Book Description
If Civil War battlefields saw vast carnage, the Northern home-front was itself far from tranquil. Fierce political debates set communities on edge, spurred secret plots against the Union, and triggered widespread violence, such as the New York City draft riots. And at the heart of all this turmoil stood Northern anti-war Democrats, nicknamed "Copperheads." Now, Jennifer L. Weber offers the first full-length portrait of this powerful faction to appear in almost half a century. Weber reveals how the Copperheads came perilously close to defeating Lincoln and ending the war in the South's favor. Indeed, by the summer of 1864, they had grown so strong that Lincoln himself thought his defeat was "exceedingly likely." Passionate defenders of civil liberties and states' rights--and often virulent racists--the Copperheads deplored Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus, his liberal interpretation of the Constitution, and, most vehemently, his moves toward emancipation. Weber reveals how the battle over these issues grew so heated, particularly in the Midwest, that Northerners feared their neighbors would destroy their livestock, burn their homes, even kill them. Indeed, some Copperheads went so far as to conspire with Confederate forces and plan armed insurrections, including an attempt to launch an uprising during the Democratic convention in Chicago. Finally, Weber illuminates the role of Union soldiers, who, furious at Copperhead attacks on the war effort, moved firmly behind Lincoln. The soldiers' support for the embattled president kept him alive politically in his darkest times, and their victories on the battlefield secured his re-election. Disgraced after the war, the Copperheads melted into the shadows of history. Here, Jennifer L. Weber illuminates their dramatic story. Packed with sharp observation and fresh interpretations, Copperheads is a gripping account of the fierce dissent that Lincoln called "the fire in the rear."
Customer Reviews:
Ripped from today's headlines.......2007-09-18
Fantastic book and amazing for its relevance today. Even the exact words used by people over a hundred years ago seemed like they are ripped from today's headlines. History really does repeat itself. Sometimes verbatim.
A much needed piece of history revealed........2007-09-17
Lincoln could very well have been defeated in 1864. The military victories of the summer of 1864 resulted in victory not only for the Union military but also a continuation of the Lincoln Presidency. His opponents in the 1864 election were the Democrats with a large peace faction. This peace faction were called the Butternuts or Copperheads, and they basically wanted peace at any price. Lincoln faced these opponents and stood his ground. Slavery would be ended, and the Union reunited. This book is about his 1864 opponents and how their slavish devotion to peace at any price basically cost the Democratic Party fifty years of losing Presidential elections.
This is a valued addition to the history collection. The author shows how the Copperheads were both a military and political threat to the Union. Lincoln managed to out manuever this movement, and reunite the country.
Absolutely Relevant to Our Own Times.......2007-07-22
Anyone interested in the debates over Guantanamo and the state of civil liberties in the post-9/11 United States should read this book. It is extraordinarily relevant in this regard. The book is a study of the anti-Lincoln wing of the Democrat Party during the Civil War as well as a detailed look at Lincoln's response to that faction. To sum up briefly, Lincoln dealt very harshly with them, with little regard for any notion of respecting civil liberties. He threw an Ohio Senator (Clement Vallandingham, who was arrested in a midnight raid on his home by Federal troops) in prison and shut down a major newspaper (the Chicago Times). These are only two of his "crimes" (depending on your perspective) against the rights of civilians to free speech during wartime.
Imagine George Bush throwing Harry Reid into prison or shutting down the New York Times! These might serve as a rough parallel to Lincoln's wartime actions. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, the Lincoln-worshippers (like Eric Foner and company) are usually on the attack when it comes to G.W. Bush's anti-civil libertarian agenda in the context of his "war on terrorism" (Foner, I might add, has absolutely no problem with Ulysses Grant's "war on terror" against the Ku Klux Klan in the 1870s). Just goes to show that leftists maintain a double standard when it comes to free speech issues. Since left-liberals generally seem to hold Lincoln and his prosecution of the war in high regard, it is worth reminding them of this rather embarrassing episode in his presidency.
An extraordinary amount of original research.......2007-05-26
Weber has done her homework. The early part of the book, in particular, shows wide ranging new sources: letters, diaries, small town newspapers. This is the most important part of the book because it brings together new information and provides a basis for further scholars.
