Crystal Soldier (Liaden Universe Novel)

Book Description

M. Jela Granthor's Guard is a soldier who was born to be a soldier, a soldier whose genes were selected before birth, whose life was chosen for him as one of service and dedication.

Cantra yos'Phelium is an ace pilot and a thoroughgoing rogue. She trades the dark and the gray markets along the war-torn Rim, running solo, with an eye on her own profit.

When fate casts them together, they form an unlikely-and uncomfortable-alliance, the soldier intent on his mission, the pirate intent on her survival...

Customer Reviews:

You might want to have the 2nd volume at hand before reading the 1st volume!.......2007-08-31

Somehow, I only discovered these authors' "Liaden" series of very well written space opera with _Balance of Trade_. And this new one was written after that, so I seem to be working backwards. The protagonists this time are, first, M. Jela, a "generalist" and a very unusual sort of soldier, working to try to defeat an ancient enemy that has decided the universe would be a much tidier place without so many people and star systems in it. And it's not at all certain they can be defeated. Second, caught up in this struggle entirely against her will is Cantra vos'Phelium, a very specially-bred human and a ship's pilot of very considerable talent and ability. They come together by accident, join forces by necessity, and gradually come to depend on each other, and it all happens in an entirely believable way. Then there's the third member of the crew -- an intelligent and telepathic tree, rescued from a dying world by Jela. All this seems to have taken place in the distant past, incidently, as seen from the perspective of _Balance of Trade_ -- which makes it a prequel, sort of. The dialogue -- both spoken and unspoken -- is skillfully done and the descriptions are crisp and vivid. The plotting is also nicely thought out. My only complaint is that this is the first half of a two-decker and the ending is very abrupt. I HATE cliffhangers! (Patience, patience. . . .)

ADDENDUM: Okay, having subsequently read all the earlier novels set in the Liaden universe, I now understand that Jela and Cantra are the near-mythic founders of Liad itself, Cantra being the captain of the ship that transports the refugee clans to their new home -- all this subsequent to the action in _Crystal Soldier_ (maybe in the second volume), but a thousand years in the past from the perspective of the _Agent of Change_ sub-series.

Liaden Universe Prequel.......2007-05-17

If you have read any of the earlier books, you have seen references to Jela's Tree - a tree with illusions of mysticism. Get to the root of the mystery in this novel of the early years of the Liaden Universe when Jela first encountered the tree. As always, the authors deliver great characters and intriguing plot lines. This book and its conclusion, Crystal Dragon, are well worth the price!

Science fiction.......2007-01-10

This story was good and the characters well developed. It kept my interest and provoked interesting thought.

I was waiting for this book, but-.......2005-12-01

I was wanting to see how the Liaden universe had began, but I really didn't get many answers from this book.The plotting is not up to the authors usual pace, and the characters are wooden. I really wanted to like this book, but I couldn't. I will skip the sequel, and wait for the authors to come back to their liaden roots.

Crystal Soldier.......2005-11-29

This book was very enjoyable and my first introduction to the Liaden universe. Despite the numerous reviewers that don't recommend reading this one unless one is already a Liaden fan, I am looking forward to the next installment, Crystal Dragon. Meanwhile, I found some of the previously written books and will read those while I'm waiting. Lee and Miller are excellent authors and they have no difficulty keeping the readers interest, even if one is new to the series. Crystal Soldier is engaging and somewhat intense in spots as it introduces the reader to the complex personalities of Jela and Cantra. I would recommend starting this series wherever one likes, since as far as I can tell, any one of these books may lead to a strong urge to read more.

Average customer rating:

Mistitled
Typically effective Shaara novel of war
Awesome
on the folly of preemptive attacks
Great Book

Gone For Soldiers
Jeff Shaara
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345427521
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Book Description

With his acclaimed New York Times bestsellers Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure, Jeff Shaara expanded upon his father's Pulitzer Prize-winning Civil War classic, The Killer Angels--ushering the reader through the poignant drama of this most bloody chapter in our history. Now, in Gone for Soldiers, Jeff Shaara carries us back fifteen years before that momentous conflict, when the Civil War's most familiar names are fighting for another cause, junior officers marching under the same flag in an unfamiliar land, experiencing combat for the first time in the Mexican-American War.

In March 1847, the U.S. Navy delivers eight thousand soldiers on the beaches of Vera Cruz. They are led by the army's commanding general, Winfield Scott, a heroic veteran of the War of 1812, short tempered, vain, and nostalgic for the glories of his youth. At his right hand is Robert E. Lee, a forty-year-old engineer, a dignified, serious man who has never seen combat.

Scott leads his troops against the imperious Mexican dictator, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana. Obsessed with glory and his place in history, Santa Ana arrogantly underestimates the will and the heart of Scott and his army. As the Americans fight their way inland, both sides understand that the inevitable final conflict will come at the gates and fortified walls of the ancient capital, Mexico City.

Cut off from communication and their only supply line, the Americans learn about their enemy and themselves, as young men witness for the first time the horror of war. While Scott must weigh his own place in history, fighting what many consider a bully's war, Lee the engineer becomes Lee the hero, the one man in Scott's command whose extraordinary destiny as a soldier is clear.

In vivid, brilliant prose that illuminates the dark psychology of soldiers and their commanders trapped behind enemy lines, Jeff Shaara brings to life the haunted personalities and magnificent backdrop, the familiar characters, the stunning triumphs and soul-crushing defeats of this fascinating, long-forgotten war. Gone for Soldiers is an extraordinary achievement that will remain with you long after the final page is turned.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Mistitled.......2007-01-05

I can't say that this book was aptly named, as it was principly about two or three military officers; Winfield Scott, Robert E Lee, and Santa Anna. "Scott and Lee in the Mexican War" would have been a more descriptive title. "Gone for Soldiers" seems to have no connection to the contents. While it seems to contain mostly conjectural thoughts of the principals, the narrative about the progress of the war is a good, if sketchy description of that conflict, tho it takes 424 pages to do so. Two things it points out are that great leaders also can make great mistakes, and war is great excitement until you are killed or horribly maimed. But probably the best themes are how government partisan politics can readily screw things up, from the sensible to the absurd, even back before 1850, and the similarities between the politics of that day and the present, which are clearly evident.

Typically effective Shaara novel of war.......2006-12-27

In this work, Jeff Shaara explores the development of America's officer cadre in the Mexican War. Many Civil War generals got their first major wartime experience in this event. Indeed, Jefferson Davis, future President of the Confederate States of America, gained some renown for his use of a particular formation in battle.

The two major protagonists in this story are "Old Fuss and Feathers," General Winfield Scott, and a trusted engineering officer, the redoubtable Captain Robert E. Lee. Over and over, Lee's excellent scouting allowed Scott to befuddle the Mexican leader, General Santa Anna.

Other figures whom we meet who will play a role in the Civil War: Ulysses Grant, James Longstreet. Thomas (later "Stonewall") Jackson, George Pickett, and so on). We also learn of superannuated warriors such as General Wool.

All in all, the format developed by his father, in "The Killer Angels," taking a handful of key characters and using them to serve as "informants" in the development of the plotline and events, works well.

