Indiana Books

Heaven, Indiana, is one of those books that you don't want to end. The characters are well developed and recognizable in any small town, and the suspenseful story is well crafted. I really wanted to find out more about each of the characters. I await the next book by Jan Maher. I hope she continues to create wonderfully rich characters who can teach us about some important issues of life in such an entertaining way.

I have now read this book three times over a period of two years and I think a time will come when I read it once again. The first time was for the story. The second time was to try and understand how, in so few pages, the author "did it," that is, created a world and people so vivid and memorable that they continued to haunt me long after I finished not only this book, but at least three dozen others. The third time was to see if it was as good as I remembered; it was.
There is something about the loneliness and self-sufficiency of the characters, something about their secrets and their passions, their loyalties and the fact that they remain mysteries to each other, that keeps me attached to this book in a way I can only assert, but not explain. I have given copies to several friends, all of whom loved it.

Heaven Indiana is a richly textured picture of a small town in the Midwest. Author Jan Maher portrays a deep understanding of small town life. She tells us that two of her leading characters are, "Friends in the way small towns force friendships." With that single brush, she lets the reader know both how deep and how shallow their friendship is.

In her portrayal, the negative spaces Maher leaves out define the town almost as much as the colors she includes. Subtly, she brings out of its patterns an underlying theme of racism that gradually rivets the reader.

Heaven, Indiana is well- written and rings true in every way. Even if you're not from Indiana, you will love the tone, the characters and the sweet poignancy ofthe storyline. A little reminiscent of Ann Tyler or Alice Hoffman - Jan Maher has a wonderful voice of her own.

I grew up in New York, so I like to do everything fast. But from the minute I started reading Jan Maher's "Heaven, Indiana," I wanted the world to slow down. I didn't want the book to end so badly, I rationed myself to only a few pages a night when I got close to the end! I wanted the characters' lives to go on and on so I could keep on reading about them.

What I liked best about this book was that it was easy to get lost in. The characters were all quirky, but I think that made them more likeable because they were not cookie cutter plastic characters with no heart. They were layered, like someone you would know and care about in real life. But even though the characters were complicated, their stories weren't hard to follow. Everything moved along at a good pace and I kept wanting to see where it was going to go next. The writing style was very uncluttered, so you almost didn't realize that there was a lot under the surface, but there was. To me, what tells me a book is worth reading is when it lingers after I have finished it. This book and these characters will linger for a long, long time. I highly recommend it!!!!

These books are all so great and wish someone in the world would make a movie of these books as they are so good for families.

If you haven't read all of Philip Gulley's books then you have missed out on true humor and a visit with people you have "known all your lives"
wonderful fall down clean laughing as well as touching moments.

Like all of Philip Gulley's books, this one takes us to Harmony and the people who live in that small town. His characatures of the Friendly Meeting House people are not only humorous, but there are lessons to be learned as we see ourselves in some of them from time to time. We're delighted that Deena and Dr. Pierce are married, even though Dale Henshaw manages to draw that ceremony to a dramatic climax! Dale will never change, even in such a dramatic occurance as a heart transplant. Fun reading with an added life lesson to be learned every now and then.

Anyone who has stumbled across the writings of Philip Gulley will want to get the next installment in the lives of Harmony. As a person reads these books, he or she forgets that these are all fictional characterizations and a person cannot wait to hear the crazyness continue. A must-read for anyone who wants to have some light-hearted moments!

Sam Gardner and his delightfully dysfunctional Quaker congregation are back again as this series just seems to get better and better. There are lots of humorous moments with special Harmony events such as the Blessing of the Noodles, the Corn and Sausage Days Festival, and the Progressive Nativity Scene. There are also more serious events and a threat to the lives of two of the members of the Harmony Quaker church. There are family squabbles between Ellis and Ralph Hodge and bumpy places in the new marriage of Dr. Pierce and Deena. Again Philip Gulley makes us laugh, makes us cry, and makes us think which is a surefire recipe for a good read.

I'm the pastor of a Wesleyan church in the US and I have been learning to pray the Daily Office - morning and evening prayer. This little book is great for a travel prayer book, as it is smaller and much less complicated than the Benedictine Daily Prayer.

As a protestant, I have to adjust some of the wording about Mary and the saints, but that is a small sacrifice for the joy of praying with the larger church throughout history!

I heartily recommend this book to anyone who seeks to deepen his or her experience of God through dedicated times of prayer each day!

This book is a perfect introduction into the liturgy of prayer. It is basically a simplified version of the Liturgy of the Hours (simplified in complexity, not content). Each day of the week has morning and evening prayer. There are also prayers for mid-morning, noon, afternoon and evening. Also included is a very nice selection of traditional prayers (the Creed, Act of Contrition, etc.) as well as prayers for various occasions. At the end of the book there is a selection of quotes from the Rules of St. Benedict.

