S Books

I found this book in the bargain bin at the university bookstore last December and bought it for $4 (Canadian) as a holiday or end of term present for myself. I ended up finally reading it this past June, while on vacation. The book is a lengthy one and well-researched.

I ate this book up and have dog-eared a few sections (Brown case and some others) for teaching the Supreme Court sections of my American Politics courses. The book does so many things and I'll note a few: shed light on the multi-faceted politics of a liberal Republican prosecutor, California Governor, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

The Warren Court really did help make the nation with decisions on so many important cases. I have a broader affinity for Warren after reading this book. The book also explored the relationship or lack thereof between Warren and Nixon. The book's coverage of Nixon was honest and unfavorable, which was insightful to read about the sparring between the two men.

This book is great for anyone interested in the law, California history, Supreme Court history, or American Politics. The book's tone is written for a learned lay audience or an academic one examining the history or psychology of the Court and decision-making.

I received this book promptly and in excellent shape.
The seller is great as far as I'm concerned.
Charlene Kornblum

This is a remarkable book of Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the 1950s and 1960s. The author does a superb job describing both the personal feelings and professional dealings of one of the US's most notable (or notorious, depending on your perspective) activist judges. Few these days remembers him as the Republican governor of California and vice presidential candidate, and that era gets extensive treatment, laying out the roots of his judicial philosophy The book clearly presents the arguments of why Warren was such a success at judicial consensus building and therefore one of the most effective supreme court justices. Interestingly, the book also has one of the most rational descriptions of the Warren commission buried within its pages (explaining both the strengths and weaknesses of their process) and does not try to hide the warts of the man. This book is a fantastic learning opportunity.

I grew up in a neighborhood and a time when "Impeach Earl Warren" signs were common. As an engaged teenager I closely followed the changing legal landscape of the late fifties and early sixties as the Warren Court rearranged the legal landscape and with it the social order of our nation in the areas of civil rights, criminal justice, freedom of speech, privacy and the role of religion in public schools. Even today as a practicing attorney I admit to strong philosophical disagreements with some of the Warren Court decisions. Having said that, Jim Newton has produced a masterpiece in his book "Justice for All."

First, this book is a marvelous biography of one of the most notorious men of the 20th century. From humble beginnings in the dusty backwater of a turn of the century Bakersfield, California to Chief Justice of perhaps the most influential court in the world, Earl Warren's story is compelling. In addition you are treated to a wonderful and readable history of California politics in the first half of the 20th Century, a time of unparalleled opportunity, growth and change in the Golden State. That alone is worth the read.

Nevertheless, the real gold nuggets of this book lie in its recounting of the internal politics of decision making within the court, as Chief Justice Earl Warren, guided not so much by legal principle but by what he perceived to be the "right thing to do", rewrote and redefined some of the most important constitutional issues of our time. While such a disclosure, poorly written might leaden the eyelids of all but the most inspired, Newton masters this task by writing a clear and easily understood layman's explanation of the facts, the legal and social issues and the courts resolution. I found myself excited, engaged and highly entertained by Newton's easily understandable prose. I was in a sense a fly on the wall as some of the most important legal decisions of the 20th century unfolded before my eyes.

Warren is not portrayed as a flawless Deity (he after all recommended and supported the forced incarceration of Japanese American's in WW II) but rather as a multi-faceted personality whose core belief was in using the power of government to do good for the common man and whose political and legal judgment evolved to blend with and sometimes challenge the social and legal fabric of our nation.

I was amazed to learn of his post Miranda concern (fueled by a very real and I would say predictable jump in crime in America after Miranda) that perhaps the court had gone too far in defining the relationship between those who would do harm and those who are ultimately charged with our protection. Thus while the basic concept of Miranda is appropriate and now fully integrated into the fabric of our legal system, later Supreme courts thankfully have more clearly defined the boundaries under which we balance the rights of the accused and the right of our citizens to be free from the terror of criminal activity.

OK enough politics, after reading this book, I am wiser, far better informed and far more sympathetic to a man so many have reviled as the father of judicial activism. Such a label in the absence of context does a huge disservice to this huge man and his historical significance. This book provides a context and insight that far surpassed my expectations. Regardless of your politics or your view of judicial activism, this is a truly enlightening book worthy of your time.

