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Lee Paperback – Abridged, August 1, 1997
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More than just a military leader, Lee embodied all the conflicts of his time. The son of a Revolutionary War hero and related by marriage to George Washington, he was the product of young America’s elite. When Abraham Lincoln offered him command of the United States Army, however, he choose to lead the confederate ranks, convinced that his first loyalty lay with his native Virginia. Although a member of the planter class, he felt that slavery was “a moral and political evil.” Aloof and somber, he nevertheless continually inspired his men by his deep concern for their personal welfare.
Freeman’s biography is the full portrait of a great American—a distinguished, scholarly, yet eminently readable classic that has linked Freeman to Lee as irrevocably as Boswell to Dr. Johnson.
- Print length656 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherScribner
- Publication dateAugust 1, 1997
- Dimensions6.13 x 1.6 x 9.25 inches
- ISBN-100684829533
- ISBN-13978-0684829531
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- Publisher : Scribner; Touchstonee ed. edition (August 1, 1997)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 656 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0684829533
- ISBN-13 : 978-0684829531
- Item Weight : 1.56 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.13 x 1.6 x 9.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #426,769 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #248 in U.S. Civil War Confederacy History
- #498 in American Civil War Biographies (Books)
- #6,008 in U.S. State & Local History
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Robert E. Lee is best known for having been the commanding general of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during most of our Civil War. That sad fact underscores how badly our nation wasted the absolutely incredible talent and character and heart of Robert E. Lee. That fact, in turn, helps illuminate why Lee, after the War, was (and is) one of the very most revered, most admired, best-loved and most studied men in the entire 600 years or so of recorded History of the North American continent.
Lee graduated from West Point as an engineer and Harwell presents the reader with enough of Lee's pre-War career assignments and accomplishments to realize that an upstart new nation perched on the edge of unprecedented expansion and The Industrial Age could have put Lee's talents to infinitely better use in a thousand different ways. To spend that treasure on four years of national self-mutilation was the height of the sinful imbecility and avarice that has so commonly characterized our Federal government.
Perhaps the single most striking trait Lee exhibited during the War was his seemingly uncanny ability to come up with the right answer at (or even before) the right time. Probably thousands of people have expressed wonder at Lee's calmness -even serenity- during battles and campaigns - reverses, disasters, surprises, catastrophes and assorted crazy events notwithstanding. Harwell demonstrates over and over that Lee's "genius" had a lot more to do with the good sense to "do his homework", stay clear-eyed and to then make the right decisions for the right reasons than to any mystical power.
Lee's post-War life - tragically far too brief - is the best testimony to Lee's character and heart. Lee looked forward for the South and for the nation. He focused on healing the country and, in remarkably stark contrast to nearly all other Civil War officers on both sides; he didn't "re-fight" the War or seek to capitalize on the fame of his service, or try to burnish his reputation by disparaging the others involved. He had the good sense and magnanimity to leave the War where it belonged - in the Past. His tenure as President of Washington University was spent working diligently to instill the ideals of honor and humility and service in the students because he believed the success of their Futures in the nation they were inheriting would be determined almost completely by their faithfulness to those basic ideals.
Lee certainly had flaws and Harwell isn't bashful or apologetic in describing them. But that's good because it lets Lee be human when we meet him instead of some inscrutable, unapproachable demi-god from the hoary pages of Glory.
Harwell (and presumably biographer Freeman) believes that the key to understanding this incredible person, Robert E. Lee, is to understand that Lee was always a man of Christian Faith, ideals and strong spiritual substance. In fact Harwell believes the essence of Lee was/is his simplicity and spirituality. He presents Lee's inner character and attitude as something of a "Pilgrim's Progress" study or, in today's parlance, a devoted WWJD personage, and makes convincing links between that and the Lee the world saw in action. The salient point is that Lee didn't wave the Christian banner nearly as much as he simply lived the Christian ideals and tried to emulate the life of his hero Jesus Christ.
That likely explains why Lee was, and is, acclaimed - virtually around the entire World - as among the greatest people of the 19th Century. If you enjoy keeping splendid company, you'll be thrilled with Robert E. Lee. He may well truly be the best person you ever meet.
Reading this book I now have a definitive understanding of Robert E. Lee, now knowing why this man is still revered to this day in America. He was a highly intelligent, principled and religious man who embraced his life fully from start to finish. He epitomised what he felt was right as a leader of men, as a husband and father and as President of Washington College in its early development to what this institution has become today. In short he was an amazing man.
This book is highly recommended, a milestone that will draw many readers to its pages for its historical content.
Cheers.
Another time and other places where man and women where made of a much greater stuff than now. With basic, good human values and great intellect, compassion, forbearance, patience, knowledge in the art of war, who accepted and worked with man of lesser capacity than his. Yes, lesser talents (understanding) than his.
He knew of man frailties, vanities and accepted them as such without belittling them, so he could use their talented parts for a clear objective. Even though the objective failed and was flawed, the effort was grand and glorious for the man, Robert E. Lee, for his character was very special for our history as Americans. A good example for any any man at any time, regardless of the passing of time..
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Purtroppo il libro è afflitto da scarsità di mappe , il che costringe il lettore a far ricorso ad altri testi (o alla propria memoria, che però può essere fallace - almeno nel mio caso) per seguire gli spostamenti degli eserciti.
Purtroppo il buon D.S. Freeman è un pò troppo di parte, il gen. Lee viene piazzato su un altare, santificato dall'autore senza che vi sia mai una valutazione men che positiva del suo agire e questo modo di scrivere una biografia risulta piuttosto datato.
If you are looking for a factual account of RE Lee and the civil war, DO NOT read this book. If, however, you are well acquainted with the battles and wish to see how they were described by those who worshipped Lee, then this book provides insight into that story.