Examples from all of the northern states (or so I think, I didn't count) show how widespread the movement was. The nature of the anecdotal material does not demonstrate how deep it was. It appears to be deep in some communities and families, but the only polling data of the time, the elections of 1862 and 1864 do not reflect that depth. Weber points out the circumstantial nature of these elections and how the Copperheads' fortunes rose and fell with success on the battlefield. I held back a star, though, because in the MANY stories of people, towns and politicians I did not find a central overview.
The later part of McClellan's nomination and the election that follows while not so rich in new material, for me, it was an excellent read. Weber documents and explains how a "War" candidate and a "Peace" candidate came to be nominated in the same convention. She goes on to explain Lincoln's landslide.
The description demise of the Copperheads is brief. Maybe this is all that is merited, but it would have been good to have some examples here, especially of the aforementioned communities where the Copperheads caused loss of life and property damage.
Weber sticks with history and does not draw parallels for today. Since it is mentioned by other reviewers, I will note Weber's observation that this peace movement was one of the conservative faction of the Democratic party. Today's peace movement has its origins in the liberal faction of today's Democratic party. It seems that the only thing Copperheads have in common with those against the operation is Iraqi is being against "a" war. Weber clearly shows how racism fueled the Copperheads. This issue is not at all present in the current peace movement.
This book is a good contribution to Civil War research. Its substance and sources will surely be used for future material.
To Each Their Own.......2007-05-15
I don't quite know how to digest the notion that the Copperheads were 'the conservative element of the northern anti-war democratic party; or that (as is often noted) they were "Lincoln's opponents'.
. . . bit of a stretch . . .
Having noted this, I believe the book to be a thorough, accurate and well-timed history and documentary on that rabid, anti-American, treasonous remnant of the Northern democrat party.
Good work and well-received by this Civil War historian/writer.
Average customer rating:
- A GREAT CIVIL WAR SERIES
- Great Historical Fiction of the War of Southern Rebellion
- Good historical adventure
- Nice contribution to the Starbuck Chronicles
- LIKE CALICO TEARING OR A CANEBREAK BURNING...
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Copperhead
Bernard Cornwell
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
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Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Battle Flag (The Starbuck Chronicles, Book 3)
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The Bloody Ground (The Starbuck Chronicles, Book 4)
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Rebel (The Starbuck Chronicles #1)
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The Winter King (The Arthur Books #1)
ASIN: 006093462X
Release Date: 2001-09-18 |
Book Description
The beloved Confederate Captain Nate Starbuck returns to the front lines of the Civil War in this second installment of Bernard Cornwell's acclaimed Nathaniel Starbuck Chronicles. It is the summer of 1862, and Nate has been bloodied but victorious at the battles of Ball's Bluff and Seven Pines. But he can't escape his Northern roots, and it is only a matter of time until he's accused of being a Yankee spy, pursued, and brutally interrogated. To clear his name, he must find the real traitor—a search that will require extraordinary courage, endurance, and a perilous odyssey through enemy territory.
Customer Reviews:
A GREAT CIVIL WAR SERIES.......2006-04-18
I expected the Nathaniel Starbuck Chronicles to be like the Sharpe series, but I was initially disappointed when I started reading REBEL (Book 1 of the Nathaniel Starbuck Chronicles). It took about one hundred pages to introduce the characters and setting and I almost gave up. Lucky for me I didn't. The story took off and kept me enthralled throughout with Cornwell's excellent telling of the Battle of Bull Run. I continued to be entertained in COPPERHEAD, though the action and adventure were more concerned with espionage than the confusion and horror of the battlefield.
I don't understand how some reviewers could complain that Nate Starbuck was unlikable. He grew on me as I watched him stumble and fall and learn from his mistakes to become a better person and an able officer.
I was also happily surprised to see that Mr. Cornwell introduced us to French Colonel Patrick Lasan, the son of Richard Sharpe and Lucille Castineau. Battlescarred and wearing an eyepatch, Col. Lasan is a rogue and adventurer just like his father. I wish there had been more scenes with him and Nate in the book.
All in all, this is a great Civil War series. I hope Mr. Cornwell will write another book in the Starbuck Chronicles.