This prayer book is put out by the Benedictine community of Glenstal Abbey in Ireland. The book is a slim volume and is easily carried around. It is perfect for someone (like myself) who wants to develop the habit of prayer and needs a nice introduction to it. There is only one ribbon to move around and it just goes from one day of the week to another. The prayers and liturgies are fairly short and can be done in five or ten minutes. The prayers for mid-morning, etc., are perfect for doing in your car before or after lunch (in the parking lot, not propped up on your steering wheel).

If you are looking for a great tool to help you develop the habit of prayer and that is easy to incorporate into your home and work life, this is it.

Simple reverant prayers in the Benedictine tradition that brings the holy to the every day. A wonderful book to bring along whenever one is seeking a practice to remember the art of spiritual surrender.

The secular prayerful person may find in this prayer book a schema of prayer accessible to and useful for the person who cannot give up their day job for contemplative purposes. I keep a copy on my prayer table at all times, and find it very useful for constant prayer.

Unlike other such Books of Common Prayer or Monastic Diurnals, it is not overwhelming in its requirements. It gently and lightly suggests a system of prayer for every day of the week, and for the holidays, morning and evening, following the traditional monastic format which dates back before Saint Benedict. No wonder as Glenstal is a Benedictine Abbey.

It also includes much of the traditional prayers once so well known but now difficult to locate, in a very useful and handy lay out. Many of those traditional prayers heard at your grandmother-s knee and not heard since but cherished in memory are represented here, as well as suggestions for prayers at every occassion of the day.

Highly recommended for anyone wishing to introduce regular prayer into their lives (or the life which God has so generously lent to us) as a centering worship of recollection and peace in God-s love. An urgently necessary element of any prayerful life.

I have been looking for a good benedictine prayer book that is easy to follow, and practical for my Oblate studies, and the Glenstal book fits the bill. The monks of Glenstal really put clever thought in putting together this book of prayer for non-monks. Thank you for an excellent tool for lay-monastics, and anyone interested in a solid book of christian prayer.

Fossil Hunter is well-written, and a lot of fun to read. It's a book the whole family can enjoy -- my wife and 12-year old daughter both read and loved it too. John B. Olson has done a terrific job of using this absorbing action story as a backdrop for an engaging discussion of science, evolution and intelligent design. He approaches the difficult subject in a refeshingly straigtforward manner and I've found the book serves as a nice springboard for thought-provoking dialog. I've used it many times as a way to start a conversation on the subject with friends, both Christian and non-Christian. I highly recommend this book!

Fossil Hunter is one of those books that not only entertains (and believe me, it does!) but it also educates. This is not a mindless story laden with drivel and rhetoric, but is an intelligent work of art, and it's full of depth and intrigue. I was impressed with how well the author developed the setting. I felt like I was on the run and hiding in the hot desert right along with Nick and Katie. And all that dust! Oy!

I'd heard the author was an expert at writing from a woman's point of view. That is definitely the case. The main character, Katie, was very believable and strong, yet enticingly vulnerable at the same time. The tension between Katie and Nick was exhilarating, too. I loved that. And unlike many high intensity novels these days, this one had a spiritual element that was subtle, yet genuine and clear.

In short, Fossil Hunter is a must-read. If you love action and adventure with subtle romantic elements you will love this story.

"Fossil Hunter" is a wonderfully written adventure that spans the globe! Katie James is a brilliant and beautiful paleontologist trying to save her career by accepting a position on a team looking for the fossilized remains of an ancient whale. Nick Murad, Katie's long-time rival, is after the same prize.

This novel is a brilliant work of intellectual fiction with a Christian backbone. There's plenty of suspense and tension because of the rivalry between our two leading characters. The Iraqi setting of the dig adds to the volatility and intrigue of the story. The author has obviously done his research to make this work of fiction believable. The foreign phrases and scientific terminology add depth and credibility to the story. Although I would have appreciated a glossary in the back of the book so that I would have had greater understanding while I was reading, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Reader Beware this is one breathtaking ride. Better buckle up get ready for some wild adventures. Author John B. Olson's book is filled with suspense, action and drama. Watch out Indiana Jones fans; Dr. Katie James will capture your heart! She is working at University of Mexico and is a legend in her own time. Katie James is a woman who really knows her stuff, works harder than most in the male dominated field she is in; and is being blackmailed by the head of her dept. to go to Iraq to make the biggest find in history which will allow the University to keep it's grant money.

Dietrich her Dept. head had given her strict orders not to share her faith with anyone anywhere. Can Katie take on this new assignment and not talk about how she feels regarding God? She soon will find out. "This was concerning her career which happened to be her only means of supporting her father. After what happened in Peru this was also Katie's only avenue in which she would be able to clear her name. She didn't have a choice." Or did she?

