Grant Books

Earl J. Hess's new "Trench Warfare under Grant and Lee: Field Fortifications in the Overland Campaign" is as good a piece of Civil War scholarship as I have read in years. It is at the most fundamental level a narrative history of military operations in the Overland Campaign of May and June, 1864: the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, and Cold Harbor, but it is a narrative history that focuses particularly on how field fortifications evolved over the course of those six weeks of heavy combat and it details how the use of field fortifications influenced the course of that campaign. In his earlier volume, "Field Armies and Fortifications in the Civil War," Hess dispelled the old myths that such entrenchments were a direct consequence of the power of rifled-muskets or that their use suddenly sprang into being in the spring of 1864 (he documented three years of field fortifications, although not on such a scale as became standard by the end of the Overland Campaign) and that these entrenchments were somehow merely the fruit of the teaching of Dennis Hart Mahan at West Point. Or to quote the author: "The use of field fortifications evolved during the Civil War not due to some irrational fear, but due to a real and potent threat: the continued presence of an enemy army within striking distance. Their use was a rational and logical response to that threat."

Hess reserves most of the technical details of entrenchment and breastwork design for an appendix, leaving his main narrative fast-moving and compelling. "Trench Warfare under Grant and Lee" is an important contribution to Civil War literature and should find a ready spot on the bookshelves of any serious student of the era. I look forward to his planned third volume, to examine field fortifications during the Petersburg campaign.

Inevitably, it must be asked how Hess views the Overland Campaign in balance. Was it a Union or a Confederate success? Although Hess does not absolve Grant of errors in too hastily ordering attacks or in failing to recognize the power of impromptu fieldworks, Hess concludes: "Grant's most significant achievement in the Overland campaign was not in capturing territory, or in positioning his army close to Richmond, or in reducing the fighting strength of the Army of Northern Virginia by 50 percent; rather it lay in robbing Lee of the opportunity to launch large-scale offensives against the Army of the Potomac. In laying claim to the strategic initiative, Grant won an important physical and emotional victory over Lee, and he did it with fewer losses than his predecessors had suffered in attempting the same goal ... Most important, he did not give up the strategic initiative and thereby brought the war to an end. The Overland campaign was as much a watershed in the strategic course of the Civil War as the Seven Days."

By the time of the Overland Campaign, the star of Earl Hess's second volume on Civil War fortifications, the idea of bravery that most soldiers had when hostilities began had just about fizzled out. In that more innocent time, soldiers and officers thought it cowardly to hide behiind entrenchments, or anything else for that matter. Battles were about sticking out your chest and, in plain view of the enemy, marching and shooting. (For a good account of this transition, see Linderman's Embattled Courage.)

Three years of the harsh reality of war changed all that, and by the time of the Overland Campaign, troops on both sides were digging in fast and furiously whenever they got the chance. Aside from the Vicksburg and Petersburg campaigns, nowhere was the entrenchment so obvious as in the Overland one. Most Civil War buffs know about the entrenchments at Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor. But many will probably be surprised (as was I) that entrenchments were also dug in The Wilderness and at the Bermuda Hundred.

Hess' account of the evolution of fortifications in this stage of the war is well-written and entirely accessible to the nonspecialist. He tends to protect Grant from the general's worst critics, arguing (much as does James McPherson) that the huge cost of federal lives in the Overland in fact did succeed in strategically defeating Lee.

The photographs are priceless. I've actually never seen most of them before. Moreover, the line drawings of fortifications and entrenchments are brilliant. All in all, highly recommended.

This is the second book in a series on fortifications in the eastern theater during the Civil War. The first book covers the war up to this point, while reading the first book is not required; it is worth taking the time to do so. 1864 produced a major revision in how digging in and fighting behind entrenchments is viewed by both armies. Open field battle gives way to fighting from behind entrenchments as both sides maintain close contact for months. The war is no longer open fields with a mile between the armies. Both sides dug into the earth often closer than skirmish lines were in 1862. The book details this change and the impact on the commanders and men.

The author continues working fortifications into the overall campaign giving the reader an excellent history of the Overland Campaign in the process. This presentation keeps the subject fresh while presenting the nuanced tactical differences in a logical sequential manner. This is very much a battle history but the emphasis is on how fortifications changed the campaign even as the campaign changed fortifications.

Earl Hess is one of our best authors. In this series and this book, he manages to give the reader a rich learning experience coupled with an enjoyable read. This is not a beginner's book but can be enjoyed by anyone with some knowledge of the Civil War.

