Sheridan Books

This book of essays covers aspects of the Shenandoah Valley campaign of 1864. As is the case with all the volumes in this series, a number of military, social, and political issues are discussed. The essays are generally well-written and provide insights into some topics not evaluated in general histories of the campaign. Particularly good is the essay comparing the general performances of Sheridan and Early. One is left realizing that, given the resources available to each, Early actually did better than could have been expected and Sheridan made more errors than he should have. Worth the price of the entire volume, is the excellent biographical monograph about General Horatio Wright. This is the first attempt ever to provide a biographical sketch of this important but overlooked officer. The essay is balanced, well-researched, and very worthwhile to the serious student of this period.
This book is not for someone unfamiliar with this campaign but, as is the case with the rest of the series, is of value to the experienced Civil War reader.

This is an interesting collection of essays on the Shenandoah Campaign of 1864. Gary Gallagher has pulled together a set of essays that, even if they sometimes contend with one another, helps the reader get a better understanding of the 1864 conflict.

The dramatic personae in this action include Lee's "bad old boy," Jubal Early, the combative but capable Confederate commander, versus Phil Sheridan, the hyperactive cavalry commander given charge of the Union forces in the Valley. Key players on the Union side: John Crook, leader of the "Army of West Virginia," William Emory of Sheridan's army, the cavalry (Torbert as head, with Merritt and Custer, and Devin as key subordinates). On the Confederate side: infantry commanders such as Gordon, Rodes and Ramseur and cavalry leaders Lomax, Munford, and Rosser. There was a lot of talent on each side, but Early's army was heavily outnumbered (maybe 40,000 troops under Sheridan and 14,000 or so under Early). Such numbers presaged an almost inevitable defeat of Early, with as combative a Union general as Sheridan on the other side (it can safely be said that prior Valley commanders such as Patterson, Hunter, Sigel, and so on may well have wasted such an advantage; Sheridan, despite his flaws as a combat commander, was unlikely to lose under such conditions).

What is nice about this volume is that the authors of the individuals chapters try to assess what actually happened and how good (or bad) commanders actually were, rather than repeating commonly understood judgments. What about the "Woodstock Races" after the Confederate cavalry's disastrous defeat at Tom's Brook? Confederate ineptitude? Or Union overwhelming force? What about Early versus Sheridan as commander of an army? Gallagher's chapter addresses this in a sensitive manner.

At Cedar Creek, what happened? Did Early's so-called "fatal halt" lose the day? Or were the Confederates so outnumbered and outgunned that--aside from total incompetence in Union leadership--they simply could not triumph? Another essay explores the generalship of the 6th Corps commander, Horatio Wright. The conclusions is that he did a good job as commander after the surprise attack while Sheridan was absent and may not have received the credit due him. Still, his performance in other venues in the Civil War was uneven. Here, however, he probably deserves good grades.

And so on. The essays in this volume provoke some thinking about the Valley Campaign of 1864. This is a good work to look at. The chapters are somewhat uneven (as to be expected from an edited volume), but--all in all--this is a useful examination of the subject.

Another one of Gallagher's collection of great essays of a campaign while touting the greatest historians on the subject. The authors in this case cover the 1864 Valley situation from Early's arrival to save Lynchburg to his run at Washington to Sheridan's final mobilizing drive that is momentarily derailed by Early's great shock attack at Cedar Creek that crushes the unprepared Federals. But of course, the Union's regrouping at Cedar and counter attack virtually destroys Early's army. The essays cover the key battles and strategies including the make up of Early, Sheridan and a respectful view of the not so flamboyant and thus unappreciated General Horatio Wright who held things together at Cedar Creek when Sheridan arrived on the field. The latter part of the book also includes the social effect the war had on its population particularly as the means to feed the Confederate war machine was destroyed as part of the grand union strategy. Early and the Confederate Army no doubt fought heroically enough to challenge the record of Stonewall; however, they were literally overwhelmed by numbers and better horses and equipment. Of course, once confident, Sheridan keeps the pressure on with his young lions, Custer, Merritt and Torbet. A grand example of that is Robert E. L. Krick's essay on the battle of Tom Brook between the Confederate and Union cavalry that is extremely one sided, resulting in a total crushing of the Confederate horse. It's amazing that the Confederates were able to reorganize and launch what was at first a highly successful attack at Cedar Creek 10 days later. This recovery and attack is a tribute to Early, who unfortunately used his infamous tongue lashing too harshly afterwards demonstrating one of his worst character flaws. The other great aspect of these talented authors is their research, which is so impeccable that they sort out the historical misrepresentations and get to the truth of the matter, albeit at the expense of some such as John Gordon, the great fighter and embellisher. The only negative, I wish there was a summary of the battles in date line fashion along with a map that showed where all the key battles were fought. I also wish the summary of the situation prior to Early's arrival included a discussion of General "Grumble" Jones battle of Piedmont where he lost his life trying to stop General Hunter's attack of the valley. As an additional note, these fine historians get together almost every summer and provide excellent tours of the valley, a treat worth considering.