I rarely give a 5-star review on a book. This one gets one for a stack of reasons.

When I finish a biography, I ask myself if I feel like I know the person. I feel I know Warren.

Another reason to like this book, it makes no bones about Warren's bad decisions, his support of the uprooting of Japanese in California in 1941. The author is not shy about criticizing Earl Warren.

Finally, I am a layman. It is a tough task to explain complex legal decisions to a non-lawyer. But Newton does it quite well.

One other thought: After all the learning I did by reading this book, it makes me quite critical of any and all the "teachers" I had in government and American History. They could not teach a politician to steal.

I read this book in three days. I have not read a book for enjoyment in years. Once I picked it up it was over. The stories make you TRY to relate to your own house. At the risk of sounding gay, It becomes a tear jerker.

I am a firefighter in a department much smaller than the FDNY. We do not run many calls and I was starting to get unmotivated and complacent. After reading this book I remembered the brotherhood of firefighters I am in and gained a new love for my job.

the most moving book I have ever read.It takes the good with the bad. No sugar coating, all honesty.

I should know: I'm a firemen's daughter. In fact, I'm a Rescue 2 firemen's daughter (we're a special breed) and have spent my entire life in the wacky world of Rescue firemen. Although it's really hard to capture the type of insanity and devotion these guys have for their jobs - Tom does a really good job. If someone you love is a fireman: read this book. It'll help you understand them better. Hey, even if you don't know anyone whose a firemen you should read this book. I just have 1 bone to pick with you Mr. Downey: Captain Ruvolo's daughters are not what I would call "pampered" (p.62). He loves them and they love him just as much.

Amazing stories in this book. You get the feel of the life of a member of the famed FDNY RESCUE 2. It is the kind of book that you read one chapter, and say..."Just one more chapter and I will put it down." But you cant put it down. After I finished the book, I said "I wish there could be more stories." Highly recomend this book to anyone interested in the life of those crazy enough to run in where the rest of the world runs out!

Este libro te será de compañía para cualquier gira que realices, es hermoso ya que te enseña a comprender y amar a los demás ...

LIBROS PARA LEERSE MIL VECES Y SABOREARLOS CADA VEZ MAS...
ESTE ES LA MEJOR MUESTRA

One of the most unusual book of quotes I have seen. A great take along book for those time spent on bus, subway or at the mercy of the teen driver,a great distraction. Just open up to any page at random and pass the time. Beneficial.Entertaining.Enlightening.

LE DIO A MI VIDA Y A MIS EMOCIONES LA FACULTAD PARA COMPRENDER Y ACEPTAR A LOS DEMÁS...
Hermoso en verdad !

Well, let me assure you this book is more beautiful than any sunset you have ever seen.
And it's a SUNRISE FOR YOUR MIND !

Wow! Harriette S. Sherman (H) and her loving and beloved L are amazing, impressive, inspirational people. Abruptly separated by World War II immediately after their marriage (they returned from their honeymoon to find his draft papers waiting), they wrote copious letters back and forth to support each other and to continue their relationship in the only ways they could. They saved the letters, and over 50 years later the author cleaned out their closet, pulled out the box of letters, and decided to arrange them into a book to share their story. I'm so glad she did! The letters and the bits of connecting narrative gave me eye-opening, enthralling insight into some of the personal struggles of the times. Their joint story is not just informative, it's also really good and gripping and tender, and I've loaned my copy out to friends so many times that I got some extras -- one to use as my loaner in case it ever doesn't come back, and a couple to give as gifts. Thank you, H and L, for this terrific book, and also for your steadfast services to the country through this awful war. I admire your strength and courage and perserverence and love.

Love in the Time of War,by Harriette S. Sherman, is a beautiful and inspiring book. I found myself laughing and crying as I identified with her through the trials of the war-time separation from her newly-wed husband. The letters and narratives evoke the rhythm of the war both at home and overseas in remarkably vivid language. I want to thank the author for the gift of her courage and generous spirit in sharing this very personal and touching story.

