Rating: 
Summary: Sherman being himself
Review: Probably the very best of the Civil War memoirs. Clear detail with ocassional sparks of pure joy that only Sherman would write.
Rating:
Summary: Great book, GREAT PUBLISHING!
Review: The Library of America edition of Sherman's Memoirs is one of the most fascinating books I've ever read. The man had a brilliant mind. He was efficient in all that he put his hand too. And, if he failed in some ways, he cleaned up his messes and went on his way. The war would probably have lasted forever if he hadn't had the foresight, the leadership ability, the stamina, and just plain guts. But he knew how to end the war, and he had no illusions that he was playing at war. He knew it was hell, and he did what he had to do. I loved the dated letters and wires between the various players on the scene. Thank God Sherman saved these written pieces of history for us. If he hadn't, his memoirs would have only been from his point of view. And, when something he's telling us is from his memory only, he states it as such. If you are going to war, it's not a good idea to play at it. Sherman knew that. And biding his time, he was given the chance by U.S. Grant to end this. If he hadn't been elected to take his "show on the road" we would probably be living today in a divided, bickering country, and without the power we enjoy as a nation. And, by the way, Grant was brilliant enough and his ego was intact enough so that he was able to award the job of sweeping up Georgia and the Carolinas to the best man--Sherman.
Regarding the publishing, it's about time I didn't have to crack open the binding to read a book. Because the binding is sewn, it opens flat to any page you choose. The paper is thin to keep the book from being too heavy and large. The paper is also acid free so it will not yellow and become brittle with age. The cloth binding is exquisite--designed and manufactured in Holland; it is Rayon, which probably will last forever. Even the dusk jacket is quality paper. That's how my books were when I was young, and that's why I don't remember ever having to break the binding open in any of my books, no matter how large they were. It's a pleasure to be able to lay on my stomach and read a book without having to hold it in place. If you want to write in your books, buy cheaper versions. Don't complain when you receive a gem.
Rating:
Summary: Sherman,: Soldier, Realist American
Review: The memoirs of William Tecumseh Sherman is a book I continue to return to . It is long, it is detailed but it it is fascinating . You participate with Sherman in the decisions he makes and realize he was the greatest General in the Civil War . Unlike Grant and Lee he avoide the killing of troops , ( on both sides ). He realized that the way to Peace was to destroy the economic underpinings of the South . The concept of his march across Georgia was contrary to the conventional wisedom both North and the South . It is fascinating to read his correspondence with Grant and Lincoln on this subject.
Readers interested in Sherman might want to look at a book by renowned British soldier and writer B.H. Liddell Hart book "Sherman: Soldier, Realist , American" which has been reissued in paperback 1993 and is availaable on Amazon for [...].
Hart feels that Sherman was the greatest General of modern times. He emphasizes the lives saved by Sherman's unconventional strategy.
Rating:
Summary: Sherman,: Soldier, Realist American
Review: The memoirs of William Tecumseh Sherman is a book I continue to return to . It is long, it is detailed but it it is fascinating . You participate with Sherman in the decisions he makes and realize he was the greatest General in the Civil War . Unlike Grant and Lee he avoide the killing of troops , ( on both sides ). He realized that the way to Peace was to destroy the economic underpinings of the South . The concept of his march across Georgia was contrary to the conventional wisedom both North and the South . It is fascinating to read his correspondence with Grant and Lincoln on this subject.
Readers interested in Sherman might want to look at a book by renowned British soldier and writer B.H. Liddell Hart book "Sherman: Soldier, Realist , American" which has been reissued in paperback 1993 and is availaable on Amazon for [...].
Hart feels that Sherman was the greatest General of modern times. He emphasizes the lives saved by Sherman's unconventional strategy.
Rating:
Summary: A story of a man who changed the face of war.