The author in this true story builds a 32' sailboat boat from driftwood in his parents front yard to fulfill his dream of sailing in the south seas. The story is interesting historically , entertaining and inspiring and I recommend it.

I read this book whist sitting on a yacht in the southern ocean...which is not the best place to read it. Jonny Wray does not write exceptional prose but if you are not sitting in the South Pacific when you read South Sea Vagabonds you will spend years hankering for the place.

If ever a book needed to come into print in the 1990's this is it. Freedom in 200 pages..... ........If you can find it

John Wray is one of those characters who doesn't fit the urban workaday lifestyle of most of us. His daydreaming about the sea and wind in his hair led him to get the sack from his office job, which was a good thing really. He made use of the time on his hands to build himself a cruising yacht. But he had no money. Not letting a small thing like lack of resources get in the way, he scrounged the materials and built his boat. The first half of the book is taken up with the fascinating details of acquiring the materials and building on a shoestring budget. An interesting and funny chronicle - especially if you're interested in building boats. The rest of the book focuses on his adventures with the boat after he gets it in the water. A pretty-much run of the mill travelogue of the South Pacific, but written with humour and the interesting prose of a hands-on blue water sailor. You can't help liking the man. The book was written in the 1930's. I hope it made him enough money to enjoy a long and happy life at sea.

A Steady Trade is a wonderful autobiographical book about a teenage boy from Wales who works on sailing barges in the coastal trade in northern Europe in the 30s of the last century. I liked the book because it is well written, and has detailed information about life and work on the sailing barges and small ships that plyed the waters of the English Channel and the rivers of northern Europe.

It contains fine descriptions of life in a village in Wales in that bygone era, and many details about boating and shipping in Sussex and Kent, and London. This is one of the best books that I have read about sailing and is a "must read" for anyone interested in what it was actually like when sailboats were the workhorses of coastal shipping--actually the end of that era.

There is a certain amount of psuedo-philosophical BS in the book, Welsh boosterism, and idealization of working types in Jones story, but it is easy to skim these parts for those mainly interested in life and work in coastal Great Britain in the 30s.

I think this book would be appropriate for children and teenagers who are interested in sailing and working sailboats. There is some bad language, a bit of wry sexual content, and manly dialogue, but nothing frightening or too offensive. The extensive and detailed descriptions of the boats and how they were worked and sailed (without engines) might bore some kids. Mostly the book is charming and absorbing.

I would almost be willing to put this book next to Two Years Before the Mast on my shelf. It is that good.

I worked in Barmouth, N. Wales in the early 80's. Mr. Jones accuratley describes the very friendly Welsh people. This book will make you laugh and cry at his adventures. It is a wonder that Mr Jones has kept his innocence in his later writings, after all he went through as a child.

I first read this book when I was probably 11 years old, and have read it I don't know how many times since then. Tristan Jones had the soul of a poet, as well as a natural ability to evoke the spirit of a bygone era seen through the eyes of a boy coming of age. Filled with colorful, sometimes heart-wrenching, often humourous anecdotes, this wonderful book has won a permanent place in my heart - very highly recommended.

Does not spend as much time on the subject of the Titanic as you might expect; but is an interesting person. Kept going chapter to chapter to see what she experienced next. (P.S. most likely would not sail with her.) An excellent insight to the class designation of the time.

Product was at a decent price, arrived in a timely manner and in good condition. Overall, well pleased with the transaction.

