Robertson Books

The title of "Civil War! American Becomes One Nation," an illustrated history for young readers by James I. Robertson, Jr., has an interesting title which echoes the point Ken Burns often made in talking about his celebrated PBS documentary on "The Civil War," that before the war people said the United States "are," but afterwards they said the United States "is." The story of the Civil War is inherently one of national divisions, but Robertson literally begins with the positive legacy of the war. His introduction emphasizes that although it should not have happened this way, the Civil War brought an end to three heated controversies about the future of the nation: (1) there would be a permanent union of states; (2) the rebuilt country would be a nation with a strong federal government; and (3) the U.S. would be a land where "all men are created equal" and not the largest slaveholding nation in the world.

Robertson's book focuses on why the differences between North and South ended in a war and the changes that it brought about to the new nation. In between he describes the major military campaigns, covers the political leaders and military commanders who directed the war, and tries to show how the Civil War touched ever part of American life and all of its citizens while producing a strong and united nation. That last bit might smack of hyperbole, but Robertson certainly gets credit for looking backwards to show how the Civil War created the country in which we live. In other words, it was a second American Revolution it that it produced a new nation that really did not exist before that time.

The first and chapters of the book provide the requisite background on the war, setting up how King Cotton and his slaves ruled the South while in the North abolitionists began their attacks. The chapter on the road to war looks at how the Compromise of 1850, Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin," The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, and John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry set the stage for Lincoln's election and the attack on Fort Sumter (there is a nice sidebar on the many names by which the 1861-1865 conflict would be known). Before getting into the start of the fighting, Robertson provides an overview of the differences in the resources of the Union and Confederate in terms of the advantages and disadvantages they presented each side.

Chapters are devoted to the military actions of each year, alternating with chapters on other issues including the problems faced by Presidents Lincoln and Davis, the main military commanders on both sides, the naval war, the lives of Johnny Rebs and Billy Yanks, emancipation, the health issues of the war, and life on the home front. A final chapter is devoted to Robertson's arguments for "Why the Civil War Still Lives." Through the book Robertson highlights key issues in sidebars. For example, in the chapter devoted to the start of the fighting in 1861 he provides a chart detailing the organization of Civil War armies, so young readers understand the difference between a regiment and a corps, and a sidebar explaining exactly how the rifle (the Springfield musket to be specific) changed warfare. The result is a look at the Civil War that is both compact and compelling.

"Civil War!" is generously illustrated with historical photographs and other pictures, including an insightful contrast of Lincoln in pictures taken in 1860 and 1865, showing how much the war had worn on him as president, and a rare photograph of union artillery in actual comat during the Fredericksburg campaign. In the back of this book young students will find a map of Major Civil War Battle Sites, a Chronology of the war that begins with Eli Whitney inventing the cotton gin in 1793 to the adoption of the 15th Amendment guaranteeing the right to vote for every male American citizen regardless of color in 1870, and a Glossary of terms from "abolitionists" to "torpedoes." The list of books For Further Reading is broken down into categories representing general works, battles and armies, leaders of north and south, slavery, and specialized studies, given interested students specific guidance on where to turn next to pursue their interest in this fascinating chapter of American history.

I read this book last week and find it quite informative and interesting.Skin Photographs are clear,excellent and professional.Only important diseases are focused,some pictures are really rare and Mr.Robertson deserves full credit.I recommend this book to all medical students,dermatologists and people related to medical profession!

This book is a wonderful narrative about the battle of Cowpens and the personalities involved. It reallly is great for readers at any age who would like an easy to understand historical reference. The maps by John Robertson are an unexpected surprise! They enable the reader to take learning about the battle a step even further, and provide a good in depth resource about the time and spatial elements of the battle. Anyone visiting the area should enjoy this book with the whole family to make the trip complete!

Ian Robertson wrote the Blue Guides to Spain and Portugal and was noted for including fascinating detail often overlooked by other historians. In his newest book, A Commanding Presence: Wellington in the Peninsula 1808-1814, the author again includes detail sadly missing from most Peninsular War histories, such as the important contribution by the King's German Legion. Anyone trying to educate himself about the Peninsular War may well wonder why it took so long to drive Napoleon's army from Iberia. And why so many soldiers died in so few battles. Robertson tells us of the nearly insurmountable problems facing the allied commander, the Duke of Wellington: starvation, disease and a lack of everything from boots to transport and munitions. 2008 is the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Peninsular War and there is much interest in this crucial part of the Napoleonic Wars. A Commanding Presence tells us what happened and also gives the reader a behind-the-scenes insight into how difficult it was to wage war two centuries ago.

A great book, 32 of the best directors and how they make their comercials, Ridley Scott(and the Apple 1984 comercial), Jonathan Glazer, Tarsem, Micheal Gondry(the The White Stripes director) and more, cool book for new and wanna be directors.

This is an excellent introductory text on CPT. It includes information on not only electric cone but also piezocone penetration testing. It provides basic knowledge in all conventional areas of CPT testing and application and extensive references for those interested in obtaining additional information in a particular area.

This book features the work of a firm that has excelled at both architecture and urban design throughout its existance. That's no easy task. All of the projects featured show a combination of intellectual rigor (the partners have taught and lectured extensively) as well as the practical aspects of good design (firmness, commidity and delight). To architects who have followed the work of Cooper, Robertson & Partners the book is long overdue but worth the wait.

The author has a command of the English language and uses it to the fullest. I like this book better then his first book and I can't wait for his other books.
The only drawback is that this book needs to be read in a quite area with no distractions to keep up with what is going on in each chapter.
Mr. Robertson is a wonder scifi writer..

"Cranial Base Surgery" is an excellent reference for neurosurgical and neuroanesthesia providers, as well as for any students of these areas. This text contains excellent, clear descriptions of some of the rarest and most difficult to access of all neurosurgical problems. Excellent for students of neuroanatomy, it provides in depth descriptions of the structures of the cranial base. Physiologists will be interested in the information on neurological reflexes that can be elicited from manipulation of the structures of the cranial base.

The chapter on neuroanesthesia, written by Wayne Hamm, is a complete reference for Anesthesiologists, CRNA's and anesthesia residents and students who deliver anesthetic care during cranial base surgery. The structure of a customized anesthetic plan for each different procedure emphasizes the individual clinical questions created by this surgically remote area of the brain.

This was my freshman attempt at writing a novel. It's loosely based on the Chronicle's of Prydain (by Loyd Alexander). If there is anything quaint, cute, or pithy about the book, it's the fact that I was 9 and actually took the time to type long enough on an old-school punch-the-keys typewriter to produce something coherent. That, and priceless phrases which only a pre-teen can deliver with the truest of intent and the completeness of ignorance.