Katie James races to Iraq ahead of schedule. She is desperate to make the find of the century when she bumps into Dr. Nick Muard. What was he doing here? Wasn't he in Pakistan? How did he get to Iraq and why? It was her job - her discovery! It had to be that way - she needed the money. The competition was on. She had to find this fossil first so she could keep her grant. Katie was not afraid to go out and get what she wanted. She would follow her instincts and find that fossil - so much depended on her. Indiana Jones was afraid of snakes. Katie James was terrified of one thing and that was crowds. She feared lots of new people in the same location - shouting questions at her. The thought was frightening. She'd gladly take on a room full of snakes than a room full of people.

Nick and Katie are about the start the biggest challenge of their lives when the minister yells a warning , "Remember...you are in Iraq now. Nothing is ever easy, and nothing is ever what it seems!!"

Nick and Katie will keep you up late reading about their amazing fossil search; as they try to stay alive in such awful conditions. I totally enjoyed their adventures and think this book would make a GREAT movie. A female Indiana Jones I can see that and you will too after you read this exhilarating book.

Nora St. Laurent- Book Club Servant Leader
[...]

Well written and easy to understand, even for the scientifically challenged. Could not put this page turner down. I enjoyed every bit and it created several debate filled lunch hours for my family. Thanks for another brilliant book, John!

There is no story it's equal. When I think of a man truly loving a woman, this book comes to mind. It's the most deeply intimate telling of one man's heart, mind and soul. Is it possible love like this is possible by a man or a woman for the other? The story is to be nestled and protected for its lofty ideology. I view the Harvesters love for the woman as many saintly priests and nuns have loved God...deeply beyond what most of us can grasps with our worldliness. I might buy this book for my teenage nieces--they should read this story. Why? I wonder if they could, in their wildest fantasies, imagine a young man loving them similarily. Perhaps they may be more choosy in whom they date.

Gene Stratton-Porter is an excellent author. His books hold your interest and take you to a time where stress is far less an issue. His characters are fully developed and richly represented. An excellen book for peaceful reading.

I loved this book, although it definitely did not compare to The Girl of the Limberlost which is my all-time favorite.

I first read this book 37 years ago. It was the original book published in 1911 and belonged to my 1st husbands grandmother. It was written of a quieter time, the slower paced, clean living and was very inspirational. I loved all the information about the nature and plants. I started out trying to recreate the "Yellow Garden" several years ago. I now have a gorgeous garden with many of the same perennials and herbs listed in the book. The garden has certainly evolved from just yellow to every color in nature. I have passed down the love of gardening to my daughters by sharing the flowers and herbs from my own garden. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I can't count the number of times I've read and re-read this book. Pretty sentimental by today's standards, but the basic story tells of a country man of character who falls deeply in love with a city girl who has issues. That description doesn't do justice to Gene Stratton-Porter's touching romance, but if I had to pare my library down to just 20 books, this one would be in the "keepers."

i was amazed at the photos. i could not help but to wonder if any of these women and men could be my ancestors. you see so many similarites in the faces on the pages to people you see everyday. i wish there were more in the captions to explain the photos. but when you consider the time that many of these photographs were taken, the captions are in the faces and the demeanor of the subjects. why? is probably the question that could never be answered. and if a reasonable explanation could somehow be given it wouldn't be enough. no matter how broken the mother, father, sister, brother in these photograghs looked. i wish they could all know that their unbearable weight, sorrow and pain helped to develop a strong, defiant, capable and proud race of people.

This book covers generations of history. The pictures are
breath-taking....it gives you a sincere sense of purpose.

This book covers generations of history. The pictures are
breath-taking....it gives you a sincere sense of purpose.

The visual imagery in this collection is terrific, enabling readers' memory, longing, wisdom, regret, sorrow, enormous admiration (of the subjects and all that they represent)- and wonderment. The people and the settings resonate. These are important images. You might well be moved to tears. There is no shortage of emotional appeal to the viewer. One cannot be unaffected by this collection, and all that it represents.

In addition, historically important works of art (engravings and paintings) are reproduced - although unfortunately none in color. The captioning is - for a work of this scope and size, and for illustrations of such power - inconsistent and therefore disappointing, though.

Because it's published by an academic press, I expected a more careful and rigorous treatment. Books of this scope and ambition are few and far between, and one treasures the illustrations - the historic visual record - in and of itself. It's dicey to criticize a collection that has as its focus such a compelling (and neglected) subject: the history of African American women.

The subject matter is terrific - but the book is less so. One wishes that the editors had had an editor. (Why, for example, is the "b" of "black" capitalized? To my knowledge this is not conventional usage, and it detracts.)