This book is well written and documented with a wealth of information gathered on the subject of the afterlife. The author holds true to his writing style of easy to read and understand language for the average individual. As with all his work, thus far, it's based upon the information from the Edgar Cayce Readings as well as other informative documentation.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with questions regarding the afterlife.

I found this book to be an excellent source of information re: the afterlife. The author describes information that was received in various forms, such as near-death experiences, channeling & after-death communication, and draws heavily on many Edgar Cayce readings.

Many important insights that were gained from those on the Other Side are discussed, including: 1)Our thoughts become "things", and have a major effect on ourselves & others; 2)Where we find ourselves after death depends, at least in part, on our beliefs and how we choose to live our current life; 3)We are never alone - our loved ones and guides are always around us; 4)We are not seperate beings, instead we are all interconnected - etc...

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the afterlife &/or Edgar Cayce readings.

As a certified past-life therapist, I realize that Barbara Lane has put into words what I have instinctively known for years about accessing clues to past life memories. It is no accident that we tend to be attracted to or fascinated by specific people, places, occupations, or to scenes from movies, books, etc. Ms. Lane's book is insightful and very well written. I believe this book will be most helpful for anyone who is curious about his or her past-life history.

This is a picturesque work which contains priceless photos
of the migrating Caribou, Musk Oxen and other rare animals.
There are spellbinding sites; such as, the Hubbard Glacier and
the Melt Water Pond. This work is "a must" for outdoor
enthusiasts and campers.

The Introduction by long-time Fairbanks resident Margaret Murie leaves the reader wishing for more - well written. Then, after reviewing the amazing close-ups (often aerial views), one is also thankful for the wisdom, as Murie says, of William Seward (Secretary of State) and Andrew Jackson who pushed the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.

Photos include not only the expected Mt. Whitney, Northern lights, Denali Park, glaciers, grizzlies, moose, caribou, and bald eagles, but also Dall sheep, walrus, humpback whales, etc. - even a killer whale totally out of the water in pursuit of prey.

Many of the photos were taken in remote areas of Alaska, and leave one wondering at the extraordinary effort and creativity involved in obtaining them.

Good News: This book, not currently available through Amazon, is available at Borders for $4.99.

If you are a nature photographer and seeking inspiration this is the book to buy. If you are a traveler looking to visit alaska and need to know where to go this is a great book. Incredible photography that is really jaw dropping.

I would reccomend this book without hesitation.

This story is exciting and fun. Once you start to rerad it you can't put it down. Every chapter adds a new twist to the story. At first, the different chapters speak of different stories and characters, but as the story progresses all of the story lines and characters are intertwined. The plot is exciting and the language is up to date. It paints a very realistic picture of the life and times of society in the 1990's. This is a must read for any mystery enthusiast.

Vampire Bytes is a truely riveting contemporary horror/mystery. The horror comes not from blood sucking ghouls, it comes from something far scarier and real - teenagers! A very fun story with a fascinating look into roleplaying (in real life as well as on a computer).

Computer programmer Matt Deming, a fan of LARPING (live action role playing) is murdered on the same night Chloe Dorn disappears. Private Investigator Catherine Sayler is hired by the girl's parents to find the missing teenager. Catherine is also hired by the deceased's employers who want a computer game disc and associated code book that Matt had stolen from them returned.

As Catherine investigates both cases, she soon realizes that they merge. It seems that Chloe was having sex with Matt and was with him the night he was killed. Making the investigation even more difficult for Catherine is that the town's clergy and police are struck by anti-satanic fervor. Though the anti-Satan zeal interferes with her case, Catherine knows that she must quickly stop the killer before the missing girl becomes his next victim.

VAMPYRE BYTES is a well designed mystery that has many viable suspects with reasonable motives for committing the crimes, turning the novel into an almost unsolvable who-done-it. Additionally, the entertaining story line contains serious social issues that are intelligently presented in an informative yet entertaining manner. Linda Grant has scribed a very intriguing Catherine Sayler mystery that will have fans wanting more tales starring the intrepid sleuth.

Harriet Klausner

While I was reading this book I thought to myself, "This is what I think about!" This book contains the voices of everyday women. It is a book that reminds women they are not alone in what they want for this country. This book is a powerful statement to politicians expressing exactly what American women are thinking and brings attention to the issues this country needs to make their priority. Politicians listen! Women follow in the footsteps of this book and let your voices be heard!