Love in the Time of War:a Remembering is a beautiful book that centers around the letters written between 1941 and 1945 by two young American newlyweds whose marriage was disrupted by the call of the author's husband to war. Harriette Sherman reminds readers that the successful battlefield struggles of those men who have come to be called "America's greatest generation" were made possible by the wives, mothers, and other family members who held the pieces of daily life together at home. The intimate letters that the author and her young husband exchanged were the only way they stayed "connected" during their forced separations as war raged in Europe. In their honest and straight-forward manner, the letters reveal much about what it was like to be a young bride to start married life alone in the early 1940's. Equally satisfying are the letters sent from the battlefields which tell much about the transformation that every successful soldier must undergo from new recruit to seasoned veteran. The book gives the reader a fine exampleof how love can ripen and mature under the strains of life, even the horrors of war. For history buffs, the book evokes in very clear images what it was like to live through this time and how the battles were fought and won, both at home and overseas. For the generation that is now fighting the war against terrorism, the book offers valuable lessons of hope.

It's amazing what one can do with a battered box of old letters! After the gripping first paragraph of the prologue: "I trembled. My whole body seemed to come alive with his first gentle kiss. Twenty-two years old and engaged to another man, I felt a thunderous jolt as L's quiet "I love you" wrenched my life into a 180 degrees turn-about toward a different, unplanned road...," I was hooked and the book became a page-turner. The letters flow so well into each other that they read as a novel and what a love story indeed! Though not just mention of hugs, kisses, and I-love-you's. Their letters, with some detailed added pages by the author where she saw the need for it, give a lot of insight what life was like during those days in the army, and how a young wife, left behind a few weeks after her wedding, not only survived on a meager income (or sometimes no income at all) but managed to save for trips, some 3000 miles away, to be with her husband for a mere one or two days. I reveled along with them in those short moments of happiness.

In their letters they try to be reassuring, but you are aware of the constant fear and tension they had to endure, especially when 'L' is injured in Normandy during his participation in the D-Day landings.

Some of their letters are of special significance to me as I was myself a WW-II victim. After reading the book, I felt the urge to thank 'L', albeit very belatedly, for helping to liberate Holland, where my family and I were about to succumb to malnutrition.

A very memorable and loving memoir!

From 1941 to 1945 Harriette Sherman's married life existed for the most part via the postal system. Although separated by war, she and her new husband communed, joked, loved, and even fought and made some of the toughest decisions of their lives through the most simple medium - pen and paper. A byproduct: Their correspondence not only documented an extraordinary era in an engaging fashion, it also explored the profound nature of love and commitment.

Sherman's epistolary memoir, "Love in the Time of War: A Remembering," astounds with its honesty and its precious details. One feels as though one is peering in on Sherman through the open window of her home, watching her at her desk scrawling the words she will send off to her husband, waiting eagerly with her for his return, or at least for his response. This type of intimacy is a gift. But it is when Sherman connects the text of these letters with the context of her life, revealing her growth and development as an individual and as a partner, that the letters truly sing with life: its joys, sorrows, struggles, and overall, its sustaining love.

Although it is about a period and a war more than half a century ago, reading this book during a new period of devastating warfare, I found an unexpected comfort and perhaps even some courage from this enduring testimony to survival and devotion. I recommend "Love in the Time of War" to young readers (junior high) as well as adults because it engages history in a way that history books rarely can. It tells it from the inside out, from the individual daily lives that make up an era, their innermost feelings and tribulations. Like love itself, something to treasure.

(ASIN:"The Mask of Sanity, 5th edition, Hard Cover")

This 5th edition is an absolute masterpiece of a pychiatrist's life work that began when he first encountered the psychopath in a closed institutional hospital setting, which could not even begin to do anything for him. Attempting to understand, to have empathy for, and to treat this kind of person became Dr. Cleckley's lifetime work. His incredible insight into the psychopath is detailed with longitudinal case examples that are poetically descriptive. If Dr. Cleckley were alive today, he would be so proud to be reading the current scientific literature that substantiates his initial hunch that the psychopath has a biological impairment of emotional learning that cannot be fixed by any means yet available to humankind. The history and science of the psychopath begin with Dr. Hervey Cleckley's final edition.