All in all, another good read and worthy of its place in the Shaara stable of war novels.

Awesome.......2006-11-10

The legacy of the Shaara name never ceases to amaze me. This book was great. The first Shaara books I read were Rise to Rebellion and The Glorious Cause since the American Revolution is my favorite part of United States historyand after those i had to read more. I am always floored by these books. Its the best of both worlds...History and reading all rolled into one. Now onto The Rising Tide

on the folly of preemptive attacks.......2006-04-16

Prequel to the civil war trilogy, this book follows the Mexican War thru two major characters, Robert E Lee, a young captain of engineers, and the aging veteran of the War of 1812, Winfield Scott. While well worth reading on its own, it was enhanced by reading it in the week following Bush's attack on Iraq -- Shaara presciently describes an amazingly close historical precedent [the book was published in 2000] -- an American president seeks to avoid difficulties with domestic politics by making a preemptive attack on a vastly inferior nation. Whether 'Manifest Destiny' or a new world order and a war on terror, the result is an invasion of a sovereign country. The initial invasion goes well, but is soon bogged down when the mismatched enemy forces refuse to come out in open field battle. Political decisions have as much to do with strategy as military ones. While the president talks of supporting the troops, there is inadequate supports in both guns and manpower, and no preparation for the aftermath. Initial forecasts of enthusiastic welcome as liberators turns to guerilla war as the army moves inland and Scott is forced to deplete his already small forces with numerous garrisons to contain and control his supply lines. Scott must keep casualties to a minimum knowing that public support for this war is thin, and relies on a risky campaign of maneuver against a numerically superior but technologically inferior enemy.

Great Book.......2005-03-07

This one was fantastic to read. All of his books are, and the same with his father. Highly recommended.

Don Troiani's American Battles: The Art of the Nation at War, 1754-1865

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Don Troiani's "American Battles"
Great.
A "Must Have" Book for Troiani Fans and Militaria Collectors!
From the mind of the artist
Most of the same...almost

Don Troiani's American Battles: The Art of the Nation at War, 1754-1865
Don Troiani , Robert K. Krick , Keith Knoke , and Lee White
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0811733270

Book Description

In this panoramic tour of America's military past, acclaimed artist Don Troiani once again turns his brush to the wars of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, focusing on the storied battles of those conflicts. From the French and Indian War through the Civil War, Troiani brings his flair for painstaking detail and high drama to such famous battle scenes as Bushy Run, Bunker Hill, Cowpens, Burnside's Bridge at Antietam, Little Round Top at Gettysburg, and Chickamauga. Narratives by leading military historians accompany the paintings and provide background stories that are as exciting as they are informative. For many of the pieces, Troiani has written insightful and often humorous commentary on the joys, surprises, and challenges of the creative process, offering a rare glimpse of the artist at work. Don Troiani's American Battles is his most unique work to date, a must-have for newcomers and old fans alike.

Customer Reviews:

Don Troiani's "American Battles".......2006-11-11

For anyone even vaguely interested in American history, Don Troiani's paintings are a wonderful revelation, bringing the past to life. I already own "Don Toiani's Civil War", "Soldiers in America" and "Regiments and Uniforms of the Civil War", all of which are meticulously investigated and reserched. Troiani's huge achievement is that he is able to combine accurate detail with a marvelous, almost supernatural, empathy with his subjects. His paintings really do bring history to life. The figures flow naturally and inhabited an environment filled with tangible space and light. No stiff and rigid historical painting here. This latest offering combines previously published paintings, found in the others of his books, with newer ones. They cover battles that took place on the American continent from the first colonies in Massachusetts, to the last days of the American Civil War. What is different to his previous books is the addition of much more background information about the artist himself and his methods of working. I would thoroughly recommend this beautifully illustrated book to all lovers of American history and narrative painting. For the military historian and those with an interest in military dress and the soldier's life, it is a 'must have'.

Great........2006-10-31

I recently became interested in Don Troiani's works after purchasing a Civil War Print (The Eagle of the Eighth) at an auction. It was great and after doing a little research found that Don Troiani is one of the best. I recently took a trip to Gettysburg (actually as part of the result of this purchase)and was amazed at what I saw. This is my first purchase of one of his books, but it won't be my last. I'm not an art critic, but I would highly urge anyone interested in the Civil War to purchase one of Mr.Troiani's books or works, they're great.

A "Must Have" Book for Troiani Fans and Militaria Collectors!.......2006-09-05

OK, I am admittedly a huge fan of Don Troiani's amazing artwork and own several of his art prints and all of his prior books. Even then, however, I initially questioned the purchase of his latest book on American battles. Wow ..... am I ever glad I went ahead with the purchase! This new book is intended as a "best of" his artwork and places my favorite Troiani paintings in one single reference volume. If you are a new Troiani fan, or new to the history field, the book is also quite a value considering the huge amount of artwork contained inside.

I was first drawn to Troiani's paintings years ago because of the historical authenticity depicted in each painting. The accouterment for each figure is precise and I found myself even referring to the paintings as a reference source for my militaria collecting. An added benefit of the book is that for the first time Troiani reveals how the paintings were created and explains the unique techniques he employs to achieve an unparalleled level of authenticity. The insider's account of the complexities involved in recreating these scenes makes me appreciate his artwork even more!

Troiani is going to have to work quite hard to top this book which is now proudly displayed on my coffee table to impress guests!

From the mind of the artist.......2006-08-24

Having admired the artwork of Mr. Troiani throughout the years, I've come to recognize certain aspects in each piece. This new book delves into the mindset he had as the research was complete, but the image from his mind had to be put into motion then to canvas. Seeing the photos of modeling sessions and rough sketches expands the experience so much more than just taking in the image. He not only paints a scene with his brush but also with his words when decribing finding the right looking model, tree, field, gun and clothing. What I especially like is finding out who some of the models have been, from the sculptor Ron Tunison to noted collectors of Civil War items. Anyone can be envious of his artistic talent, but when it comes to authenticy, research and pains-taking accuracy no one can compare to Mr. Troiani and this he shares in this wonderful compilation!
* I look forward to his next book in 2007 *

Most of the same...almost.......2006-08-23

As much as I admire the artwork and historical research that goes into Troiani's paintings I'm very disappointed with Don Troiani's latest book AMERICAN BATTLES, The art of the nation at war,1754-1865. The best part of the book is the inclusion of some new Revolutionary War and Civil War paintings and figure studies. I wish Troiani's earlier books would have contained an Artist's Comments section as well as photos of his models and some in progress work. If this had been the case there would have been very little that was "fresh" in this volume. In addition to text for the battle paintings there normally is text for the single figure studies as well as the artifacts from Troian's collection. This time around the figure studies and artifacts are merely "filler" without any descriptive text. I found the title AMERICAN BATTLES a little misleading. The period of 1784-1859 is covered in a mere 7 pages with only one painting really having any text aside from a title.Though I own all of the books featuring Mr. Troiani's work, one can only enjoy a repackaged product for so long. I'd prefer a 4-5 year period between books in order to get a product that contains newer rather than older works.The 2 star rating may be a bit harsh, but there's just not enough to get excited about here.~Gary

Robert E. Lee: Virginian Soldier, American Citizen

Average customer rating:

I have read this book...
A solid intermediate biography of Robert E. Lee for younger readers
A Solid Biography Written for Younger Readers (12 and up)

Robert E. Lee: Virginian Soldier, American Citizen
James I. Robertson Jr.
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0689857314

Book Description

To some, Robert E. Lee is a beloved general, held in the highest regard. To others, he is one of history's most paradoxical heroes. He fought passionately to defend his homeland and was one of the nation's greatest soldiers, yet his name is often inextricably linked with slavery and secession.