So what happened? At times the work seems rushed. For example, three people are photographed, two are identified by name, the third called "unknown." In fact, the writer means "unidentified." Accompanying a photo of a shoeless farm worker is the caption telling one, redundantly, that she is barefoot. A number of captions identify the subject as "Unidentified woman, [location, date.]" That seems lifted directly from states' historical societies' archives. One expects more - or less - but not words that merely interfere with one's experience. One does not need to be told that a photograph is a "photograph."

Occasionally, the editors engage in assumptions regarding the illustrations that, in my view, interfere with the power of the imagery, and reduce the value of this compilation. Guessing as to the subjects' activities in a photograph by Jack Delano, they write that a woman and several children are "possibly waiting for the husband and father to get his hair cut." In fact, one cannot know, and do not need to know, what the people were doing that day. The photo is about much more than that. Another incredible photo of a woman and a girl is accompanied by more guesswork as to the relationship of the subjects (mother and daughter?). There is wordiness to many of the captions. Worst case, there is sometimes unintentional patronization: subjects are identified as "lovely young women," (p. 81) or "fashionable," "attractive" (p.4). The end result is a sense that this book was rushed, and that - despite the impressive pool of archival material from which it was assembled - some corners were cut. The editors use interesting and illuminating quotations in places - but meagerly. There is brief index of names of subjects, and names of quoted women, omitting place names and more.

I wish that the authors of this work either done more, or less. Mostly, I wish that they had more convincingly respected the ability of these powerful and important illustrations to speak clearly to the reader, and had also trusted readers to make the connections between text and visual imagery that is so satisfying and essential to the meaningful experience of organized archival material.

This is a marvelous and moving selection of visual moments, carefully chosen and elegantly captioned. It is refreshingly free of the stuffily convoluted prose one would expect of a book from an academic press. Although the pictures could be said to speak for themselves (and sometimes they can), the information supplied by the gracefully literate writer(s) is helpful and interesting.

Groups of photographs can be wonderful to look at. This collection rises far above what it might have been by means of the exquisite care that was taken in its selection and the highly accessible captioning that accompanies the images.

Great condition but didn't realise the book contained several stories. Just wanted the one story "Why the chimes rang."It was bought as a gift and the reciever was totally thrilled

I remember this book from long ago. It has a wonderful message. Not only can love make the bells ring, love can change the world! The illustration are just perfect for the story. This would make the perfect holday gift for young people, or even not so young people who want to regain the Christmas spirit of giving and service.

Destined to be a Christmas classic:Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices--echoes the message of Why the Chimes Rang.

Growing up in a small town in Indiana, I got to listen to my paternal grandfather read this story to the assembled family every Christmas Eve. My father has continued the tradition within our family, reading from an original 1906 edition of the book. Every year like clockwork, my mother cries as she looks around the room at her sons, their families and the dogs. My partner and I are adopting a boy and a girl from Guatemala this year, and I can't wait to begin this tradition in our home. This is a truly glorious story about Christmas. Read it and share it with your own family. And make sure it's read aloud by the family member with the most sonorous voice.

lovely pictures and great story
nice to find a childrens christmas book that isnt a popular character of the month
adults will enjoy also, so makes reading together the experience it should be

What a delight to find this classic from my childhood. Our parents read to us at bedtime. This story of love and sharing relates universal values. Thank you for making it available.

This is the definitive history of what I consider the best brigade-sized unit in either army during the Civil War. Alan Nolan is THE authority on this famous, hard-hitting outfit and this book is a classic. Interesting, vivid, full of valor, heartbreaking losses, and gallant deeds, it chronicles the Army of the Potomac's sole western unit from its meager beginnings, its first engagement at Brawner's Farm the day before Second Bull Run, where it met and defeated the vaunted Stonewall Brigade in a vicious stand-up fight though outnumbered and still an untried unit of well-trained rookies. through the tough tutelage of veteran artilleryman John Gibbon, its first commander of note, to its moment of truth at Gettysburg, where, suffering almost 70% casualties, it goes into the fire unperturbed and outnumbered, both ruining and capturing opposing Confederate units, coming onto the field behind its tattered regimental flags like a wave of blue doom. I first became interested in the Iron Brigade while reading Bruce Catton's excellent trilogy on the Army of the Potomac. Not until this superb volume, however, did the whole story come out in gripping detail and hard-to-put-down narrative. The author paints a vivid picture of the realities of war, what losses can do to even a veteran, well-trained unit, and the value of personal valor and leadership. This book is highly recommended and should be on the book shelf of every Civil War reenactor, historian, and enthusiast.