Violet Jessop is an extra-ordinary writer and an engaging storyteller. It seems unfortunate that she spent her life serving the wealthy on ocean-liners rather than as an author, as I expect she could have been one of those being served. Only two or three chapters are spent on the Titanic, so it really is mis-titled, but well worth the read for all her other experiences, adventures and perspectives.

I absolutely love the first two tough kid books so I was sure I would love this one and I was not disappointed! The book is fabulous and I have already seen great successes with my students using the lessons from this book!! I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a social skills book!!!

We use this book with our 6th and 7th graders in a classroom setting. The lessons are easy to understand, everything you need is in the book, and the kids love it! I suggest purchasing "The Tough Kids Tool Kit" also for its multitude of helpful forms and worksheets. I lost both of these in Hurricane Katrina and the social skills book was one of the first things I thought about replacing in my office library.

This book is a must have for anyone that works with children. It has great ideas for every social situation your children may have. Best investment I ever made. This book is my work training manual as a behavioral interventionist.

The thrill of finally putting an end to the war and the enemy raced through many soldier's minds as both armies had high hopes of victory in early May of 1864. Though facing serious defeats in 1863, Lee's Army of Northern Virginia is ready to tackle the newly appointed former western campaign leader U.S. Grant and his Army of the Potomac. Author and historian Gary Gallagher builds the awareness of such great expectations from both sides which sets the stage for a great conflict. His writing captures the flavor of northern morale and the polictical situation around Washington. The frustration with former Union commanders and a long and brutal war have dampened spirits in the north and this book is great at building the reasons for why and how the spring campaign of 1864 began. This book is written by a multiple of great Civil War authors that enhance this great battle.

Foiled Union Cavalry movements of Sheridan start the season off as Ewell and AP Hill come to meet and fight the approaching Grant. Writer Peter Carmichael and Gordon Rhea bring these actions to the front with great detail. Movements and maps are easy to follow.

The famous, "Lee to the rear!" episode of the Wilderness is brought forth by Robert Krick which certainly explains the situation of Lee wanting to lead his men. Many personal soldier accounts are brought into the fold to dispell doubts or conflicting stories about this great event in Civil War history. Carol Reardon and Robert Krick bring together the struggle famous Vermont Brigade battle and Longstreet's flank attack on May the 6th. Longstreet's fall from friendly fire and the confusion faced by Mahone's men is covered well. To understand the Wilderness campaign this is an essential 'must have' for anyone trying to understand the thoughts, plans, tactics and outcomes of the battle.

Gallagher and company always add an extra dimension to previous books on their subject matter that are not normally mainstream but important events and they give you the full detail. Fascinating highlights are (Carmichael) the controversy of Hill's corps on the second day, who was at fault for not digging in or straightening the lines? Who delayed Gordon's attack on Grants exposed right flank and how effective was it? The true story of the "Lee to the Rear Event" by R. K. Krick as well as an excellent description of Sheridan's first full blown attempt to use the Calvary in full force doing it "his way" that contributed to Meade's (with Grant) blind march through the Wilderness by Rhea. Another gem is R.E.L. Kick's description of Longstreet's and the First Corps' finest hour, stopping the hemorrhage on the confederate right and the storied shock flank attack by R.E.L. Krick. Reardon write a remarkable history of the Vermont Brigade that stood in the eye of the storm first against Hill and then Longstreet. The first few essays discuss Grant and the health and description of the two armies. Gallagher's sounds familiar to his book "The Confederate War" and the others are written well enough (Hennessy shines on the Army of the Potomac); however, I would have preferred more gems on the battle itself. More detail on the rest of the command such as Burnsides' unique role as a semi-detached corps commander and his whereabouts during the battle, why the Union forces could not exploit the gap between confederate units between the Orange Plank Road and the Orange Turnpike and a larger overview map of the battle to see virtually all the units on the field to get a better feel for distance, time and terrain. Always interesting to read R. K. Krick's comments on Longstreet, he does say a few things positive about his march. Hope he writes a book on Longstreet, possible title "Longstreet and his Thorns".

This is the first book I have purchased in his "Military Campaigns of the Civil War" series and I assure you this will not be the last! The essays are fantastic. They are crisp and well written.