In 1861 Lee was Lincoln's first choice to lead the Union troops in the Civil War. But a strong loyalty to Virginia held Lee back. Instead he chose to become the commanding officer of the Confederacy. Lee had great success in battle by spitting his forces and unleashing suprise attacks. His victory at Chancellorville, where his troops soundly defeated an enemy twice their size, remains the most astonishing.

However, only when he surrendered in 1865 did the nation understand the kind of man Robert E. Lee truly was. He was kind and loving, giving all of himself to a reconciliation between the North and the South. In this meticulously researched biography, James I. Robertson explores the life of one of the most revered -- and misunderstood -- Civil War Generals.

Customer Reviews:

I have read this book..........2007-01-22

and heard the author speak today at the 200th anniversary of Robert E Lee's birthday. What hero worship? What aggrandizing? Robert E Lee, himself, would have blushed! James I. Robertson is more of a minister than a historian... his religion is Lee, his analysis is flawed. Lee was not raised by Washington, George was dead in his grave 8 years before Robert E. Lee was even born. Lee was a reaction. A reaction to his father, Harry 'Light-Horse' Lee; a fabuluous military man in his own right, with a penchant to trust too much; especially, George Washington, who advised him on property speculations, which ultimately left Harry Lee broke. Harry, like Washington was a Federalist, a believer of a strong central government. Robert was taught to despise his father, by anti-federalists, who couldn't stand the idea of "America," were threatened by it, and were ultimately destroyed... a confederacy of weakness against a Nation of strength. ( See: Light-Horse Harry Lee and the Legacy of the American Revolution (Paperback) by Charles Royster if you want to read the facts)

A solid intermediate biography of Robert E. Lee for younger readers.......2006-05-16

There are a couple of interesting things about the cover of this juvenile biography of Robert E. Lee. First, the complete title of the book is "Robert E. Lee: Virginian Solider, American Citizen," and the sub-title James I. Robertson, Jr. picked set up an ironic juxtaposition. Because Lee considered Virginia to be his country, rather than the United States of America, he turned down President Abraham Lincoln's offer to become the commander of the Union armies, choosing instead to side with Virginia and the Confederate cause. Consequently, Lee's fame as a solider was in part because he decided he was more of a Virginian than he was an American. There is the additional irony that at the end of his life, after the Civil War, when he was no longer a soldier, he was not exactly considered an "American citizen" by the North. The painting of Lee that appears on the cover shows him in the dress uniform of a lieutenant of the engineers in the U.S. Army, when he was in his mid-twenties, several decades before he made his fateful decision. So the cover does take a step or two back from the picture we have of Robert E. Lee as the commanding general of the Army of Northern Virginia.

The paradox of Lee is that we consider him to be our greatest military commander even though he was on the losing side of the Civil War. The only other general from the "other" side that I can think of who has anything close to that level of respect would have to be Germany's Erwin Rommell from World War II, whose Afrika Corps had a reputation comparable to that of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. We tend to think of such men as existing independent of the ideologies of the nation's for whom they were fighting. Robertson deals up front with that idea, noting that on the one hand Lee is a beloved general, held in the highest regard to such an extent that he has practically become an American saint, while on the other his name is inextricably linked with the issues of secession and slavery associated with the Southern Confederacy. Robertson's introduction begins by touching on Lee's greatest military triumph at the Battle of Chancellorsville, where he defeated a Union army twice his size by dividing his smaller force in two, but most of the focus is on the Lee legend that exists today.

Eight of the ten chapters in this book focus on Lee during the Civil War: (1) The Making of a Soldier covers how the son of "Light Horse Harry" Lee graduated second in his West Point class of 1829, married Mary Anne Randolph Custis, and served with distinction during the Mexican War in what proves to be the chapter's longest section. (2) Nation Versus Country begins with Lee being appointed superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy and his confirmation in the Episcopal faith, and ends with his wife inheriting the Custis estates in Arlington, his role in the capture of John Brown at Harper's Ferry, and his resignation from the U.S. Army on the eve of the Civil War. (3) Rocky Path to Army Command is one of the most interesting chapters because it reminds us that Lee did not start off the war as a commander, but rather as President Jefferson Davis' confidential military adviser. It was not until June 1862 that Lee was place in command of troops, with low expectations exemplified by his nicknames as "Evacuation Lee" and "Granny Lee."

The Lee that history remembers emerges in the next chapters. (4) Brilliance in the Field shows how Lee bested General George B. McClellan, the overly cautious commander of the Union's Army of the Potomac in the Seven Days' Campaign, and his replacement John Pope at the Second Battle of Manassas (a.k.a. Bull Run, but I go with the belief the winning side gets to name the battle). Robertson underscores the importance of General "Stonewall" Jackson to Lee's successes. (5) The Bloodiest Day is about Lee's first invasion of the North and the Battle of Antietem (a.k.a. Sharpsburg), and the slaughter of Union troops at the Battle of Fredericksburg. (6) Loss of an Arm contrasts Lee's greatest military achievement at the Battle of Chancellorsville with the devastating loss of Jackson. (7) Gettysburg explains Lee's desperate gamble in invading the North a second time, focusing on how he came to order Pickett's Charge, his biggest military mistake.

The next two chapters play out the end of the war, as Lee once again becomes the "King of Spades." (8) Forced on the Defensive looks at how General Ulysses S. Grant forced Lee's army to move backwards to protect Richmond. (9) From Siege to Defeat begins with Lee's entrenchments along the Richmond-Petersburg line and ends with the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House when Lee's starving troops were surrounded by several Union armies. (10) National Symbol is the final chapter, which details what Lee did after the Civil War in becoming the president of what was then Washington College and what is now Washington and Lee University, and covers how his death in 1870 brought on national mourning.

This is a solid intermediate biography of Lee for younger readers, which goes to pains to explain the major battles he fought during the Civil War. The book is illustrated with dozens of black and white etchings and photographs from throughout Lee's life. Robertson also wrote a similar biography, "Standing Like a Stone Wall: The Life of General Thomas J. Jackson," which would certainly provide a nice complement to this volume (Robertson also has written an adult biography of Jackson, "Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Solider, the Legend").

A Solid Biography Written for Younger Readers (12 and up).......2006-03-17

Part of the books for young readers put out by this publisher, this is a fairly short and not filled with complexity. Having said that, this is also a very well researched, very well written biography of General Lee. It is profusely illustrated, particularly the Civil War years which generated a lot of photographs.

All in all, this is an excellent short biography. I recommend it for not only young readers (Grades 6 up) but for anyone wanting a fairly quick biography that captures the essese of the mas as well as books several times this one's size.