Author Alan Nolan has brought the story of the Iron Brigade to life in this excellent study of this famous group of hard fighting midwesterners. Nolan's information is valuable and everything is backed by references. Nolan's style is concise. It was nice that he didn't dwell on subjects like battles or politics not involving the Iron Brigade. He kept the book's chapters flowing and informative. He kept biographies short while the movements and changes in command structure through out the book were covered very well. The fighting at Gettysburg was probably the best coverage and most descriptive although it was most fitting considering it was the brigade's crescendo in battle. Overall, Nolan's book is a valuable tool, reference and history of the Iron Brigade that many people could benefit from reading. 5 STARS!

The author successfully weaves together regimental histories with grand strategic movements and anecdotal observations of the common soldier. All this gives a feel for the the tension and struggle faced by the "heroes" of this story-- the officers and common soldiers of the Iron Brigade. Common men of uncommon bravery and valor. The reader is able to follow the progress of each regiment within the Brigade through Nolan's fast paced, dramatic narrative. A fine reference and requisite companion to Herdegen's "Four Years with the Iron Brigade," since it puts the diaries in the larger context of Brigade movements. I appreciated Nolan's work all the more after Herdegen's book, and wished I had read them together.

Nolan's book about the Iron Brigade is a fantastic account of the brigade's history, covering its intriguing stories off the field as much as on it.

The book is very easy to follow as it begins with the creation of every regiment in the brigade and ends months after Appomattox.

By using primary accounts and concise analysis, Nolan covers the relationships between the ordinary men and their officers, the relationships between the regiments, the relationships between the brigades and divisional/corps commanders all the way up to McClellan/Hooker and more. In addition, the politics in the brigade and the Army of the Potomac as a whole are covered, and all of this without even getting into the combat history of the brigade.

Nolan covers in depth every combat the Iron Brigade was engaged in while it consisted of just Westerners, and the Epilogue in the book deals with the addition of non Western units to the Brigade, the dissolution of some of the regiments and the mustering out of notable officers through discharges, wounds and death.

In Nolan's interpretation, although it keeps its name, the Iron Brigade is no longer THE Iron Brigade after all the casualties at Gettysburg and the addition of Eastern troops to the brigade on July 18, 1863. Thus the combat from Brawner's Farm to Gettysburg is covered in depth concerning the brigade's actions. The book has exceptional maps for the actions of the brigade on the battlefields and casualty counts for every regiment. The chapter dealing with Day 1 of Gettysburg is the book's most poignant and gripping battle account.

The notes in the book are nearly 100 pages and are nearly as interesting as the narrative itself. In the notes are extended discussions on casualty %s (the Iron Brigade as a whole suffered the most battle casualties by % than any Federal brigade during the war, the 2nd Wisconsin suffered the most by % of any regiment, the 24th Michigan suffered 80% casualties on July 1 etc.) and Nolan's explanation in how he dealt with discrepancies in battle records and accounts. In the epilogue's notes, Nolan offers up post-war details of the officers in the 5 regiments.

One of the best parts of the book is how Nolan really takes issue with Glenn Turner's book on Gettysburg due to its pro-Confederate slant. Turner claims the Iron Brigade was "swept off" the field and calls Old Man Burns, the old citizen who came onto the field and fought with the Iron Brigade, a "cowardly" "bushwhacker" despite fighting in line and being wounded three times during the battle.

This book is perfect for anyone interested in the Civil War or anyone interested in the military history of Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan.

Nolan's "biography" of the battle-torn Iron Brigade contains the most stirring description of the 1st day of battle at Gettysburg that I have ever read. His account of the bravery and heroism of these men is exceptional. At times I got a bit confused trying to keep track with whom was in charge of which regiment/brigade/division, etc., but this information is vital to the history of the brigade. This book also made me aware of the under-appreciated accomplishments of Lt. Col. Rufus Dawes who should be accorded the same recognition as other noble Union leaders during this battle, such as Chamberlain, Hancock and Warren.

I read the book in two sittings. It was an easy read, perfect for traveling. I was quickly engaged by the story. The book was entertaining throughout and educational at the same time. I knew little of religious iconography in general and the history of the Russian community in the San Francisco Bay area in particular. I learned a little about both.

The book was particularly timely for me, as I was going out to visit the Bay area for the first time in many years. I live on the east coast. I also learned about the Crystal Skull, another icon featured in the book as well as the latest Indiana Jones movie. Again, the book was particularly timely for me, as I saw Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull right after my reading of the book. It certainly made my viewing of the movie more enjoyable.

I recommend it for someone looking for an entertaining story as well as a little education.

I was very sad when I finished "The Madonna Murders" by Pamela Cranston. I wanted the story to go on and on. For me it is very reminiscent of Armistad Maupin's "Tales of the City", in that the San Francisco Bay Area provides the scenic backdrop. The story involves a ritualistic murder and theft of the miraculous Icon of Our Lady of Kazan from a Russian Orthodox cathedral in San Francisco.