I liked topic 60 in an edition I found in the library, about people who are failures because they do not stick to one career path. I was reading it at about the time when I was in a large room full of people getting the preliminary instructions on how to be successful day traders in stocks and options, because the market is always going to go up, the market is going to go down, or the market is going to go sideways. With a net worth of $75,000, a set of rules, and twenty minutes a day when the market is open to apply all the rules, many people have become millionaires, but one of the rules is {don't get greedy} because people who get greedy are likely to break some of the rules and get too many eggs in one basket. No matter what you are interested in, THE MASK OF SANITY provides enough material for you to come to the conclusion that modern society caters to psychopathic personalities, but in ways that will keep most of us from becoming the millionaires who just follow rules.

An early study on what is now known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). When the original book was written in 1938, the etiology of FAS was not known. And drinking/drug use(in private) by upper class women was considered to be "unladylike" and therefore "not done" and not recognized. Other books, written in 1998 by Dr. Ann Streissguth, more clearly explain the symptomology of FAS. Dr. Robert Ackerman's "Perfect Daughters: Grown Children of Alcoholics" more clearly explains patterns of female drinking which tends to be more privately done than male drinking.

I really recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject. His case histories are a book in themselves and capture the soul of a psychopath so well. A very thorough book that examines every aspect of the condition, I am impressed by his attempt to even explore historical and literary references. Ahead of it's time because his conclusions cannot be shaken even now. A much better book than Hare's "Without Conscience". Hare even lifts phrases directly out of the book eg."trivial, impersonal affairs".

Astonishingly accurate portrayal of psychopaths without sensationalizing the subject. I like how he gives different types of psychopaths; these are men and women in the street, 'ordinary' individuals but so disturbed (hence the very apt title).

His analysis is spot-on: he really knows his subject. More thorough than Hare's. He doesn't fudge any details. Really all you need to know about the topic. Still the best book about psychopaths.

I heard of this book through the Cassiopeia web-project, a website dedicated to psychopathy. They've scanned Cleckly's book, and offer it as a PDF. Just google for Cassiopeia and Cleckly.

I read a large part of the book, and as a (Dutch, please pardon my spelling in places) psychologist I am in awe of this book. Much has been said in the other reviews.
Cleckley doesn't choose the easy way; he painstakingly and consciently tries to distinguish between sociopathy (as psychopathy is currently called) and a number of other human and mental conditions. Such as schizophrenia, narcissm, ordinary human variation, your runn-of-the-mill neuroticism. And, very importantly, and perhaps the hardest distiction to make, Checly puts in perspective how sociopathy can be distinguished from rebelling against the moral standards of a particular era. The book was first written in 1948, and sexuel promiscuïty meant something different then then it does now. Such distinctions are where a dated book most clearly shows it flaws, and Checkly comes out as timeless and fresh as when it first came out.
His book is a very well written (his style reminded me of Oliver Sacks in places) essay into the meaning of a certain, everyday kind of human evil. The book answers the frustrated question of everyone who has dealt with a such a psychopath: "How could he DO that?" Cleckley estimates that 5 % of the population will have some psychopathic tendencies, although many of those psychopaths lead succesful lives with careers and marriages. So the odds are, you will meet one. If you want to understand him or her, and have enough background knowledge to tackle this book, read it.

This book is great; it was a gift and the person who received loved it.

It is a great book. It is very informative about a lot of birds. We do a lot of camping and Iam sure that it will be with us. Thanks

Out of the 3 birdwatching books I purchased... the other 2 were well known names in the animal/avian world, this was by far the best! With full color photos, not illustrations, and all the information you need to identify your birds, I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

A long-time birder who carries this book on all his outings recommended it to me (a photographer) so I could look up the occasional species I would come across on field trips. It's very easy to navigate, it is colorful with short informative descriptions and, so far, it has had every species I have needed to know about. Flipping through this book is a pleasure and an education in itself; for example, I have spent my life admiring Common Grackles, Robins and Red-winged Blackbirds and until I got this book I did not know that the female markings are quite distinct and different from those of the male. I was especially interested to learn more about the Whip-poor-will species and their range of territory. The Contents section is colorful and simple, yet precise. The Index is straightforward and all-inclusive - something I always look at first when buying any book. Highly recommended.

I got a bunch of bird books and haven't checked them all out yet. But this is the one my mother will not give up she really likes it.

Practical and effective. A balanced book with an understandable writing and depth of analysis.