Gone for Soldiers: A Novel of the Mexican War

Average customer rating:

Before they were enemies
Once upon a time..........
The Mexican-American War
excellent tale of the Mexican War
Shaara and the Mexican - American War

Gone for Soldiers: A Novel of the Mexican War
Jeff Shaara
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345427513
Release Date: 2001-07-03

Amazon.com

Having chronicled the Civil War in Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure, Jeff Shaara casts his eye on the earlier proving ground of the Mexican War in his third novel, Gone for Soldiers. Although it secured the Southwest for a nation emboldened by Manifest Destiny, this two-year conflict has nearly faded into oblivion, eclipsed by the subsequent domestic dispute a dozen years later. Shaara's hallmarks--the deliberations of leaders and the brutal facts of battle--illuminate his engaging diversion into an oft-overlooked struggle in which men who would come to oppose one another fought under a single flag.

The veteran major-general Winfield Scott and an upstart Robert E. Lee anchor Gone for Soldiers. Headstrong, brilliant, and generally distrustful of his less able subordinates, Scott leads the U.S. troops slowly and inevitably toward Mexico City, imparting martial lessons along the way. "The worst consequence of fighting a war is not if you lose, Mr. Lee," he sighs. "The worst thing you can do is win badly." Lee distinguishes himself throughout the campaign, his meticulous scouting and shrewd inferences winning both Scott's admiration and the jealousy of officers whose ambition surpasses their experience. Lee, too, frequently assesses his place in the hierarchy, but he--like Scott--remains more bemused than seduced by the glitter of fame.

This sympathy between the two men grows as Lee observes Scott embroiled in the distracting politics of war: officers salivating for promotion, enemies more preoccupied with saving face than lives, distant legislators issuing directives. If Gone for Soldiers occasionally bogs down during its many lengthy battle scenes, unexpected and delightful small touches arise nearly as often--the "capture" of Mexican leader Santa Anna's wooden leg or the chance encounter between Lee and a young Ulysses S. Grant. Duty-bound and humble, Lee cultivates a perpetual stoicism. "Now we're out here in some place God may not want us to be. It's hard to believe He is happy watching us fight a war," he muses, a sobering coda to the grim calculations of victory. --Ben Guterson

Book Description

In this stunning, unforgettable novel, Jeff Shaara carries us back thirteen years before the Civil War, when that momentous conflict's most familiar names are fighting for another cause, junior officers marching under the same flag in an unfamiliar land, experiencing combat for the first time in the Mexican-American War.

"BRILLIANT DOES NOT EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE SHAARA GIFT."
--Atlanta Journal-Constitution

SHAARA RELIES "ON THE HISTORY BEHIND THE MEN AND THEIR CAMPAIGNS TO TELL THE TALE. . . . Most poignant of all is the appearance of so many characters who will fight under opposing flags 13 years later. Stonewall Jackson shows up as a humorless young lieutenant with a spiritual reverence for his artillery, and Ulysses S. Grant awkwardly meets [Robert E.] Lee. . . . The salvaging of such episodes from history is ultimately a patriotic task, deserving of gratitude."
--The Washington Post Book World

"COMPELLING . . . THRILLING . . . Shaara briskly drives the U.S. forces to Mexico City, building suspense at each battle, all towards the climactic storming of the gates of the capital. . . . [He] has humanized the mythos of Lee as no one ever has and, in doing, makes an enduring contribution to literature."
--Civil War Book Review

"SHAARA, AS USUAL, IS AT HIS BEST IN ACTION AND CONFRONTATION AND IN EVOKING HOW IT FELT TO BE THERE."
--The Philadelphia Inquirer

Download Description

In "Gone for Soldiers", Jeff shaara carries us back thirteen years before the momentous conflict he has so brilliantly chronicled, to a time when the Civil War's most familiar names are fighting for another cause, junior officers marching under the same flag in an unfamiliar land, experiencing combat for the first time in the Mexican-American War.

In March 1847, eight thousand soldiers land on the beaches of Vera Cruz, led by the army's commanding general, Winfield Scott -- a heroic veteran of the War of 1812, short-tempered, vain and nostalgic for the glories of his youth. At his right hand is Robert E. Lee, a forty-year-old engineer, a dignified, serious man who has never seen combat.

Scott leads his troops agaainst the imperious Mexican dictator General Atonio Lopez de Santa Ana, who arroganatly underestimates Scott and his army. The Americans soon learn about their enemy and themselves, as young men witness for the first time the horror of war. And while Scott weighs his own place in history, Lee the engineer becomes Lee the hero, the one man in Scott's command whose extraordinary destiny as a soldier is clear.

In vivid prose that illuminates the dark psychology of soldiers trapped behind enemy lines, Jeff Shaara brings to life the legendary characters, the stunning triumphs and soul-crushing defeats of this fascinating, long-forgotten war.

Customer Reviews:

Before they were enemies.......2007-09-09

Gone for Soldiers is a historical novel of a war most Americans know little or nothing about. Thirteen years before America's tragic Civil War, men who would soon be enemies fought side by side as brothers in arms. Gone for Soldiers follows the exploits of General Winfield Scott and his right hand man and engineer, Robert E. Lee. As in all of his historical novels, weaves historically accurate information along with deeply personal characterizations to create a page turning novel. It never ceases to amaze me how Jeff Shaara picked up the mantle of his father.

Once upon a time.................2007-08-04

.....we were all on the same side. This fine book looks at the Mexican War thru the eyes of, primarily, Winfield Scott and Robert E. Lee. Of course, we meet the same characters, again, 15 years later. [By then, Scott was too old for much of an active part, though the strategy he developed was quite valuable to the Union]. In some chapters, we get glimpses of others who would be heard from later, and, of course, the character was already evident; the intellegence, decency, and fundamental goodness of Joe Johnston; the brilliance [and lack of reticence] of PGT Beauregard; the tenacity and courage of Grant and Longstreet; the single-minded devotion of Jackson. One does get the hint that Stonewall, for all his greatness as a fighting officer, may not have been playing with a full deck....Gideon Pillow was a political General, though he did better here than he was to in Kentucky...Pickett was Pickett, a better soldier than the public gives him credit for.

Parallels have been drawn to our current situation, and there are some. BUT, we have to be careful. The current war in Iraq is about our own national survival; giving aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists is equivalent to state sponsored terrorism, and state sponsored terrorism is an act of war. The Mexican War was fought for lebensraum, but that doesn't make it wrong. If you would understand why we won, and why Mexico is still a third world country, look at the choice of leaders....Winfield Scott had his faults; he was gruff, vain, difficult...he was also brilliant, brave, fundamentally decent, and absolutely devoted to his country. Santa Anna was intelligent and brave; he was also an egocentric madman, totally devoted to himself. Winfield Scott saw himself as a servant of his nation; Santa Anna saw himself AS his nation...one can not read of him without thinking of the late, unlamented, leader of Iraq.