Great Historical Fiction of the War of Southern Rebellion.......2005-08-19
You have to love the hero, Starbuck, as he continues as a Yankee fighting for Virgina. The way that Cornwell developes his character Nate Starbuck, as with Sharpe in the Richard Sharpe series, is compelling. Starbuck is not a super hero, but a good man who occasionally does bad things, but more often takes the high road in his moral decisions and is a very effective warrior and leader. Starbuck is a guy you would love to have a beer with. Cornwell also developes anti-heros effectively, making them people you love to hate. As with all Bernard Cornwell novels - a great read.
Good historical adventure.......2005-06-06
Bernard Cornwell is highly skilled at the historical novel, whatever the era. Here we are treated to a Yankee serving in the Confederate forces while his brother serves the Union cause.
A few wrong words here and there and the story would simply fall apart; it is that close to being unbelievable. But Cornwell is skilled and always retains control of his material, so he succeeds at weaving his tale of battle, treason, cowardice and heroism, all based (loosely) on actual events with the occasional fictional, but believable, character thrown in for color.
The details of the story don't really matter. Cornwell could tell any story well and keep the reader involved as he does here.
Jerry
Nice contribution to the Starbuck Chronicles.......2005-03-17
Nate Starbuck is a Captain in the Confederate Army who finds hostility on both sides of the war. Nate is a Bostonian fighting for the South. The North hates him because he is fighting against them and the South hates him because he's a Yankee. Despite this Starbuck has the makings of a good soldier. Much too good for General Falcouner, Nate's one time benefactor and now avowed enemy. Starbuck is transferred to a desk job in Richmond where due to the incmpatence of northern spies he is fingered as a Union agent. Cornwell's description of Nate captivity is gut-churning, and his dramatic storytelling keeps the reader full of suspence. His introduction of Patrick Lassan is a great nod to his Sharpe books, as Lassan is the son of Richard Sharpe and his lady widow. I thought that was neat. What I found tedious is the character of Adam Falcouner and sometimes Cornwell's description of northern and southern Christians is a little much. Not everyone is the religious fanatic he writes. I found Copperhead to be superior to Rebel in many ways but it still had its weaknesses.
LIKE CALICO TEARING OR A CANEBREAK BURNING..........2005-02-01
...is the sound of the battle under the unsheathed brilliance of Bernard Cornwell. The beauty of this series (as well as Sharpe & my favorite, The Grail Quest series) is the nuance of the battle and the surprisingly well-fleshed characters. Good and evil hide in minute degrees of separation, and this is especially true in the Civil War. Cornwell completely understands this and has created a wide canopy of characters that accurately reflects the nuances of the individual morality and motivations. The closest to parody is his broadside slap to the oft maligned General McClellan's inept handling of the Army of the Potomac, however, Cornwell does at least throw a salute to the General's one saving attribute, which was his ability to organize.
I look forward to reading Book #3, Battle Flag. I give this series my highest recommendation.
Customer Reviews:
Informative read about an obnoxious character.......2006-12-01
Frank Klement's bio of the most controversial and yet largely forgotten figure of the Civil War era is one that all scholars should read. It is also interesting enough to tickle a general history reader's fancy. The one flaw is that Klement likes his main character a bit too much. Clement L. Vallandigham was an obnoxious, negrophobic, Republican-hating gadfly (the title of one of the chapters) whose stick-it-in-your-eye attitude both in and out of Congress made him unappealing even within his Democratic party. Klement regularly refers to Vallandigham's severest critics as "bigots" (largely true), but never does he label Vallandigham with that title, even though he deserved it. Klement's explanation as to why Vallandigham lost the Ohio governor's race in 1863 is lopsided, just bad luck after the victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg and the repelling of John Hunt Morgan's raid into Ohio. Klement seems unable to admit that many people passionately hated Vallandigham, not the least of whom were the soldiers fighting in the field for the cause against which he spoke so vehemently. (Sound familiar here in 2006?) Nonetheless, Clement Vallandigham was a force during his time and became an icon to civil rights after Ambrose Burnside ordered his arrest and trial and Lincoln banished him to the South. He never accepted the fact that war might require a different approach to civil liberties. (Speaking of Burnside, there is an extraordinary error on page 122. Klement refers to Burnside's defeat Dec. 13, 1862, at the battle of Chancellorsville and repeats it further down the page. That battle, of course, was Fredericksburg. Chancellorsville occurred the following May. Forgive Klement. That kind of error is easy to make even when you know better, as he surely did. But where was the editor?)