At the peak of the dot-com bubble, buying Internet stocks was momentum investing at its most pure - get in when a new stock or sector is on its upswing, and get out while the gettin's good. But Peter S. Cohan has created new criteria for Internet investors to apply in the traditional method of fundamental analysis. Instead of looking to old-line gurus like Graham or Buffet for advice, Cohan draws on the business strategies of John D. Rockefeller to come up with fresh e-commerce attributes like economic leverage, closed-loop solutions and adaptive management for investors to measure. We [...] recommend this book to executives, employees and students with equal vigor, although consider yourself forewarned that Cohan's extended barking-dog analogy will grate on your nerves. Nevertheless, anyone who invests in Internet companies or even traffics in Internet commerce for business or pleasure will gain insights from this book, regardless of whether Cohan's investment criteria prove to have staying power.

This is the most lucid, sensible analysis I've read thus far of the likely implications of engaging in e-commerce from different strategic perspectives and business models. Cohan provides a valuable framework and applies it to scores of real cases. I find myself returning to his book time and again to apply his methodology. His only off-base advice: don't invest in companies led by folks over 35. I'll forgive him that one. The rest of the book is a real gem. It should age well.

I enjoyed the book tremendously, and think Peter's done a fabulous job dissecting the Internet investment frenzy, providing the logic to the momentum everyone else seems to have missed.

This book is good for Newbie to the internet but certainly don't worth a look for someone looking for insight.

The framework is nothing new but more or less a simplified business plan.

In Chapter 13, Advice for Internet Management and Investors sounds like a common sense and existing strategy using by most of the dotcom. Common Sense: Strategy 1 of those advices is moving the company into a more profitability region in short. (It dividies the market into 3 levels of profitability. so called Lossware, Brandware and Powerware. Well, no matter if it is New or Old economy, there is always different degrees of profitability.)

Existing strategies: Selling out of a porfolio builder, deep pockets and restructuring. We are seeing consolidation in the market a long long time ago and a lot of big or small players already know it is the way.

This book is more like a news reporting and a lot of newly invented words cannot make this book a standard of new economy rules but disappoint me only.

What a product! When you read something like this you begin to realize the real depths of obsessive thinking. There's so much to learn here -- exact details relating to late 19th century Britian; considered essays on where exactly Watson was shot (there is some consensus he must have been shot while stooping over, to take into account various Doyle references); and more than that, watching fans do their best to bring it alive.

Kind of reminds me of Potter.

This was the first time I read any Sherlock Holmes and I was not disappointed. But what really made the experience such a fun time was the vast number of info accompanying the novels. The notes are right next to the text so you don't have to keep flipping pages, plus various pictures abound throughout the volume capturing the times of Holmes and Watson.
After reading it myself, I lent this volume to my good friend who can pretty much recite any line from the novels and he absolutely loved it.
So if you are a fan or just curious about all the hype, this is a must!

This collection of Sherlock Holmes stories & analysis is clearly one of the best biographical works published in the past 30 years. The painstaking effort and detail put into this work is something to be marveled.

Whether a new or old fan of the exploits of Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson, this product will not disappoint.

Also included in this series is some of the original artwork from the Holmes novels. If a fan, you might also consider picking up The Crime Doctor, which also bears the artwork of Frederic Dorr Steele, with stories of the medical detective by EW Hornung (also the brother-in-law of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle).

Having been brought up on the edge of Dartmoor,in Devonshire, SW England,where the Hounds of the Baskervilles story was located I found the annotations to that novel to be very interesting and, more importantly, factual even to the minor details that were mentioned.
I have no doubts whatsoever that the facts connected to the other three novels are just as accurate.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any Sherlockian.

While most people have read at least one Sherlock Holmes stories others have not only read them all but have studied every detail of them. The author, Leslie Klinger, is one of the latter group. He is one of the foremost experts on the 'Canon' as devotees call the Holmes stories, and a member of The Baker Street Irregulars, the oldest and most exclusive club of Holmes scholars.