Particularly disturbing is the episode of the San Patricios...these were Irish Catholic American soldiers who deserted, and fought for the other side. Eventually, they were caught; Scott had the ringleaders shot, without hestiation. The rest were mostly hung, though Scott did spare some who repented. Those allowed to live were branded on the face with a large "D", and sent home, to what fate we can imagine. The motive of the San Patricios remains unknown...Irish Catholics have been some of America's greatest soldiers. There were brave Irish regiments on both sides of the Civil War, fighting under nearly identical flags. Confederate Chaplain Emmeran Bliemel was the first Priest ever killed in an American war. Conversly, Muslims fought with great honor in WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. But...The presence of Muslim Chaplains in our Armed Forces, especially at Gitmo, in an invitation to problems. Indeed, there have been some. [Madison and, to a lesser extent, Jefferson, felt that the presence of any commissioned Chaplain violated the Constitution...but, no, that's off the track...].

Robert E. Lee should need no introduction to anyone reading this...General Scott proclaimed him the greatest soldier he ever saw. The next generation was to find out how right Scott was. Of course, others have written massively of General Lee [especially Dr. Freeman], but the essential greatness of the man is evident right here. [Indeed, the later war was to provide material for at least one full biography of many of these characters].

One could wish we had gotten to meet other characters from the Mexican War who were were heard from again...Jefferson Davis, Edmund Kirby Smith, Braxton Bragg...but this is a novel, and you can't include everything. All in all, a superb book about a little known war.

The Mexican-American War.......2007-08-02

Jeff Sharra's "Gone for Soldiers" concerns the Mexican-American War, and could be seen as a prequel for the Civil War trilogy that he and his father wrote, as it deals with some of the Civil War generals earlier in their career (Generals Longstreet, Grant, Jackson, ect.). But this story belongs to Major-General Winfield Scott and his favorite subordinate, engineering captain Robert E. Lee. Scott takes Lee under his wing and teaches Lee all the positive points of inspiring and leading an army, all the lessons that Lee will take with him into the next conflict thirteen years in the future. But for now the Army is in Mexico, and it is expressing America's Manifest Destiny, a series of laws and policies that allowed the U.S. to expand west, often just outright conquering Mexican territories. Scott is dubious at the policy, but carries it out as best as he can, he is after all a great soldier. He is constantly fighting not only the charismatic tyrant Santa Ana (here portrayed as paranoid) but also with his power mad and politically ambitious senior officers. This is a good fictional account (thought I think as close as real as possible) of the little known incident in American history. "Gone For Soldiers" has many rousing action scenes like the Siege of Veracruz, the battle at Cerro Gordo, and the Battle of Chapultepec, and the conquiring of Mexico City. (Some of Zachary Taylor's skermishes are discussed, but this was Scott's show). A thrilling adventure story that should entertain anyone and provide insight to the future Civil War leaders not often seen.

excellent tale of the Mexican War .......2007-04-14

Jeff Shaara combines history and story telling to bring a remarkable tale of the 1847 Mexican War. Gen Winfield Scott leads an assault at Vera Cruz to crush Santa Anna's uprising and finally put an end to his power in Mexico. The battle scenes are vidily written and explode across the page. What is so fascinating are the combining of Civil War generals Lee, Johnston, Grant and Jackson into this pre-civil war epic. Gen WInfield Scott, of course, was the leader of the Union Army at the start of the Civil War. A mere shell of the great general in this book.

Shaara and the Mexican - American War.......2007-02-13

In this novel, Jeff Shaara takes us back a dozen or more years to the period when US forces invaded Mexico. Many of the main military leaders in the Civil War underwent their individual and collective baptism of fire in the Mexican-American war. Lee and Grant first show the promise that they would later legitimately claim, on a much more bloody battlefield, in this largely forgotten war. Shaara continues to tell a good story well and doesn't seem to have become "bored" (as happens with many writers) with the niche that he seems to have developed so nicely.

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Coming of Age Story
An Army nurse's remarkable life story
Amazing Woman!
inspiring and interesting read for anyone
This book is a story of courage and discrimination.

Serving in Silence
Margarethe Cammermeyer , and Lee Meriwether
Manufacturer: Highbridge Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0453009050

Customer Reviews:

Coming of Age Story.......2005-06-16

This book tells the story of Margarethe Cammermeyer, a woman who challenged the army's regulation against homosexuality. Cammermeyer was born in Norway but came to the US with her family when she was a small child. As a teenager, she thought she would become a doctor like her father, but faced with the freedoms of college-life, wasn't able to make the grades. Instead she found herself drawn to nursing. An acquaintance got her interested in the challenges and adventure of army nursing, so she gave it a try. She soon found that army life was an ideal match for her career-oriented nature. She served with her husband in Vietnam. When she had children, she was forced to leave the army, for a while, but regulations eventually changed, and she was able to re-enlist as a reservist. During her long career in the army and national guard, she won many honors. Her goal was to become a general before she retired. However, to do this, she needed a top-secret security clearance, which required an in-depth background interview. It was during this interview that she admitted that she was a lesbian. Suddenly, the army found it no longer had any use for her skills or experience. Cammermeyer was flabbergasted at this response, and began a campaign against the regulations which forbid professed homosexuals from serving their country in uniform.

The book begins with description of an ugly event that happened on the day Cammermeyer was forced out of the Washington National Guard. The text in this chapter is so angry, I almost put the book down without reading further because I wanted to read about her life, not her anger. Fortunately, I kept reading, and found myself quite taken with Cammermeyer's coming of age story. As Cammermeyer came to adulthood in the early 1960s, young women didn't have a lot of say in running their lives. They were expected to do what they were told, and what they were supposed to do, like marry, have children, keep house, and leave the career-building for the men. In trying to play her part, Cammermeyer married, had children, tried settling down on the farm. But coincident with the women's movement, she noticed that she wasn't satisfied with these actions, and set out to get advanced degrees so that she could push her career into high gear. Her husband felt threatened and abandoned by her new attitude of independence, and this led eventually to an acrimonious divorce. After the divorce, Cammermeyer had time to think about what she really wanted and liked in life, and it was at this time that she realized her innate sexual orientation. Overall the book is well written, and it provides an interesting personal account of the societal changes for women from the 1960s to the 1990s.

An Army nurse's remarkable life story.......2005-04-01

"Serving in Silence," by Margarethe Cammermeyer (with Chris Fisher) is a memoir by a nurse who rose to the rank of full colonel in the United States Army. An openly gay woman, she challenged the U.S. military's policy of discharging gay people. But her fight over this policy is only part of a wide-ranging and consistently fascinating book.

The book begins with her childhood in Norway during World War II and Nazi occupation. The reader follows her as she emigrates to the U.S. and becomes a citizen. Cammermeyer tells in depth about her career as an Army nurse; particularly fascinating are her memories of serving in wartime Vietnam. The book also covers marriage, motherhood, and divorce, as well as her civilian nursing career and her continuing military service in both the Army Reserve and the National Guard.

A particularly intriguing aspect of the book is her quest to raise a bilingual family and celebrate her Norwegian roots; in this regard the book represents a fine contribution to the canon of multiethnic American literature. The book is not just about the colonel, but is a multigenerational family story; her accounts of her relationships with her parents, sons, and other relatives are very moving. Cammermeyer also offers interesting insights into military life, the nursing profession, and the process of discovering the lesbian and gay community.