The author is an Episcopal priest and a Russian history scholar. She very artfully incorporates poignant passages from Metropolitan Anthony Bloom's spiritual writings at the beginning of each chapter. She gives the reader a marvelous introduction into the spiritual meaning of Eastern Orthodox iconography. She knows and weaves the history of the Russian Orthodox Church both in the Bay Area and abroad throughout this tale of murder, mystery, and redemption.

I highly recommend the book to anyone who would like to read a delightful "whodunit" whilst feeling inspired at the same time.

I am not a big mystery fan, but enjoyed this interesting and well written mystery by Pamela Cranston. Cranston's extensive historical research about the icon is evident and adds interest to the mystery aspect of the story. I also enjoyed the familiarity of the San Francisco and Bay Area locales since that is where I live. Cranston gives us clues throughout the book, but does a masterful job of keeping us in suspense until the very end.

This is the sort of book one wants to dive into on a rainy day, cup of tea at hand. It has the rich texture of a Persian rug. The combination of character development, spirituality, well-paced mystery, icons and Russian history is a can't-miss. Cranston has created believable characters and an intriguing story line, with some real cliff-hangers sprinkled throughout the plot. The only downer about this wonderful book is having to wait for the next one!

This is a fast-paced book that works on many levels, so I think it will be appealing to many different types of readers. My husband enjoyed it because it is a thrilling mystery. My teenage daughter liked the strong sense of place. She really felt like she was there, with the characters, in the Bay Area at a posh restaurant. She said that it was like reading a great travel memoir. I liked how well-researched this book is on so many topics. Whether it is Russian history, or art, or Christianity, the author dives into her subjects with great insight and detail. I hope this is the beginning of a series! I want to read about the trials and tribulations of these characters again and again.

Having had little information on the life of my great, great, great grandfather this book was facinating. I had no idea he had participated critically in so much of the civil war. Not only Warren's genius of analysis of conditions in battle, but his engineering skills were also very notable, indeed his accomplishment in cartography and engineering of the Rock Island bridge some could say eclipsed anything he did during the war between the states. The book is a facinating inside look at relationships between men of high rank and served to show that patriotism was not the sole factor in their decisions and exploits. Great leaders, sadly, usually have great egos and Warren was no exception. I also thought the final analysis of why Warren, though brillant, failed to achieve the greatness he was surely capable of achieving, to be profoundly accurate, in light of previous chapters of each battle. His broad understanding of the big picture came into direct conflict with men of lesser intellect, but higher rank, who had the "tunnel" vision to stay the course and simply overwhelm the enemy with shear numbers. I applaud this work of David Jordan and for taking so much time to research and write about a man the world did it's best to defame and hide in obscurity.

In "Happiness is Not My Companion," David M. Jordan performs his usual solid job in assembling a biography. Jordan is, as always, excellent when it comes to digging in primary sources and he does breathe a good deal of life into the rather obscure G. K. Warren. Best known for his role at Little Round Top, Warren led the 5th Corps of the Army of the Potomac during most of the Overland campaign before his removal at Five Forks. He also held a number of important staff assignments under Joe Hooker and George Meade. Jordan is able to offer an excellent account of Warren's Civil War career as well as his quest for vindication from being removed from command. Jordan also offers an excellent look at Warren's morose and often overly critical personality. There remain some problems in the book. Warren's role as an explorer is covered too quickly. The same can be said of his role as an engineer in the West after the war. Still, Jordan is excellent on Warren and the war. Anyone interested in the Union effort in the east would profit from this book about a leading and very unique general.