Klinger follows the accepted practice of the Irregulars in that he treats the stories as factual, rather than fictional accounts. This volume covers the four full length novels: "A Study in Scarlet"; "The Sign of Four"; "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and "The Valley of Fear" completing his study of the Canon that had begun with his two volume treatment of all the shorter works. As with the earlier works the book is printed in two columns, one containing the text of the story and the other containing the notes from that section. The book is illustrated with engravings that accompanied the stories in the magazines that first published them. The notes that Klinger has included with the text cover a wide range of subjects from explanation of outdated slang expressions to speculations by the author and other experts on people and locations the stories were actually based upon to in depth explanations of details. In addition both in the notes and in appendices Klinger offers his own and others theories as to the dating of the events in the stories.

This is a beautiful book, one that any fan of Holmes and Watson will surely enjoy. Someone who is reading the stories for the first time might find themselves suffering from information overload but anyone familiar with at least some of the stories will delight in finally discovering what some of those odd references meant. Also it is interesting to see that at times Watson or perhaps his 'agent' Arthur Conan Doyle, made some errors in their accouts leaving the impression that the 'Master' (Holmes) made some errors.

Reading Linda's story I instantly knew I'd want to lend this book to my Mum after I'd finished it. Are high achievers born or made? You won't find the answer in reading this book, but you'll see how a determined young woman who had every reason to fail succeeded and raised a champion. More importantly I feel - this story isn't just about Lance. It's definitely hers, it's quirky and charming, easy to read and definitely gives you a feel for her character. I preferred It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life - but I definitely recommend this as a great follow up read.
Kirsty Dunphey, Author Retired at 27, If I can do it anyone can

Linda Armstrong started out with enough strikes to doom most to a mediocre life - daughter of divorced parents and a drunkard father (stopped drinking when Lance was born), married at 16, mother at 17, expelled from high school for being pregnant, and abused by husband whom she eventually left. Instead, she raised (inspired, cheered, protected, funded, and assisted his early development and becoming a champion, and then added her inner strength to Lance's during a devastating cancer encounter) a world renowned bicycling champion and major force in cancer research and support.

At the same time Linda went on to complete her GED and worked her way up to a high-level position within a large communications firm. It was not all success for Linda, however - she also had to go through two additional failed marriages (a philanderer, and a drunkard), before finally finding her "true love."

After reading the book it is clear that both Lance Armstrong AND his mother, Linda, are very exceptional and inspirational individuals. I wish I had read this book myself before becoming a parent - my approach and perspectives would hopefully have greatly improved.

A very well written book bringing the reader the life of an adoring Mother and her son. Neither would give up on their individual dreams in their respective pursuits of happiness in their lives. Enjoyable, insightful reading start to finish. Many congrats to both, and a special congratualtion to Lance for winning his seventh Tour deFrance.

Funny, sad, interesting, well-written, inspirational. I have great respect and admiration for Linda Armstrong Kelly. She is a remarkable woman with an incredible ability to adapt to any situation life throws her way. What a great woman!

I am glad Lance's Mom decided to write her story. After I read It's Not About the Bike, I was inspired and eager to learn how a seemingly super-human came to be. Now I know: his Mom exudes energy, enthusiasm, and optimism without bounds: who could lose with such incredible and selfless support screaming in your ear on each lap of the race.

This is a book that focuses primarily on Linda Armstrong Kelly. Lance plays a pivotal but supporting role in the story. She is honest and forthright about the men in her life; other women have just shriveled and become bitter. She is unabashedly supportive of her son, in spite of his adolescent fixation with speeding and dangerous shenanagans with his pals. And... she raised a smart son who loves and respects his mother, especially shielding her from some of the pranks that would drive many parents to pack their son off to some military academy. The fireballs come to mind as I write this.

She is a mom that celebrates Mother's Day, everyday. Now, if she can figure out a way to bottle and sell her optimism and energy! Enjoy the read.

This book is a model for clarity in histories of the Civil War. The author describes troop movements and strategic decisions in an accessible manner. The meaning of the Pea Ridge campaign is made clear. In this book, you can follow the battlefield and get a sense of where people were at any given moment.

The South lost the West in this battle; the battle pre-saged many of the tactical innovations of the Civil War. This "sideline" battle is revealed as more important than most realize, an early indication that western battles would yield Union victories.