He has picked his scholars well and each one has a great in-depth analysis of their topic. Each article has enlightened me about aspects of this battle I never thought about before; most notably that of the other General Grant and his Vermont regiment and the mental states of both armies as they began the Overland Campaign of 1864.

The articles concerning the historical accuracy of the Lee's advance with the Texans in Widow Tapp's field and the success of Longstreet's hammering flank attack of Hancock's II Corps, on May 6th, has me hooked and excited about reading other volumes in this series as well.

These essays also provide additional help in examining these events in greater detail and providing the reader an opportunity to obtain greater knowledge as to how events developed and progressed in the choas we have come to know as the Battle of the Wilderness.

I highly recommend this book as an addition to any other texts you may own concerning this first battle between the armies of Lee and Grant.

One of the best sailing books I've read. I sure wish he'd write more!

With Herb Payson and his wife and stepson as they begin the vacation of a lifetime. Payson is a witty, experienced sailor who writes about his family's adventures while sailing in the South Pacific onboard their 36 ft. wooden ketch, Sea Foam. Their journey begins as a necessity, but soon becomes an adventure with a few sailing lessons and detours thrown in. Payson's writing style is simple, funny, informative and addictive. Anyone who dreams of a cruising life should read this book. Anyone who has never even seen a sailboat would love the self-effacing humor of Payson and the beautiful descriptive narratives of the islands they visit and the genuine appreciation he has of the local people who live there.

This book is one that will leave you wanting to read more of Payson's sea adventures.

Both of these books ("Blown Away" and "You Can't Blow Home Again") are great and should be read one after the other (The second is the continuing saga). The true story of a family that sells everything to buy a boat and sail around the world. They only make it as far as the south pacific, but it makes for year after year of adventures. As a sailor myself (coastal, not blue water) I felt he did a great job of capturing the sharp contrast between the elation, exhilaration and sheer terror that can be found in sailing. Mr. Payson's honest, care free and "oh well" attitude is something that I wish I could capture for myself. Someone who does not mind laughing at himself.

I only have one critique of the books. Mr. Payson uses nautical terms and the names of boat parts as if they are a part of everyone's daily vocabulary. I sail a simple sloop configuration and can name every component that is applicable to our boat. But his repeated use of terms unique to multi-masted, wooden masted, bow-sprinted boats kept sending me to the nautical dictionary. Since the book does not appear to be targeted at highly experienced sailors, a little more explanation would have been nice.

I give this book 5 stars for the simple reason that I really like Herb's style. This is the first crusing book I have read that wasn't all preachy about the right (and only) way to do things. I get tired of every other being an expert and there way is the only right way. Come off it. We all no there are multiple right ways to do things and for some people one thing works better than another but not necessarily for all people. Herb is refreshingly honest. How many times as Herb dragged anchor- too many to remember. Does that make his information better or worse than others? No, it just lets you know that you will make mistakes and hopefully you will learn from them. Herb describes a broad selection of topics in a question an answer format that I find entertaining and interesting. I also does not hesitate to mentioned other books and authors for more in depth information. In one of my favorite sections Herb goes into detail on all the specific titles he carries on board, and those he recommends with breif discussion of each. I think you find this a refreshing book with good information. Would I buy again? Absolutely. This is one of a few books that earn my top recommendation.

If you like Herb Payson's style of writing than you will love this book. I found myself disagreeing with some of his advice but overall this is a light, funny, and at times very to the point guide of what and what not to do about issues ranging from lightning protection to keeping your butt onboard. Well worth reading if you are serious about heading offshore. If you have a partner make sure he/she also reads this book. It gave my sometimes reluctant partner more confidence to give it a try.

If you have seen Modern Times you know in the end you highly doubt that beautiful hope they have is going to play out but you still hope. Whistler, the main character, would understand that statement.

It is not a novel for the faint hearted. Campbell explores a world of sex, murder, pleasure and pain. A world of hooker of all sexes and none, TV, Transsexuals, Gender Benders, runaways, throwaways and the atmosphere around them. Set in this is a beautiful woman who isn't what she seems, a star who is what he seems, a daughter who plunged thru the looking glass from Alanta to La-La land. It takes a while but you'll figure out who the Red Queen is, who Alice actually is, who Chessie is, the rabbit and the rest.