Solid bio on General Warren, like George Picket, known for Gettysburg and Five Forks, the latter in his casea great controversy. Warren was the opposite of the Confederacy's impetuous A. P. Hill, Warren was brave but detailed and thorough in his planning. Often thinking of his men's welfare, he frequently clashed with not only Meade but by war's end Grant and Sheridan. The author provides a healthy history of Warren's family and his time at West Point and his gallant service mapping the Black Hills among the Sioux before the war. The reader may be a little impatient to get to the Civil War and the controversy but you get there relatively quickly. Warren serves on McClellan's staff and stays as a staff officer as a topographic engineer through his famed role at Little Round Top. Warren then becomes a corps commander, although he seems ill suited personality wise for the task. His dispatches to Meade naively offer too much advice and seemimg less action than his superiors expect, which he never seems to fully appreciate. Jordan utilizes many primary resources such as reports and letters by Warren, his bombastic artillery Officer, close military friends, commanders and many other witnesses to give you a first hand perception of the man. Warren's was notable in refusing to attack Lee's fortifications at Mine Run, a little written about campaign that establishes Warren as a man considerate of his men yet suffering in the eyes of his his commander. Here the author could have offered more maps as the Mine Run campaign starts questions about Warrens propensity to inform and perhaps lecture. During the overland campaign, Warren alternately hesitates and attacks and the author describes the reasons for each, particularly the Confederate fortifications. Rhea, in his great series of books on the 1864 campaigns, probably describes best Grant and Meade's frustration with Warren but Jordan does well here in this 320 page book. Although aquiting himself well during the Petersburg siege, with some question at the Crater, Warren's 5th corps continues to actively pivot late in 1864 alternately with Hancock's 2nd to the western outside edges of Petersburg. A question worth asking here is why, if Grant and Meade already question Warren's timely ability to attack, did they not keep his corps east of Petersburg in a static position? This is not answered by Jordan but should have been explored. By late March 1865, he is ordered to maneuver around Lee's far right to support Sheridan that culminates in the battles of Dinwiddie Court House (a setback for Sheridan) and then Five Forks. This unusual collaboration between two Generals that mutually dislike each other is immediately antagonized by too many confusing orders from both Sheridan and Meade to Warren compunded by Grants independent control of Sheridan. Jordan points out well that Warren is succesful in his dificult manuevers in the face of the enemy yet Warren fails to report timely to Sheridan. Jordan covers the battle of Five Forks well, ironically Warren's best and most succesful attack, and the controversy of Sheridan sacking Warren after the battle was won. Jordan's reserach also notes Warren's colorful charge across the final breastworks with his troops happens just before his sack notice reaches him as opposed to what some historians describe as happening only after he learned he was sacked. Ed Bearss book "Five Forks" in the VA. series probably describes the battle best with an excellent map but Jordan does a fine job describing the battle. The latter parts of the book follow Warren's post war career and his unusual dedication as an military engineer refusing to leave the army for much needed income as a private engineer as he waits his day in court. Warren comes across as a festidious egineer more suited for that kind of work but his extended military career and his desire for a trial seem to aggravate his sensitive health. The trial, 16 long years later, is well covered as well as the political difficulties as Sherman, Sheridan and Grant act as roadblocks. Jordan paints Warren appropriately as a man of talent but lacking in perception that the war changed and that Grant and Sheridan were trying to bring the war to an end in a hurry, which contributed to the abrupt and disasterous decision by Sheridan ironically after the day at Five Forks was won. At Five Forks Warren was relieved not for his actions that were unknown to Sheridan at the time but for the reputation that preceded and sterotyped him in Sheridan's eyes. One of the last ranking officers who served with McClellan, it is unfortunate that Warren did not leave when Hancock did or at least recognize that Grant and Meade required less opinions but timely reports of action as did Sheridan. A sad end with a final victory, reversed court finding, coming too late as the book's title aptly professes, happiness was not be his his post war companion.

For Civil War readers, Gouverneur Kemble Warren is not an unfamiliar name. He is most associated for his slow response in the Wilderness campaign where he was dismissed without, as we read, justifiable cause. This action was driven more by spite and the ego issues of Phil Sheridan, who failed to understand the issues causing Warren's delay at Five Forks. And then there was U.S. Grant's rigid blind faith in Sheridan that led him to summarily dismiss Warren, also without knowing all the facts. Jordan does a good job of showing the many facets of a general who was not only competent but ethical in his conduct of the war. While admittedly cautious and slow at times, he was still able to win battles and not needlessly compromise his men's lives. As a psychotherapist, it was personally interesting to see the psychology of this complex man, from his highs to his rages and deep depression. He was without question, intelligent and with great courage. He did have issues that could compromise his "generalship" at times but then shine at others. Yet, his leadership of men was done with character and ethical responsibility and discipline. I highly recommend this book as not only a means to understanding an excellent civil war general but also as a way to see how circumstances create decisions, both good and bad. To see how incompetent leaders can manage to survive and highly competent ones fall, all in a flash. The book, from the early days of Warren, through his Civil War battles, court of inquiry trial and, ultimately, his lonely and sad death, is well written, easy to read and, like a complex movie, shows us pieces of the war and its many unseen still frames that are so easily missed. The reader will come away with a greater understanding of G.K. Warren as well as the civil war. David L Mazzola

Before I review this one, let me admit that I've never been into book length biographies, even when they concern Civil War era figures, so this is a bit of a new experience. Keep this is mind when reading these early attempts at reviewing biographies. I picked up this bio of Gouverneur Kemble Warren for two reasons. First, Indiana University Press was having an unbelievable sale, and I managed to find this one as a brand new hardback for only $6. Second, I'd been looking to get into the biography arena by looking at men who commanded at division level or higher during the siege of Petersburg.