Well-Researced: Highly Controversial.......2001-05-30
Author Frank L. Klement (with tongue firmly in cheek) once told an audience that there were only two imortant central figures in the Civil War: Lincoln and Clement L. Vallandigham; the subject of this disputable biography. One must understand that Frank L. Klement is a revisionist historian with 62% of his 221 published items anti-Lincoln. Attacking Lincoln, the most sacred icon in American history, for blatant illegalities in violation of civil liberties caused a sensation in the histrorical community when it was first introduced. Klement's contention that the Copperhead movement was not a threat to the union has generally been accepted by major Lincoln scholars including James Macpherson. The question remains how far can civil liberties be protected before they endanger national security. In the case of Clement Vallandigham the outer limits were reached in a time when many, including Lincoln, felt that constitutional liberties would lose the nation. Klement's thesis has gained more respectability since the dissent of Viet Nam, but the problem presented by Vallandigham has really never been resolved. Vallandigham won two out of eight elections for congressman from Ohio. Preaching preservation of the union with slavery intact, he believed the South could not be coerced into reentering the union. The Ohio congressman was the spokesman for many in the midwest who favoured agriculture over industry, opposed equality for blacks, and wanted to continue the balance of power the midwest played in the rivalry between North and South. Had this been all to Vallandigham he would have been written off as a hopeless reactionary. But the Dayton congressman was also a liberal, speaking out against arbitrary arrests, executive usurpation, as well as supporting abolishment of capital punishment, Jewish rabbis as army chaplains and free trade. The Ohioan was also-according to James Horan-a child prodigy learning the alphabet at age two and learning to speak both Latin and Greek at age twelve. (see Horan's CONFEDERATE AGENT,PA.18). No physical coward, Vallandigham courted martyrdom by defying federal authorities. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment by General Burnside (upheld by the court in EX PARTE VALLANDIGHAM). Wisely, Lincoln dumped him over the border into Dixie, ignoring the gadfly wdhen he attended the Chicago Democratic Convention of 1864. Klement's Vallandigham comes across as an insufferable self-righteous prig who was neutralized by Lincoln. But Vallandigham-the faithful son of a Calvinist Huguenot minister-always believed he would be vindicated by history. While defending a client in a murder case Vallandigham grabbed the wrong pistol and killed himself. He has largely been forgotten by posterity. The bullet that ended Lincoln's life, on the otherhand, made him immortal. Such is the verdict of history.
Average customer rating:
- Grandpa Scrugg's Civil War Stories
- Surviving Elmira
- amazing research
- Tramping with the Legion
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Tramping With the Legion: A Carolina Rebel's Story
C. Eugene Scruggs
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1425102336 |
Book Description
The Carolina Rebels of Company K, Holcombe Legion, were true sons of the Upstate. Brothers, cousins, and neighbors- all were well-suited for service in the independent brigade commanded by Ol’Shanks (Brig. Gen. Nathan Evans). The “boys” of Company K wore out many a set of boots “tramping” with the Legion wherever the regiment was needed- Charleston, Richmond, Malvern Hill, Rappahannock Station, Manassas Junction, Kinston, Wilmington, Jackson, Savannah and Petersburg.
One member of Co. K tells the story of his adventures with the legion, his capture at Stony Creek, his dramatic escape from the infamous Union prison in Elmira, New York, and his harrowing trek back to Virginia through the mountains of Pennsylvania and Maryland, helped along the way by copperheads, Dunkards and Dutch.
Customer Reviews:
Grandpa Scrugg's Civil War Stories.......2007-02-02
I enjoyed reading Grandpa Scruggs' account of his experiences in Company K, Holcombe Legion of South Carolinians fighting for their state's freedom from the tyranny of the Union. The format of night time stories told by Grandpa Scruggs to his grandchildren kept a dramatic tension in the book that helped keep me reading. We learn about the courage and commitment of Judd and other soldiers to their cause. We learn of the hardships, boredom,and horror of life as a foot soldier. The ways captured soldiers were treated changed as the war progressed. Judd experienced both ways. Because of the personal focus of this book, we also learn how the war caught up extended families and effected them. We also get glimpses of life back at home while the men were at war. I highly recommend Eugene Scruggs' book.