Cammermeyer has lived a truly epic life, and this book is absorbing throughout. I found the prose style very enjoyable to read. The book's cover emphasizes the colonel's role as a pioneer for gay rights, and indeed this aspect of the text is truly compelling. But the book succeeds on many other levels. I highly recommend "Serving" to those interested in the Vietnam War, lesbian and gay studies, military memoirs, women's studies, and the nursing profession.

Amazing Woman!.......2004-04-13

I know Dr. Cammermeyer personaly...She is an amazing woman who has been through many struggles...This book was a way for her to let other people know what she had to put up with and try and give others hope that even when you feel like everything is going wrong...Never give up, something good will always come.

inspiring and interesting read for anyone.......2001-11-02

I am an out lesbian who's been involved with queer politics and HIV issues for 15 years, but I just recently got around to reading Dr. Cammermeyer's book. Even after all my years of being "out," I found her story and life so far to be fascinating and inspiring. It's wonderful to have another role model for my own life! I encourage anyone interested in finding out how women can change society and military policy to read this book. It's also a good read for the role of women in the Vietnam war and in the National Guard. Dr. Cammermeyer is truly a "great American," as the military admitted while in the same breath sanctioning her discharge. Her story is all about one person having the integrity and strength to stand up for what she believes to be right, using the legal system to out-maneuver the military, and continuing to be a passionate and out-spoken supporter of banishing ALL types of discrimination. But her book is also an amazing window into the life experiences that fully shaped her to be the person who she is today. Daughter, mother, soldier, nurse, life partner, healer, activist: Dr. Cammermeyer is a hero on so many levels, and you'll have the chance to learn about all of it in her book. (The made-for-TV movie starring Glenn Close as Dr. Cammermeyer and Judy Davis as Diane, her life partner, is also fabulous!)

This book is a story of courage and discrimination........1999-04-26

In 1996 I was fired from a government law enforcement position due to my orientation. I hit bottom, emotionally and financially. This book helped me see we have to fight discrimination, that I can survive this ordeal and come out a better person. It is a story of courage from a real hero, and I reccomend it no matter what your orientation, military status, or personal beliefs.

Soldier's Heart: An Inspirational Memoir and Inquiry of War

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Inspirational, Healing
A Must Read
"Soldier's Heart" - a personal and significant document
Soldier's Heart -- An Excellent Book
Unconventional Excellence!!!

Soldier's Heart: An Inspirational Memoir and Inquiry of War
Lee Burkins
Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1403394822

Book Description

A Special Forces soldier, working in a secret organization, leads tribal warriors in a war in South East Asia. He loses his humanity and struggles to understand the root of violence within us all. Inspirational, soul searching, informative and uplifting.

Customer Reviews:

Inspirational, Healing.......2006-05-16

I have just finished reading Lee Burkins' remarkable book, Soldier's Heart. It touched me deeply and opened my eyes and my heart to so much that I could never have otherwise known. Those of us that sat on the sidelines during the Vietnam war - regardless of our politics - were not only blinded to the plight of those who fought, but also, through our own lack of concern, inadvertently contributed to their pain. In writing, Lee has reached out to us, reconnected, and given us all the opportunity to heal. For this, I am profoundly grateful.

I will be passing Soldier's Heart on to my adult children. It should be mandatory reading for their generation and those that follow. Without access to a warrior's experience and vision, how will they ever be able to understand the human costs of contemporary warfare, or have any hope of piercing the veils of untruths and diversionary distractions that constantly envelope them. Lee Burkins' painful but life affirming book is a gift to us all.

A Must Read.......2006-02-28

Forget the typical cliches like "riveting", "incredible", and "fascinating" because Lee's work goes above and beyond all of that. This is not simply a book or a memoir - it truly is an "Inquiry of War" and war is something that Lee Burkins has a fair amount of knowledge in. From the jungles and bomb craters that surround the Ho Chi Minh Trail system inside Laos and Cambodia, Lee and RT Vermont fight for their lives against hoards of North Vietnamese Army troops and the suicidal odds of MACV-SOG's secret war. But perhaps the most difficult war Lee wages is the one that dominates his psyche and his mental well-being. This is one of the most powerful books I have ever read; it is raw and unbridled and remarkably unique. Thanks for everything, Lee.

"Soldier's Heart" - a personal and significant document.......2004-10-11

Amid the increasing number of books about Vietnam this book is quite special. It is the personal memoir of a man who spent his time in Vietnam in the Special Forces, and has spent much of his life since recovering from the experience. Thus the narrrative covers his youth and joining up, service in Vietnam including fighting with the Montagnards, returning home, pineapple farming in Hawaii, another stint of military service again in Hawaii, and a lot of hard work fighting for veterans' rights and counseling other vets. What is striking about this narrative, however, is that it does not follow a linear conventional structure. Rather it has a sort of spiraling structure, with each successive section looping back or forward in time and space. But this isn't confusing, it is in fact very effective in conveying that sense of acute dislocation that accompanies post-traumatic stress and is suffered by so many veterans.
It is a tribute too to the author's writing style that the reader is bowled along; I read most of it at a single sitting. The stories too in themselves are gripping, by turns sad, humorous, disturbing (some very disturbing), and inspiring. But the main sense that comes across is immensely life-affirming, a real impression of the author as a man who has faced his demons and is coming out the other side.
Overall, this book is a good read. More than that too, it is one man's intensely personal testament to the post-Vietnam trauma of American society, and thus deserves a significant place in the broader corpus of the literature of war.

Soldier's Heart -- An Excellent Book.......2004-09-23

This book details Lee Burkins' experience in the Vietnam war and its aftermath. Written in a non-linear fashion, the book is a collection of poignant vignettes and memories. This allows for a psychologically realisitc and "big-picture" way of understanding the story of Mr. Burkins' past. Jumping between the mountainous jungles of Vietnam, Hawaiian VA hospitals, and civilian life in the States, the reader gets a simultaneous sense of the past, present, and future. What is most truly impressive, however, is not the story of the war itself, but the story of Lee's path in reckoning with the trauma of war, coming to terms with it, and purifying his heart.

Unconventional Excellence!!!.......2004-03-01

Lee Burkins has produced a remarkable work that will assure a vital education to those genuinely concerned with the true prices of warfare.
Those intelligent enough to purchase his teachings/reflections will acquire a visceral knowledge of a journey that few survive let alone possess the courage and clarity to document.
SOLDIER'S HEART is a masterpiece and parties claiming to be military historians without turning its pages are simply fooling themselves. Please read the following reviews found beneath this writing. You'll get the idea.
De Oppresso Liber, Lee...and God Bless You.