"Happiness Is Not My Companion" takes a look at the checkered career of Gouverneur Kemble Warren, a man who was stripped of his command at the moment of his greatest triumph at Five Forks. Author David Jordan covers Warren's life in some detail, though I thought that a closer and more definitive work can probably be penned at some point in the future. With that said, I enjoyed this biography, especially the section dealing with the Petersburg Campaign. Jordan keeps the reader interested while moving the story along. The author argues that Warren was wronged by Sheridan at Five Forks, but he does candidly admit many of Warren's flaws, though I suspect he may not have gone far enough in revealing these.


Gouverneur Warren was an extremely intelligent man, but his main faults, according to author David Jordan, were his difficulty in following orders given to him while at the same time giving frequent unwanted "suggestions" to his superior officers. Jordan downplays somewhat Warren's nature to frequently act with great condescension, which is to me his greatest flaw. Warren was born on January 8, 1830 in upstate New York in the little town of Cold Spring, just a short distance from West Point. That Warren ended up at the Military Academy is hardly surprising given his birthplace and his prominent family. He graduated second in his class, and was awarded a spot in the coveted Corps of Engineers. In this role, Warren spent the better part of the 1850's on expeditions to the west, where he encountered friendly and hostile Native Americans, including the Sioux, and participated in his first military actions. Warren had accepted a position to teach mathematics at West Point by the time war broke out, but he soon became Lt. Colonel and then Colonel of the famous 5th New York, Duryea's Zouaves. He led the men of this regiment as a brigade commander in the Seven Days and at Second Bull Run, and was afterward promoted to Chief Topographical Engineer and then Chief Engineer of the Army of the Potomac. It was in this position at Gettysburg that Warren perhaps gave his greatest contribution to his country. Warren, while out scouting on the Union far left, noticed the importance of the Round Tops and the fact that Confederate infantry were approaching. He immediately found the nearest Union troops, the brigade of Colonel Strong Vincent, and sent them scurrying for the crest of Little Round Top. They barely beat the Confederates to the crest and managed to secure this vital area for the Union. Warren was promoted to Major General after the battle, and he was temporarily placed in command of the II Corps while Winfield Hancock recovered from his severe Gettysburg wound. In the Mine Run Campaign of November 1863, Warren called off an attack that he deemed suicidal on his own responsibility. Meade was at first furious that Warren had disobeyed, but he agreed with Warren's decision after taking a look at the Confederate entrenchments. This first instance of Warren questioning his orders as a corps commander was only the beginning. Meade and Grant would grow exasperated with Warren on more than one occasion during the Overland and Petersburg Campaigns. It was during this time frame, while commander of the V Corps of the Army of the Potomac, that Warren had his greatest problems as a commander. Meade and Grant were on the verge of relieving him several times for his continued questioning of orders, or in some cases, his outright disobedience of these orders. Jordan quotes the diary of Charles Wainwright, the V Corps Artillery Chief, quite often during this time period. Apparently Wainwright did not much like Warren and was constantly critical of his commander. All of this was leading up to Warren's greatest triumph...and his greatest disappointment. Warren was placed under Phil Sheridan during the attack on Five Forks. Grant, apparently having grown tired of Warren's tendency to question his orders, gave Sheridan the right to sack the v Corps commander at any point and replace him with any of the V Corps division commanders. Although Warren moved his men up in a satisfactory manner, and although the V Corps was able to flank and drive off the Confederates guarding Five Forks, Sheridan relieved Warren and sent him back to Grant. Jordan discusses Warren's unceasing efforts after the war in his quest to see a court of inquiry convened. It wasn't until the early 1880's that Warren was able to make this possible. He had known that while Grant or member of his circle were in power that his request would never be granted, so he had waited until Rutherford B. Hayes was President to press home his request. In my mind, Jordan demonstrates pretty conclusively that Warren was not at fault in any way at Five Forks, though Warren's peers who oversaw the court were rather ambivalent in their findings, perhaps to appease Sheridan, who now commanded the entire United States Army. Warren died before the findings of the court were made public. He deserved better, from Sheridan on April 1, 1865, to Grant in the intervening years concerning the granting of a court of inquiry, to the men who finally made judgments on his behavior.

As I stated in the introduction, this is a good but not great book. Jordan goes into considerable detail, but I couldn't help feeling that even more could have been done. He also seems to go a little easy on Warren in some cases, especially when it concerns Warren's difficulty in dealing with subordinates and superiors who he felt were not as intelligent as he was. One trait I dislike more than most in my fellow human beings is condescension. Warren was filled to overflowing with condescension for quite a few people, and I would have liked to see the author get into this in more detail. Other than that, I thought he tried to be impartial, as a good biographer always should. The maps that accompanied the text were solid, and really a bit of an unexpected bonus as far as a biography goes. Anyone interested in biographies of Civil War generals will not be disappointed in this one. Those interested in G. K. Warren or in the later campaigns of the Army of the Potomac will also want to give this one a look.