Surviving Elmira.......2007-02-01
Eugene Scruggs has made a valuable contribution to the history of the War Between the States with his account of the exploits of his great grandfather, Judson Puryear Scruggs, as an enlisted man in the Holcombe Legion, South Carolina Volunteers. To be sure, Scrugg's book is another in the "Johnny Reb and Billy Yank" tradition of oral history accounts from the point of view of the ordinary foot soldier. However, it is given context by a body of historical research, and a truly insightful introduction to some of this conflict's enduring themes. For many readers, the most interesting parts of the narrative will be those about life under horrible conditions in the POW camp at Elmira, NY, Judson's resourceful escape therefrom, and his traverse through enemy territory to Virginia.
In my opinion, however, as an avid student of the conflict rather than a professional historian, Scrugg's finest achievement was in his reconstruction of Judson's narrative within a quasi-fictional framework, in which he recreates not only the voice of his great-grandfather, but also that of the grandchildren who are auditors of the story. This teachnique not only creates a sense of immediacy in the flow of the narrative, but instills a kind of novelistic suspense which makes it enjoyable for the reader. This approach also permits Scruggs to render narrative as a truly "oral history," in that he has recreated the language of the period --- the regional dialect of 19th century Southerner. His handling of the artistic problem of the use of "eye dialect," moreover, is deftly handled: instead of generating pages of mangled orthography, Scruggs includes only occasional phonetic spellings, opting instead for the dialectal phrase, the idiom, and the speech rhythmns of his people. Professional historians may take issue with Scrugg's decision to treat his material in this way; other readers may enjoy it as thoroughly as I did.
Roger Cole
January 29, 2007
amazing research.......2007-01-29
I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Scruggs' book. It is written in such a manner that it draws the reader into the family circle while providing an amazing amount of detail into the history of the Legion and the personal recollections of Jud, the author's great grandfather.
Tramping with the Legion.......2007-01-16
With the help of his older relatives, Gene Scruggs has gathered together the oral history left by his great grandfather, Sergeant Judson Scruggs, who served in South Carolina's Holcombe Legion during most of the Civil War.
Almost nothing has been written about this effective fighting unit which was organized early in the war by Peter F. Stevens, a former superintendent of The Citadel. 'Shanks' Evans, whose brigade included the infantry regiment of the Holcombe Legion, regarded it as his best fighting unit. During Lee's 1862 campaign, the accomplished Stevens often led Evans' entire brigade on the many occasions when Evans was posted to the divisional level.
In his stories, Judson recalls training camps around Charleston, the battles of Malvern Hill, Rappahannock Station, Second Manassas, Lee's First Maryland Campaign, Kinston (NC), and Jackson (MS). In the summer of 1864, the Holcombe Legion was detailed to guard the Petersburg & Weldon Railroad and (luckily) was not with Evans' Brigade at the Battle of the Crater. However, Judson was captured while guarding the Stoney Creek (VA) station and bridge and sent to the infamous Elmyra (NY) Prison. Perhaps Judson's most interesting stories recount his tunnelling out of prison in October 1864 and his experiences of running, hiding, and working his way home by late May of 1865.
Gene Scruggs includes glimpses of the daily lives of his Spartanburg District ancestors as he fashions the war stories as if his great-grandfather was telling them to his grandchildren in nightly installations. This is a "good read" for anyone interested in this troubled time in American history.
Average customer rating:
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Copperheads (Snakes)
James E. Gerholdt
Manufacturer: Abdo & Daughters Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
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ASIN: 1562395149 |
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Heaven Will Frown on Such a Cause as This: Six Democrats Who Opposed Lincoln's War
Joanna D. Cowden
Manufacturer: University Press of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0761819975 |
Book Description
Antiwar protest has long been an under-reported component of the Civil War story. "Heaven Will Frown on Such a Cause as This" traces the life stories of six men in northern states who denounced the war against the Confederacy. These men were called "copperheads" by their opponents, but they labeled themselves "Peace Democrats."