Even among Civil War buffs, Pea Ridge is pretty much a forgotten battle. Shea's book remedies that with clear, readable and moving narrative and keen analysis of the largest Civil War battle fought in Arkansas (and depending on which numbers you believe, the largest fought west of the Mississippi). Even more importantly, the book provides compelling reasons why Pea Ridge should NOT be a forgotten battle. He also spotlights the brilliant performance of Samuel Curtis, perhaps the Union's most underrated general, as well as the less-than-brilliant work of Confederate General Earl Van Dorn, who had all of Jeb Stuart's style but not of his skills.

Many Civil War buffs, and most casual readers of Civil War history, have more than a parochial understanding of this pivotal battle. When Curtis's northern troops entered NW Arkanasas, during the winter of 1862, they knew they were facing a strong enemy.

Earl Van Dorn, recently promoted to commander of the Army of The West, had assembled a strong army and was anxious for success against Curtis's troops. He believed that he could defeat him and launch an overland campaign, against Union held St. Louis, ensuring his lasting fame. He was unprepared for what he would find with Curtis.

Curtis had entrenched his army, along Little Sugar Creek, which rests south of Pea Ridge Tavern along the Telegraph Rd. As the Rebels were wintering in the Boston Mountains, south of his position, Curtis had little worry about Rebels hitting him from the North. Fortunately, Brig General, Franz Sigel, detached from Curtis's army, and at Bentonville, was defeated, and pushed back to Curtis's position and alerted him of trouble in his rear.

Van Dorn's ingenious plan revolved around splitting his army, to traverse Elk Horn mountain, with troops under Ben McCullough taking the Ford Rd, to the mountain's south side, and his troops, commanded by Sterling Price around the north side. They would meet on the Telegraph Rd, north of Curtis's army and push them into Little Sugar Creek - blocking their means of retreat to Missouri. While conceptually, this plan was sound, in reality, the timing proved difficult and Union troops under Osterhaus and Jefferson C Davis, caught McCollough's rebels in the open. Battle followed in, and around Leetown. While the rebels were able to open the battle, their organization fell apart after brigadier generals Ben McCullough and McIntosh were killed on the field. Command of this sector fell to the next general in line, Albert Pike. Pike was leading the Civil War's first brigade of Indians, and was not up to the task. The union forces pushed them NE towards Elkhorn tavern.

Meanwhile, east of Leetown, Van Dorn's main body, unleashed a spectacular attack against Curtis's Union forces at Elkhorn Tavern. The rebels pushed Curtis's troops 1/2 mile south, along the Telegraph Rd. Even with the routing of the portion of his army, now being led by Pike, Van Dorn slept that night, confident that his troops would push Curtis's army into the Little Sugar Creek. This was the mistake that lost him the battle.

The next morning, after assembling his new battle line, Curtis's opened the day with the largest artillery barrage of the Civil War (up to that point). This artillery barrage caught Van Dorn's confederates unprepared. In the excitement of the previous day's victory, Van Dorn had not called up his supply train. Essentially, caught up against the east edge of Elkhorn Mountain, and in the open south of Elkhorn Tavern, Van Dorn's troops had almost no artillery ammunition, and very little ammunition for his infantry. Van Dorn was forced to retreat, east along Huntsville Rd.

Over the coming months, Curtis would pursue Van Dorn's army across north, and north central Arkansas. His victory would assure the Union, that Missouri would stay in the Union.

This book was extremely well written and easy to read. Shea did a remarkable job putting his text into easily visualized format. I was even more impressed with this book after visiting the battlefield, and using his maps, and pictures, to explore the battlefield (if you are interested in viewing my pictures of the Pea Ridge battle field, please email me at michael.noirot@gmail.com).

I highly recommend this book to all Civil War buffs. It will put the battles, west of the Mississippi, into proper perspective.

Michael Noirot
Saint Louis, Missouri

Authors William Shea and Earl Hess tell the story of the campaign and battle of Pea Ridge, which is sometimes grandly called the Gettysburg of the West. The Union Army of the Southwest, commanded by Brig. Gen. Samuel Curtis numbered fewer than 11,000 soldiers, the same size as a single division in the Army of the Potomac at that time. Yet, while the vast legions of Army of the Potomac hovered uncertainly near Washington DC in February 1862, Curtis launched a winter campaign that took his small army clear across the Ozark Plateau and into northwestern Arkansas.