Recollections of a Maryland Confederate Soldier and Staff Officer Under Johnston, Jackson and Lee (Facsimile, 26)

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Recollections of a Maryland Confederate Soldier and Staff Officer Under Johnston, Jackson and Lee (Facsimile, 26)
McHenry Howard
Manufacturer: Morningside Bookshop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Mercenaries: Soldiers of Fortune, from Ancient Greece to Today#s Private Military Companies

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Historical Perspective for Current Events
Inaccurate, one-sided, narrow-minded opinion of a bored officer
Poorly researched

Mercenaries: Soldiers of Fortune, from Ancient Greece to Today#s Private Military Companies
Michael Lee Col Lanning
Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345469232
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Book Description

SOLDIERS OF $$

Privateers, contract killers, corporate warriors. Contract soldiers go by many names, but they all have one thing in common: They fight for money and plunder rather than liberty, God, or country. Now acclaimed author and war vet Michael Lee Lanning traces the compelling history of these fighting machines–from the “Sea Peoples” who fought for the pharaohs’ greater glory to today’s soldiers for hire from private military companies (PMCs) in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What emerges is a fascinating account of the men who fight other people’s wars–the Greeks who built an empire for Alexander the Great, the Nubians who accompanied Hannibal across the Alps, the Irish who became the first to go global in their search for work. Soldiers of fortune have always had the power to change the course of war, and Lanning examines their pivotal roles in individual battles and in the rise and fall of empires.

As the employment of contract soldiers spreads in Iraq and America’s War on Terrorism–the U.S. paid $30 billion to PMCs in 2003 alone–Mercenaries offers a valuable inside look at a system that appears embedded in our nation’s future.

Includes eight pages of photographs

Customer Reviews:

Historical Perspective for Current Events.......2006-05-23

The previous reviewers lead me to believe that the author beat them to the starting block on this one!

I don't know what their agenda is, but I found the book to be insightful, educational, and most importantly, up with current events.

With all the corporatization of the militaries, the USA's especially, I think the history of how soldiers were bought and sold applies to how we are selling our security today.

I found the info on MPRI, Sandline, etc., to be right on topic and topical.

This book is a great start to understanding paid militias. I highly recommend it for anyone who keeps hearing about Blackwell, KBR, or Halliburton in regards to their role in Iraq. This might explain some of it.

Inaccurate, one-sided, narrow-minded opinion of a bored officer.......2005-12-30

Too often retired officers as well as politicians get bored since they can no longer "shine" among their peers. Many of them start writing books so they can glorify themselves among distinguished guests while tasting a good brandy and a cigar. The first book or two are usually good because they write about what they like with passion. But like everything else, after a while it becomes another routine. This is Lanning's fourteenth book where he already employs a "research assistant" and basically all the information is copied from other books that, unlike Lanning some of the authors did a real historical investigation.

The first part of this book deals with mercenaries from the ancient world such as the Greeks, Romans and so forth. While I am not a history buff I believe the accounts to be fairly correct. The quality of the book suffers a twist though when it deals with modern history. Not only it is full of inaccuracies but also the author, which thus far had not been overtly prejudiced shows a biased opinion of whom is a mercenary or not and who are the good ones versus the bad ones. He defines, "mercenaries...these men who have fought for money and plunder rather than for cause or patriotism" but then, he includes in his report units such as the "Lafayette Escadrille", a unit of American pilots that fought alongside the French in the Great War.
These pilots were fighting for a cause and not for money and plunder and therefore, by his definition do not qualify as mercenaries. He also places them in the French Foreign Legion, which is incorrect. Although it is true that because of their foreign status they were only allowed to enlist in the Legion, they fought as infantrymen since the Legion never had nor has an aviation unit. It was only after many efforts that these brave men first started to fly in various French aviation units and finally convinced the authorities to form their own unit, L'escadrille 124, also known as L'escadrille Lafayette.

The author also considers the Gurkhas and the French Foreign Legion as being mercenaries but once again he's wrong because the Gurkhas are remnants of the Nepalese units that fought the British and after an armistice England decided to incorporate these valiant Nepalese fighters in their own ranks. The Gurkhas are therefore England's allies and do not fight for plunder or offer their services to the highest bidder, which is the true definition of a mercenary.

The same goes for the Legion that fights for France and no one else. If Lanning considers the Legionnaires as mercenaries he should also include the Israeli Defense Forces that, like the Legion accept volunteers from around the world - but there's no mention of the IDD in the book nor there is any mention of the battalions of Senegal and morocco that still fight for the French. Mercenaries present in the recent war in ex-Yugoslavia are not mentioned either. Executive Outcomes, the largest mercenary company in the modern world that was present in almost all African conflicts, only deserves a mere passage. Too many units were forgotten and others that do not fit the scope of the book are mentioned just because the only knowledge of mercenaries the author has, come from books where he copied the information from. In the last part of this atrocious book, Lanning changes his definition of mercenaries to include "private military companies...that provide behind-the-scenes support in areas such as food preparation, water purification and waste removal." Now there he's just being ridiculous.

The facetious arrogance of this ignorant becomes intolerable when we reach the chapter about the French Foreign Legion. I personally served in the Legion for 8½ years and I know the history first hand. I can attest that his accounts are false at least at 80%. There is a picture that he claims depicts legionnaires, which is a lie and it can easily be proven just by looking at the uniforms. He managed to distort even the most obvious details that can be found in the Legion's site. He says the Legion does not accept French, which is another lie. He also states that the uniform still includes the neck protection, one more lie. He claims legionnaires earn a meager salary but when I was in Africa with the legion, my salary was four times higher than my friends' from the US marines Corps. He has so little knowledge of the F.F.L. that he spends more time writing about books and movies made about this force and paraphrasing an American poet. The rest of the chapter is just a vehicle for Lanning to bash the Legion, that he knows so little about.

That chapter starts with the following paragraph:

"Of all the group of men who have offered themselves as soldiers in exchange for money, perhaps none is better known than the French Foreign Legion - While the legion achieved its reputation in battlefields around the world - surprisingly... often in defeat - it became legendary through a long history of "spin" and good publicity in books, songs, and motion pictures."

Of the thousands of battles of the Legion, he conveniently forgot the victorious ones. They are too many to include in this review but I would like to remind that gentleman that in WWII the Legion obtained the first allied victory against what was then considered "the invincible" Wermacht (the Nazi infantry). When neither the British nor the French were able to dislodge the Germans from the Norwegian mountains, the French government decided to form a legion's unit specialized in mountain warfare. The 13th half brigade of Foreign Legion, in which I served, was then created with Legionnaires from other regiments. At the price of heavy casualties (as usual) the Legion won the battles of Narvik and Bjervik, pushing the Germans out of the country.

This paragraph only serves to show Lanning's ignorance about the Legion. Although it is true that the Legion always suffered many casualties, it is useful to remember that this elite corps was (and is) present in all conflicts and is assigned the hardest tasks. Another interesting concept is the definition of victory and defeat. Contrary to popular belief, victory does not rely on the number of casualties among enemy ranks, otherwise the United States would have won the Vietnam War. Victory is to achieve the goals set forth prior to the battle, such as occupying a strategic point, rescue friendly forces or just enforce some ideology. We must not forget that Gandhi won his fight against the British without firing a single shot although he had losses among his followers. Whatever the mission may be, its accomplishment brings victory.
This brings me to Lannings' account of Legion's first great battle in 1863 at Camerone (Mexico) as he portrays it as being a total defeat for the Legion. I will not extend the narration since this information is readily available on the internet. The city of Puebla was under siege by the French. The Legion had the mission to protect the supplying convoys. When the Mexicans got informed that a convoy transporting 3 million Francs, tons of supplies and ammunitions was about to arrive, they organized a two-thousand-men force (800 cavalrymen and 1200 infantrymen). The legion sent one company of 65 foot soldiers to protect the convoy. The Mexicans decided to firstly eliminate the escort in order to pillage the goods in all tranquility. They attacked the Legionnaires with cavalry charges that revealed inefficient. The legionnaire's commander chose to draw the opponents away from the cargo and took refuge in a barn. After 11 hours of fight and repeated refusals to surrender, 3 legionnaires, out of ammunitions remained. As they charged the enemy with their bayonets
The Mexican colonel tried to spare their lives by making them surrender. The Legionnaires agreed if their wounded would be treated, the prisoners spared and could keep their weapons. The end result of the battle was that 49 Legionnaires died along with their 3 officers, 12 were made prisoners and later freed. On the Mexican side 300 died and another 300 were wounded. The convoy reached its destination untouched.
The 15-page chapter is punctuated by third-hand accounts rather than real historical facts. Lanning spends more time writing about the movies, paraphrasing poets, narrating the story of the author of "Beau Geste", which was enlisted for a short period before defecting and expressing his own poorly informed, injurious opinion about the Legion.

A FORMER WARRIOR

Poorly researched.......2005-12-17

I don't know where to start. Incorrect dates. Incorrect, exaggerated or just plain ridiculous accounts.
After reading it, I began to wonder if it was researched on the internet.
The mercenaries who fought in Angola in 1976 are almost nonexistent in this book, even though most of what the public knows about soldiers of fortune is a direct result of this debacle.
The accounts of Bob Denards actions in the Comoro Islands is extremely inaccurate, as if the author lifted it verbatum from some pulp magazine.
When the author discusses "Mad Mike" Hoare, he begins by lauding him highly, but in the end depicts him as a pitiable has-been. And his account of the Seychelles operation is ridiculous in its recounting.
I could go on and on, but the more I write this review, the angrier I become.
Save your money.

The Antietam Campaign (Military Campaigns of the Civil War)

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Informative Essays about America's Bloodiest Day of Battle
Outstanding information and viewpoints of Antietam!
Gallagher has done it again! A great addition to the series!
Gallagher has done it again! A great addition to the series!

The Antietam Campaign (Military Campaigns of the Civil War)
Gary W. Gallagher
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 080782481X
Release Date: 1999-05-12

Book Description

The Maryland campaign of September 1862 ranks among the most important military operations of the American Civil War. Crucial political, diplomatic, and military issues were at stake as Robert E. Lee and George B. McClellan maneuvered and fought in the western part of the state. The climactic clash came on September 17 at the battle of Antietam, where more than 23,000 men fell in the single bloodiest day of the war.

Approaching topics related to Lee's and McClellan's operations from a variety of perspectives, contributors to this volume explore questions regarding military leadership, strategy, and tactics, the impact of the fighting on officers and soldiers in both armies, and the ways in which participants and people behind the lines interpreted and remembered the campaign. They also discuss the performance of untried military units and offer a look at how the United States Army used the Antietam battlefield as an outdoor classroom for its officers in the early twentieth century.

The contributors are William A. Blair, Keith S. Bohannon, Peter S. Carmichael, Gary W. Gallagher, Lesley J. Gordon, D. Scott Hartwig, Robert E. L. Krick, Robert K. Krick, Carol Reardon, and Brooks D. Simpson.

Customer Reviews:

Informative Essays about America's Bloodiest Day of Battle.......2003-05-31

Just like previous reviewers, I agree that this book is a fine addition to the on-going series about the Military Campaigns of the Civil War. This installment about the Battle of Antietam is particularly strong because of the quality of scholarship included and the distinguished group of historians that Gallagher gathered for this edition.

Each author includes an interesting essay that details a specific aspect of the battle. Some examples of topics that are covered include: the supply challenge the Confederacy faced, how new Union recruits reacted to the carnage of Antietam, the role Confederate artillery played, and why McClellan failed to pursue Lee after the battle. I found that every essay presented a compelling argument and really offer the reader a detailed analysis that you will not find in other books about the battle.

As always, this type of book is not aimed at telling the history of what happened at Antietam. If you are looking for a general narrative of the battle - this is not the right book. On the other hand, it is designed for those who are somewhat familiar with the battle and are looking for the most current research from a find group of historians. I highly recommend the book for people who fall into this category. It will greatly enhance your understanding of key aspects that affected the battle which has been the bloodiest day in US military history.

Outstanding information and viewpoints of Antietam!.......2002-09-25

Similar to past works of Gallagher's, this book contains invididual chapters written by popular Civil War historians keying in on battle concerns, myths, strategies and political concepts during the campaign. I really enjoyed reading William Blair's chapter on how Marylanders caught in the middle of political unrest viewed the campaign and Lee's invasion. Brooks Simpson's chapter on how the Army of the Potomac was McClellan's bodyguard according to Lincoln really made me understand the political frustrations the Lincoln party had in regards to McClellan's slow moving and cautious approach to battle. Keith Bohannon's view on Confederate logistical problems was very informative and really brought forth information as to Lee's reasons for invading the north and also his retreat.

These chapters are just some of the great amount of information brought together in a very fine book. I would recommend this book to someone who has already read a book on the battle itself before reading this one. This book contains some fighting information but isn't one for coverage on the entire battle. It is one for understanding political unrest, commander motivations, strategies and little unknown and sometimes unclear myths that surround the entire campaign in September 1862. 5 STARS!!!

Gallagher has done it again! A great addition to the series!.......2000-08-01

Once again, Gary W. Gallagher has compiled a wonderful collection of essays in this latest volume of the Military Campaigns of the Civil War Series. Each chapter or essay focuses on a different aspect of the campaign and is written by a different author. This allows for a new perspective on the campaign with each chapter. Among the topics covered by the various essayists are Confederate perception of Antietam as a victory or defeat, Confederate logistics, Confederate artillery, the use of the Antietam battlefield as a classroom for military leaders in the 20th century, the impact of new recruits on the Army of Potomac's effectiveness, and the experiences of individual units.

All of the essays are well-written and contain wonderful insights into their selected aspects of the campaign. Due to the focus of the series on military events, other important issues related to Antietam are only briefly mentioned. Most notably, issues related to emancipation and foreign intervention are mentioned in passing. This, however, is a result of the decision by the editor and the press (University of North Carolina Press) to focus on military aspects. Despite this weakness, I would highly recommend this and all other books in the Military Campaigns of the Civil War series to anyone with an interest in the Civil War.

Gallagher has done it again! A great addition to the series!.......2000-07-10

As usual, Gary W. Gallagher has compiled a wonderful collection of essays on a wide variety of topics related to the selected campaign, in this case Antietam. Among the topics are Confederate public perception of Antietam as a success or failure, Confederate logistics, the impact of untrained newly recruited troops on the Army of the Potomac, Confederate artillery, experiences of individual units, and how the campaign served as a lesson for future military leaders.

As with the other books in the series, this book is hard to put down. The essay format covering a variety of topics, along with the quality of writing allows a different perspective on the same events with each new chapter. I would recommend this and other books in the series to anyone with an interest in the Civil War.

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