The Killer Angels
by Michael Shaara
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Book Summary Information
Author: Michael ShaaraEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-05-29
ISBN: 0345444124
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Book Reviews of The Killer Angels
Book Review: Further Evidence That Not Knowing What Lies in Front of You Can Be Very Costly Indeed.
Summary: 5 Stars
As I get older I am more aware of American politics. I am finding myself drawn more and more to the past to help me understand the present and perhaps brace for the future.My reading of great Americans such as Washington,Lincoln and the wars that shaped them are truly facinating,enlightening and help me see past mistakes,analyse and reassess current priorities.The study of war,how men fought it,the decisions made,good or bad demonstrating tactical finesse and victory or bold,proud,stubborn ones usually leading to failure make for good reading.Having until now focused on the Revolutionary War era my thoughts were turned toward the Civil War.By chance my brother-in law Frank Russo,a military history buff,sports authority and author in his own right(see my review of his book by checking 'see all my reviews')and myself got to talking about Gettysburg and how we should visit the battlefield.He was there already but wouldn't mind going back.The trip intrigued me.A weekend away from the wife and kids,hmmm,I could live with that,(so could they).But to go unprepared,never.Yet I knew practically nothing about the battle other than that it was a battle,one of many in the civil war but that this one was different somehow.That's about it.After some research of which there are literally thousands of books to choose from on the subject how does one narrow it down.After some more digging it became clear that one book stood out. One that would give me what I was looking for and that book was The Killer Angels.This,I decided was the place to start and boy was I right.A perfect historical novel,well written,accurate, not too technical,not dry at all and allowing one to not only experience this monumental 3 day battle but also enables the reader to get to know the major players,their personalities,anxieties and emotions on both sides of the battlefield.This book is so well written that when the movie 'Gettysburg' was made which is based on this book, most of the dialog was used from the book, verbatim, with hardly any revision at all.See it to make the book come alive for you.If you need to know about the Battle of Gettysburg,if you want to know just why Lincoln felt compelled to 'address' it then The Killer Angels should be your first taste as it was mine.I'm no historian but I know more about this battle now than ever before where my knowledge beyond elementary school stories had to suffice.It shows just how stupid,painful yet necessary it was. Growing pains of a new nation they called it.Feel the pain of your history.Discover why we are one nation,undivided.This is one book you will enjoy even if you don't like history.Written in 1974, it still has relevance today and is pure genius.Pick a side and get ready to fight.After reading it your perspective and sympathies may just change as you get to understand the true meaning of the Civil War itself.To give you a hint, it had something to do with rats and why a man named Pickett and his analogy of a gentlemans club was very succinct,leading to his famous 'charge'just as the confederate 'cash' was running low.Sorry for the pun,no disrespect intended.Read it,you won't regret it.
Summary of The Killer Angels
After more than a quarter of a century and three million copies in print, Michael Shaara?s Pulitzer Prize-winning Civil War classic, The Killer Angels, remains as vivid and powerful as the day it was originally published. This handsome new hardcover edition introduces a whole new generation to Shaara?s masterpiece?and offers readers everywhere a literary keepsake for years to come.July 1863. The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia is invading the North. General Robert E. Lee has made this daring and massive move with seventy thousand men in a determined effort to draw out the Union Army of the Potomac and mortally wound it. His right hand is General James Longstreet, a brooding man who is loyal to Lee but stubbornly argues against his plan. Opposing them is an unknown factor: General George Meade, who has taken command of the Army only two days before what will be perhaps the crucial battle of the Civil War.
In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation?s history, two armies fight for two conflicting dreams. One dreams of freedom, the other of a way of life. More than rifles and bullets are carried into battle. The soldiers carry memories. Promises. Love. And more than men fall on those Pennsylvania fields. Bright futures, untested innocence, and pristine beauty are also the casualties of war.
The Killer Angels is unique, sweeping, unforgettable?a dramatic re-creation of the battleground for America?s destiny.
This novel reveals more about the Battle of Gettysburg than any piece of learned nonfiction on the same subject. Michael Shaara's account of the three most important days of the Civil War features deft characterizations of all of the main actors, including Lee, Longstreet, Pickett, Buford, and Hancock. The most inspiring figure in the book, however, is Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, whose 20th Maine regiment of volunteers held the Union's left flank on the second day of the battle. This unit's bravery at Little Round Top helped turned the tide of the war against the rebels. There are also plenty of maps, which convey a complete sense of what happened July 1-3, 1863. Reading about the past is rarely so much fun as on these pages.
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