Hardbitten, hard boiled and with that hope no matter how lost it is at the end. Not for the faint hearted, not for those who like pink colored glasses. A passing knowledge of Thru the looking glass and Alice in wonderland helps.

Had Phillip Marlowe been working his L.A. beat in the 1980s, he might have been a bit like Robert Cambell's Private Investigator Whistler. Whistler works the underbelly of the city in much the same way Marlowe did. But L.A. has become even more corrupt and morally bankrupt than in Marlowe's day. The sort of human predators that Whistler runs up against are a product of our modern media age. "Alice in La-La Land" is a solid entry in the Whistler series and a good read for anyone who likes detective fiction.

"Bobbie" Richardson is struggling to keep the auto repair shop her parents had owned in business. Her ex-husband had nearly caused her to lose the shop when he'd stolen from her and almost forced her into bankruptcy. If she's going to get out from under the pile of unpaid bills, she's going to need help. She just never expected the help to come in the form of her old flame, Justin Hastings. Nor does she expect the deluge of feelings that she still has for him.

Justin Hastings had worked in the shop during high school right alongside Bobbie. He'd once even saved her from complete humiliation and they'd been together until the day of Bobbie's graduation, when he dropped the bomb and told her he had joined the Marine Corps. Now he's back and he needs her to help gain custody of his daughter from The Barracuda, also known as the mother-in-law. Justin needs a wife and he's decided that Bobbie would be perfect for that position.

Bobbie isn't thrilled to see Justin standing in her shop. It'd been seventeen years since he'd left, how dare he reenter her life now? He'd seen the help wanted sign and needs a way to get to Bobbie so working at the shop would be the ideal situation. Bobbie desperately needs the help, the Quicky-lube has been taking much of the business she would have normally gotten. What she'd really like would be to have the contract to service Dale Courtland's company cars and delivery trucks. Maybe with Justin working for her she'd have a shot of getting the contract. Justin's willing to work part time and without benefits. While she's petrified of a repeat performance of what happened with her ex-husband, Bobbie has very little choice, she must hire Justin if she wants to stay in business. She has no idea how she's going to be able to concentrate with him so close every day. Seeing Bobbie again reinforces Justin's belief that marrying her would help him gain custody of his daughter. He'll just have to find a way to convince Bobbie to give him a chance.

Barbara Sheridan's ALL OR NOTHING is an endearingly charming tale. It's full of memorable characters and humorous situations that will have the readers enthralled in the plot. Justin and Bobbie's relationship started in high school was left unfinished when Justin joined the Marines. They both married other people but neither ever really got over the feelings they had for each other. They're given a second chance at love and Bobbie goes into it as a business transaction but business isn't all she has on her mind. I adored this storyline, all the characters fit perfectly and by the end I just wanted to cheer Justin's determination. Really, a sexy guy like that with brains too is way too dangerous a combination for the female population!

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

Roberta "Bobbie" Richardson was down on her luck with her auto repair shop after her two-timing, scheming, ex-husband left her in a massive debt. To further complicate Bobbie's hectic life, Justin Hastings, her old flame from high school, has just walked into her garage seeking a huge favor from her. After many years of not having seen one another much less spoken to each other, Justin wants Bobbie to marry him! Justin needs Bobbie as his wife to increase his chances of gaining custody of his motherless, teenage daughter from her evil, wealthy grandmother. Justin in turn will assist Bobbie in getting her repair shop back on a good financial track. Will Bobbie agree to Justin's marriage of convenience plan knowing she still has deep desires for him and not sure of his feelings for her?

All or Nothing was a delightful, romantic read. The only fault that I found with this story was the constant switching between the heroine's names. For the first half of the book the author only called her Bobbie; but, halfway though the storyline there was a constant flip flop between Bobbie and Roberta, which I found to be a tad bit irritating. But, hey, that is one of my pet peeves. Otherwise, All or Nothing was great and the plot flowed at a wonderful pace with a mixture of romance, pain, joyfulness and distrust. Although both Bobbie and Justin had very stubborn personalities, the couple was very well matched for each other. The chemistry that sparked between them was amorous and loving. All or Nothing proved to be a very good, sensual read.

Nikita
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed