancestors and forefathers were like and have them relate or hold fast to those precious roots. As you are reading the book, you may want to access his website ... to see pictures of his real ancestors and what happened to them after the Civil War. I would highly recommend the book to any reader

I have never written a book review and do not have the gift of the written word. But I did want to share my thoughts about this wonderful book. I have never read a book on the Civil War and I am so glad that I finally did and that it was this book. I didn't want to put it down. It expressed in every detail what it was like for a family to live through that war. Dr. Best has done a superb job of research and you feel as if you are there with each and every member of this family. You won't be sorry you purchased the book.

Steven Best did a fantastic job of making you feel you are there with the Best brothers (ancestors for me) as they go through the hard times of the civil war, fighting for what they know is right as taught them by their christian parents. He has done a remarkable job in researching and bringing to life the characters and vivid scenes of the civil war. I had a hard time putting the book down until I had it finished. It's a great book told about great men in an era not to be forgotten. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the civil war.

I liked this book so much that, after twenty pages or so, I closed the book and put it back into my briefcase! My reason was simple-I could see this book was going to be one that I did not want to hurry through; I wanted to take my time and really enjoy it. I was on an airplane flight of less than an hour so I saved it until I had a long cross-country flight. I am glad I did.

When Philosophers Were Kings is the Civil War saga of a Wisconsin family. Our country was only nine-four years old when this family history commences. It begins in Daingerfield, Texas in Northeast Texas, home of a troubled population in 1861, when the Federal Garrison at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in Charleston, SC is fired upon. You will travel to Big Spring and Portage, Wisconsin on through to Baltimore and on to Bull Run, the infamous creek in NE Virginia that saw two defeats for the Union Army. You will see the battlefields of Perryville, Kentucky, Paint Rock Bridge, Alabama, Murfreesboro, Tennessee and Chickamauga at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. You will get a first-hand description of the Southern military prisons in Danville, Virginia, Libby Prison in Richmond and in Andersonville. The guerrilla conflict in Missouri during the Civil War is weaved into the story as is William C. Quantrill, the Confederate guerrilla chieftain. The Bushwackers and the Jayhawkers are also part of the tale.

Dr. Best and his family before him researched the Best family history and the roles played by various family members in the Civil War. The book explains the impact the events of the war had upon each of them. His family members did as many did in the 1860s-they left their hometowns for battle with cheering crowds and music playing. They carried their unit colors at Perryville until wounded or they were simply left for dead on the battlefield. For them the romance of battle quickly dissolved into a horrible reality of hate, blood, bullets, and death. Each was forever changed and that, of course, is true for any military person who has seen combat. Attitudes changed and even spiritual values were challenged. Best's ancestors came from good families-spiritually solid, morally upright, and socially responsible. In the end it was a strong family that proved to be these soldiers' best asset. You will feel the sense of loss that the family members felt after the battles in which their sons and brothers fought. Best's ancestors' personalities will come alive for you as he relates everything his research has revealed about them.

The information is accurate and comes from seven years of researching the United States National Archives, Union and Confederate Civil War military records, biographies, letters, diaries, and memoirs. Although When Philosophers Were Kings is a work of fiction, nearly all the events are true. It reads like a James Michener novel in that respect. Nonetheless, an author cannot know for certain how anyone, even his own ancestors, would have really thought or acted nearly 150 years ago. There is, therefore, dramatization of events to some degree. It is the story between the lines that is captured so very well by Best.

There is an interesting parallel superimposed on the story of the conflict. Best sets the tone for each chapter with quotations from philosophers, such as, Strepsiades and Socrates, and Greek proverbs. You don't have to be a philosopher to appreciate the motive behind this. However, it was Socrates, who said basically that until philosophers were kings and political greatness and wisdom meet, cities would not have rest. In the Civil War there were two kings, Lincoln and Davis, with two different philosophies. The Civil War was a time when philosophers were indeed kings. There are no familiar legends in this book and this book does not use nostalgia to whitewash the massive destruction and human misery that characterized the Civil War. Still this is not an anti- or pro-war novel. This book is written by a man from the North, who lives in the South, and is well acquainted with war and life's trials. The book doesn't take sides and draws no conclusions. As intricately entwined as the Civil War is in the story, the war is really a backdrop for this family history. It will be enjoyed by Civil War historians and by people who have only a rudimentary knowledge of this period of time. If you want an excellent chronicle of one family's journey, you have it with Stephen Best's When Philosophers Were Kings. It is flat out an excellent read.