Thank you to the editors and writers of this thoughtful and important resource. In this time when our voices as women need to be heard clearly, this book will serve as a tool to represent each and all of us. I plan to share this book with my key elected officials - this will allow them to know about women in a deliberate and powerful way.

Should be required reading for all politicians and all citizens who want to know what the majority of women believe and why they believe it. In these "less than friendly to women" times, what a great reminder this book is!

This is a MUST read for politicians who want to know what the largest voter population is thinking. Women share their ideas/visions for the United States. Both those in office and those seeking office will be inspired by this book. Sharon McHone

By far the best complete history of the civil war. There were so many interesting facts that were never taught in school. The artist also captivated me with such accurate drawings of the people and horses in the battles. Very highly recommended.

Finally, a general resource on the American Civil War that is not laden with politically correct, revisionist history. Amazing work!

John J. Dwyer's highly valuable book is divided into three portions. The first discusses the coming of the War Between the States. Four chapters cover slavery--the way slaves lived, the political problems over slavery, how slavery in the United States compared to slavery in the Bible, etc.--while others cover nullification, secession, tariffs, and nationalism. Dwyer also includes several chapters on the different worldviews of the North and the South (it is here that his Reformed beliefs come out most clearly) in which the effects of the Great Awakenings and Unitarianism on American religion are discussed. Facets on events, documents, and important people add life to "The War Between the States." For example, in one facet parts of a sermon by John Jasper, a black preacher, are printed. Other facets cover the history of secession in America, the Enlightenment belief in a "social contract," and the influence of educator Horace Mann.

The second part of "The War Between the States" concerns the War itself, from its early days to its end at Appomattox. Dwyer keeps the pace moving rather than allowing himself to become bogged down in unnecessary detail. One chapter discusses the religious revivals in the armies, and facets cover such various topics as "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," Cherokee general Stand Watie, martial law in Maryland, federal Christian Oliver O. Howard, and the rules of just war (the ones Sherman, Sheridan, and Quantrill disremembered).

The last section gives an in-depth look at Reconstruction. One of the strengths of Dwyer's book is that he does his utmost to be fair, and this trait thankfully shows in his discussion of Reconstruction. We read about the struggles of Southerners (both black and white) to get on their feet; the corruption of the government after the War; and the various vigilante movements that sprang up. Dwyer, of course, discusses the early Klan (as well as how it differs from the modern day Klan), but he also writes about the Klan's pro-federal counterpart, the Union League. Again, the facets are both diverse and interesting: some document the experience of black leaders, one includes the fiery anti-Radical speech of Benjamin Hill, and another covers the Congressional Minority Report on the Klan.

In the face of all the historical information, Dwyer never fails to remember that history is, after all, a story, and "The War Between the States" creates a sweeping picture in the minds of readers that will not soon be erased.

If you are a Georgian and or southerner, or simply interested in African American/American history told truthfully, this book is for you. It a serious read, though not scholarly or academic though. It is a hard read. I have been reading this book for 2.5 months and I am just on page 369, and have read other books during this time. I have two hundred more pages to go. However, it is absolutely a worthwhile read. I feel compelled to read to the end. The entire book touched my spirit. However certain passages really resonated with me. Here are excerpts that gave me a headache and made my eyeball throb and head ache:

"After her clothes burned off, and while she was yet alive, a man slit open her abdomen and her unborn child fell from her womb, gave two cries, and was stomped to death by one of the mob."

The murder of Hampton Smith, described "a particularly bestial operator of a peonage plantation" and "a white farmer with a reputation of cruelty towards tenants," led to a 5 day reign of terror in Brooks and Lowndes counties in 1918. Hayes Turner was one of the several blacks who were lynched for complicity in the murder. His wife, Mary Turner, eight months pregnant, said that her husband was innocent and that she was going to swear out warrants against the lynches. She was hung upside down by her ankles, soaked with gasoline, and set afire. According to one account of the gruesome deed, "After her clothes burned off, and while she was yet alive, a man slit open her abdomen and her unborn child fell from her womb, gave two cries, and was stomped to death by one of the mob."

"In May 1922, Charles Atkins, aged fifteen, was roasted alive over a slow fire. After Shrieking in agony for fifteen minutes he "confessed" to killing a white. He was then shot; the undertaker said he had two hundred bullet holes in his body."

"During the war, repression was often practiced under the guise of "patriotism." The Columbus Ledger editorialized in late 1917 that legislation was needed to force blacks into the army or into the field and stop them from going north or becoming "troublemakers."