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Demise of the democracy;: The Copperhead press in Iowa, 1856-1870
David L Lendt
Manufacturer: Iowa State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
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ASIN: 0813803403 |
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Copperheads (Fangs! An Imagination Library Series)
Eric Ethan
Manufacturer: Gareth Stevens Publishing
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Binding: Library Binding
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ASIN: 0836814290 |
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Copperheads (The Really Wild Life of Snakes)
Heather Feldman
Manufacturer: PowerKids Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
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ASIN: 0823967212 |
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- Ugliest Patterns EVER
- Pretty Darn Useful!
- Good info/OK Patterns/obnoxious author
- Awful
- Not as good as I expected
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Mother of Purl: Friends, Fun, and Fabulous Designs at Hollywood's Knitting Circle
Edith Eig , and
Caroline Greeven
Manufacturer: Collins
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Binding: Paperback
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Celebrity Scarves 2: Hollywood Knits for Breast Cancer Research
ASIN: 0060818271
Release Date: 2005-11-01 |
Book Description
The category–killing knitting guide from one of the major influences of the back–to–knit movement and the owner of La Knitterie Parisienne, a Hollywood hotspot (her in–store knitting circle has included Debra Messing, Sofia Coppola, Sarah Jessica Parker and Russell Crowe).
Mother of Purl, written in Edith's warm, humorous but no–nonsense voice, allows readers to feel as though she is there knitting alongside them. The book combines clear instructions that Edith has honed over 30 years of teaching with the refined Parisienne styling and sophistication that has drawn the elite of Hollywood and fashion stylists to rely on her. Packed with hundreds of Edith's Secret Tips, dozens of longer–format 'Tips from the Top' and multiple celebrity anecdotes, Mother of Purl will be to knitters what The Joy of Cooking is to chefs. This is an invaluable reference, warm and witty, packed with practical techniques, inspiring projects and the kind of insight that only comes from 30 years of teaching experience.
Customer Reviews:
Ugliest Patterns EVER.......2007-02-14
I do NOT recommend this book. The beginning is great for beginner knitters, but the patterns--YUCK! What HORRIBLE yarn selection! And the patterns...atrocious!
Pretty Darn Useful!.......2006-08-03
I'm pretty new to the whole knitting thing, so when I got this book I was so excited to read about all these wonderful and very useful knitting tips that, frankly, don't exist all those other knitting books. I learned a lot by just reading Mother of Purl, which by the way, I happen to think is very well written with a witty sense of humor. Edith Eig is famous and let's us have a peek into her store, some really beautiful patterns, and the crazy celebrity world that everyone seems to be so fascinated with! Personally, I'm delighted to own Mother of Purl and make it a permanent part of my knitting book collection.
Good info/OK Patterns/obnoxious author.......2006-07-29
I found nothing wrong with the instructional portion of this book. Using photos instead of drawings was a great idea. But the yarn section was too opinionated, and the patterns were just OK, with several I would never knit because either a) they looked so weird or b) they would take WAY too long to complete. My biggest pet peeve about the patterns was that some of the best were crochet not knitting (and I don't crochet) and also that the author says what brand of yarn to use, but doesn't list the exact colors to duplicate it, and doesn't list the weight if you want to use a different brand.
But the real reason I took this book back to Barnes & Noble & got a refund was because of her obnoxious writing style. The author states how wonderful her own patterns are, which might be forgiveable. But most of the "story" portion is how such and such celebrity confided in her, or credits her with learning to knit, or invited her to a wedding shower, or how this piece is in this movie, or that piece is worn by that star, etc.
This book is as pretentious as Hollywood and just not worth the money.
Awful.......2006-06-22
So glad I checked this book out from the library instead of buying it. I couldn't believe how self-important and unlikable the tone of the book was. The author seems to think she is personally responsible for everything that has happened in knitting in the past 20 years. I love books and knitting and was just horrified by this one.
Not as good as I expected.......2006-03-17
I was hoping as many years as the author has been in business that she would have published a better book with more innovative patterns with better designs and more handpainted yarns. If I had it to do over again, I would not buy this book.
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