There, Union soldiers from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa and loyal Missouri met an equally tough set of Confederates from Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. It was one of the few times in the Civil War that the Northern soldiers were outnumbered. But in the subsequent battle of Pea Ridge in early March 1862, the 16,000-man Confederate Army of the West went down to defeat.

According to the authors, bad luck, uninspired leadership and Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn's many outrageous blunders negated the Southern army's numerical advantage. On the Northern side, Curtis and three of his four division commanders maneuvered their soldiers with skill. Even Curtis' erratic second-in-command, Brig. Gen. Franz Sigel supervised a decisive artillery bombardment on the second day of the battle. Three Yankee brigade commanders showed courage and initiative, but at least one unit commander had a yellow streak.

The book devotes a chapter and a map to the preliminary operation in which the Confederates missed capturing a Union detachment that Sigel had carelessly exposed. The March 7 fights at Leetown and Elkhorn, and the March 8 battle at Elkhorn are explained in detail with maps. The Army of the Southwest's later march to Helena, Arkansas is sketched out more briefly. A concluding chapter ably critiques the strategy and tactics of both sides. There is an Order of Battle and extensive footnotes.

Compare this book with Shelby Foote's short account of Pea Ridge in his splendid "The Civil War -- A Narrative." Foote was a great historian, but it sounds like a different battle. To take only one example, Foote says Van Dorn's two pronged attack was planned. Yet Shea and Hess note that the attack was improvised after the Confederate flank march fell badly behind schedule. This is typical of the kind of detail that the authors add to the history of this battle.

My only criticism is a lack of information on weaponry. Except for one Illinois unit, it is not clear whether Union infantry and cavalry units carried rifled muskets, smoothbores, carbines or Colt revolving rifles. The Order of Battle contains detailed data about the type of cannons in each artillery battery, but in one case the text contradicts the OB. For the Pea Ridge battle and campaign, this book is a keeper, despite my quibbling about weapons.

Pea Ridge: Civil War Campaign in the West, authored by William Shea and Earl Hess, is a well done work describing one of the most important battles in the Trans-Mississippi theater. This Union victory ensured that Missouri would be Union territory; it also provided a spearhead for attacks further South (e.g., Arkansas). Compared with the Eastern Theater and the Western Theater, the Trans-Mississippi experienced fewer major battles; after Pea Ridge, the Confederacy lost a lot of "steam" in that district.

The battle itself resulted from a campaign headed by Union General Benjamin Curtis and Confederate General Earl Van Dorn, colorful but not the most competent Army general in the Confederacy. Other generals in the engagement were, on the Confederate side, Sterling Price, Ben McCulloch, and Albert Pike, and, for the Union, Franz Sigel (with one of his very few halfway competent campaigns of the Civil War), Alexander Asboth, and Peter Osterhaus. The Confederate side was burdened with more questionable leadership.

Van Dorn was able to maneuver his army behind the Union defensive position at Pea Ridge (or Elkhorn Tavern). In the battle that followed, Curtis was able to turn his army around, with the rear becoming the front. It was a stunning display of generalship under pressure. The Confederate attack was designed to be two pronged. On the right, initial advances were successful. Then, a leadership crisis. The charismatic Confederate general, Ben McCulloch, was cut down early and died, and chaos set in on his side of the battle. On the other front, advancing up the Telegraph Road from the North, Van Dorn attacked Curtis' position and made some headway. However, as the situation on the Confederate right (and Union left) stabilized, Curtis was able to release more troops to defend against Van Dorn's assault.

By the next morning, the Confederates were fought out. And, in a display of stupefying incompetence, the Confederate Army had not brought up the supply trains and, thus, was low on food and ammunition. The Union attack the next morning, featuring competent generalship from Sigel (well worth mentioning, given the paucity of such days in the war for him), led to a general defeat of the southerners.

The resulting retreat back to Arkansas was disheartening to Van Dorn's army. The end result: the Union solidified its hold on Missouri, turned back a major assault by a large force, and reduced the ability of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi forces to mount a major attack for some time. It is too much to say that this was the Gettysburg of the Trans-Mississippi, but it was a major Union victory. This battle is not as well known as others, but it warrants attention by those interested in the Civil War.