"In Georgia smaller towns, local officials passed "work or fight" ordinances that also applied to women and enforced them with extreme prejudices. In Macon, a black woman who kept busy with her home and children and who husband made enough to support his family was fined twenty five dollars for refusing to take a job as a domestic. A Wrightsville ordinance said that all blacks had to work at least fifty hours a week or be jailed. "

"Georgia led the lynching parade by a large margin in 1919. At least 10 black soldiers were lynched that year, half of them in Georgia. Many of the demobilized black veterans continued to wear their uniforms, sometimes because they had no other clothes and sometimes because they were proud of their service. Many whites reacted savagely to this practice. In May 1919, a black Georgia veteran who had gone into a drugstore for a soda was hit with a baseball bat for being in uniform. In Sylvester, Daniel Mack, still in uniform, was dragged from the local jail by a mob and beaten to death. His crime -- for which he received a thirty day sentence--had been to announce that since he had fought in France, he would no longer accept mistreatment from white people.

I rate this book before I finish because it is 5 star material starting from page one. It is not necessary to wait until I read the last page to offer a review. If I should change my mind, I will let y'all know. American history, African American history is an excruciatingly violent and brutal one. I am glad that there are some historians who are willing and brave enough to speak truth to power, and not write garbage and myths as history or his story. Interestingly enough, I don't recall reading about this in school. The Miseducation of the Negro, Carter G. Woodson had it partly right. How about the miseducation of the entire American public?

However, if you want to start off with something a little simpler to read. I would suggest Negrophobia: 1906 Atlanta Riot by Mark Bauerlein(kissinashe.blogspot.com).

This book should be required reading for all African Americans living in Georgia and anyone else interested in the Black Experience in Georgia. Schools should also use it to teach Georgia Black History.

This is a very informative and interesting book that dispells a lot of incorrect information that I learned as a child in newly segregated Southwest Georgia. I remember watching shows like "Roots" and wondering why Georgia slaves here never tried to escape or revolt and after reading only 40% of this book, this misconception has been cleared. this book should be included in all the Georgia history programs.

I used this book in a school secretrial training. They loved it. Several purchased copies of their own.

This book is a hilarious look at what school secretaries (you know, the ones who really run the school) do. From doling out milk money to fixing boo-boos on the playground, school secretaries answer the phone, sort the mail, and everything in between!

A great gift idea for that special school secretary (especially at the elementary level) that really deserves it!

Everyone knows the secretary runs the school. This is a wonderful book for any secretary for any occasion. It is honest and really shows how much a secretary does for the students, teachers, parents, and school.

I looked around for a book to help me write a grant proposal, and found a dizzing array of books that went into more detail than I needed, without giving me a clear idea of where to start. I was thrilled when I found this book, because it is easy to read and understand, straightforward, and took me through the steps one at a time. I always knew where I was at in the process, and what to do next. From looking for funders, to reporting requirements, this little book is crammed with good, helpful information and advice.

This one's the Real-Deal! I found the sections on Research and Words of Wisdom extremely helpful. Not only does this AUTHOR proclaim she actually worked with board of directors and foundations in the grant industry, her techniques really work. I wrote and received the last 3 grant requests I submitted.

Finally, a book that actually guides me right through the whole process! After wasting my money on DOZENS of grant writing books that left me confused and frustrated, this workbook taught me step-by-step everything I need to know. I love the practice worksheets and all the examples! Anyone and everyone could learn from the "Tricks of the Trade" and "Insider's Secrets" chapters. I used this workbook to help me write a grant for our local charity and I GOT IT! Thank you, thank you.

This is a fun book to give a Student Teacher as they leave your classroom. Any teacher will enjoy receiving this quick read. This title would be a great Read-A-Loud for a Staff Development presentation. A quick way to remind teachers why they are a teacher.

The person who the book was purchased for really enjoyed it... they thought it was funny and 'cute'.
She is a 1st grade teacher and hadn't seen it before and plans on sharing it with her class and fellow 1st grade teachers.
It's easy to read and the relatively short length makes it good for this age group.

This book is short enough to read through quickly (especially being a teacher its hard to find a little free time to do some reading besides textbooks and students work :).) I read it to my first graders and they loved it. They enjoyed seeing a fun side of being a teacher. They found this book to be funny and in their words "two thumbs up".
I can relate to some of the stories such as asking pizza places for pizza boxes and cardboard circles for projects. As a teacher my mind never stops thinking of ways to use things (shoe boxes, deli trays, milk jugs, etc) in creative ways.
This book is fun and great to read at the end of a CRAZY day :) Enjoy!