Gods and Generals (The Civil War Trilogy, #1) in Retro Chapter Chicks

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Jun 03, 2019 Joanne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: series-finished, historical-fiction-read

In 1974 Michael Shaara wrote The Killer Angels, a story of The Battle of Gettysburg. Shaara won the Pulitzer for that book. Here is a bit from my review on that book:

This is the story of the Civil War battle at Gettysburg. It doesn't matter how much you know about that war, or how many books you have read on the subject. This book will more than likely change how and what you think of when the Civil War is brought up. Michael Shaara tells this story in such a captivating way, it will all be fres In 1974 Michael Shaara wrote The Killer Angels, a story of The Battle of Gettysburg. Shaara won the Pulitzer for that book. Here is a bit from my review on that book:

This is the story of the Civil War battle at Gettysburg. It doesn't matter how much you know about that war, or how many books you have read on the subject. This book will more than likely change how and what you think of when the Civil War is brought up. Michael Shaara tells this story in such a captivating way, it will all be fresh and new . Although you know how it ends, you will wish, as some of these men did, that it could have been different.

Fast forward 2000, Jeff Shaara, Michael's son publishes a prequel, Gods and Generals. This book begins 3 years before the outbreak of The Civil War. Using the same format his father used, the story is told through the eyes of four men-Robert Edward Lee, Winfield Scott Hancock, Thomas J (Stonewall) Jackson and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. The first 119 pages introduce you to these men, and the lives they had before the South succeeded. On page 120 men, who were raised in the South, begin resigning their posts and commissions in the Union Army. Explaining "they cannot fight against their homes." At this juncture, the world changes and our country becomes "Hell on Earth."

The book continues through mid 1863, and over this time Shaara opens up a whole new Civil War for me. The incompetence of the men in Washington, the politics so similar to the present day. Longstreet expressed his opinions of the Union Army, in a letter, "The soldier has no respect for the commanders, the commanders have no respect for the Generals. Not a very healthy army." Had someone, anyone, listened to the ranks of men, perhaps the war would have ended after less than a year.

These books are very character driven, you feel the sorrow, the love and despair of these men. You begin to know them as humans, not just characters from the past.

There is a 3rd book in this seriesThe Last Full Measure, again written by Jeff Shaara. It covers the final years of the war. No doubt that I will read it. However, my " reading heart" is telling me to re-read The Killer Angels first. As a rule, I do not re-read, so this is very unusual and hard for me to do. I just feel I need to go back and follow the story as it unfolds.

Just a note: Jeff Shaara had never written a book before Gods and Generals. So if you think he just danced by on his fathers coat tails, you are wrong. A quote from the back of the book:

Brilliant does not even begin to describe the Shaara gift. Thank Gods and Generals that it was passed from father to son -The Atlantic Journal Constitution. ...more

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Jul 30, 2014 Kris (My Novelesque Life) marked it as to-read

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Jun 19, 2020 Bianca marked it as wishlist

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