Review: This book is probably the most fasinating biography I have read. Sherman was an talented outsider whose abilty won the civil war. The book begins with Shermans early military career and civilain life before the civil war. Sherman crisscrosses the content to support his family and becomes a Dean of students, a surveyor, a banker, a rail road man and a partener in a law firm. All these skills and travels blend together to make a master stragist and leader. Sherman was a man always moving to survive. His plan of attack was to move quickly to destroy property and save lives of his men as well as those of the enemy. He stood for loyality and a chain of command, yet was willing to congole the president and U S Grant into allowing him to march through Goergia and the Carolinas while living off the land. This is an analytical story of stragidty and passionate story of a man who was unwilling to slaughter men and instead destroyed the means to war. All war is hell. WT Sherman
Rating:
Summary: A great read.
Review: This is a great read for anyone interested in American history, the Civil War, military history, or just history in general. This book takes the reader on a tour of the thoughts and feelings of General Sherman, probably one of the most misunderstood people in history. This books shows his difficult trek through life and how he perservered. Although some readers might be biased against him, I think they should give him and this book a chance. It's great to get first-hand impressions of historical events from the people who lived them. Sherman's memoirs not only cover the Civil War but his entire military career and life and a breif family history. I would also recommend Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States", and "Guns, Germs, and Steel".
Rating: 
Summary: Good Book; Poor Publishing
Review: This is written by General Sherman, so one may find a little biased opinion, as many of the Civil War generals wrote books after the war, either because they had an "Axe to Grind" or to save reputations, sometimes both.
I have no fault with the content, it is the publishers I do.
The book is small for 1136 pages. This requires very thin paper.
While this may be fine for the average reader, but many Civil War buffs use yellow highlighters, or place scrapes of paper in pages to quickly find sources. In the latter case, the book is to small.
( this refers to this edition only)
One should also be aware, when quoting this book, the previous two volumn book will have the quotes on different pages. CONTENT--->"Daily they returned mounted on all sorts of beasts, which were at once taken from them and appreciated to the general use; but the next day they would start out again on foot, only to repeat the experience of the day before. No doubt MANY ACTS OF PILLAGE, ROBBERY AND VIOLENCE, WERE COMMITTED BY THESE PARTIES OF FORAGERS CALLED "BUMMERS". For I have since heard of JEWELRY TAKEN FROM WOMEN, and the plunder of articles that never reached the commissary."< ------------------Sherman---Memoirs of General W.T.Sherman----page 659, copyright 1984-1990---
( the capitals are mine for emphasis, the wording is exactly from Shermans book)
The above are Shermans very words. Plunder, pillage, etc., in fact did happen, ( Conceivably, more than Sherman admits!)
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Source Material, Difficult Read
Review: Unfortunately General Sherman did not share General Grant's natural ability with the pen. General Sherman's book is a collection of his major wartime correspondence linked together by his narrative. This provides a quite fascinating look at Sherman's career for the historian of both the professional or "armchair" variety, but may make for a more tedious read for the common enthusiast. Nevertheless, many gems are contained in the pages of this blunt and straightforward story. The memoirs are the source of all his famous quotes and misquotes that are popularly repeated, such as "War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it".
Rating:
Summary: Sherman's own perspective: surprisingly riveting
Review: William T. Sherman was one of the most fascinating, unique characters of the American Civil War. Explosive, profane and brilliant, he was surprisingly cautious on the battlefield and never incured the casualities of either Lee or Grant. Sherman's strength was in manouvering to avoid combat and he generally succeeded. So, how does Sherman hold up as a writer? Surprisingly well. Though the book is not as well-written as Ulysses S. Grant's Personal Memoirs, it is still a solid, riveting piece of work. A small criticism is that Sherman included copious amounts of correspondence which are printed in small letters at the bottom of many pages. The correspondence is frquently difficult to decipher and not especially edifying. The acual text, however, is stellar. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, no nonsense source material for better readers.
Review: Written by General W.T. Sherman himself; first published less than a decade after the end of the Civil War. Although 1100+ pages, every paragraph of this book is fascinating. While it can't possibly be read in one sitting it's very difficult to put down. In character with the efficency of organization he was known for in managing every aspect of his life, this book is pure information, fact, personal insights, important correspondence, personal recollections of conversations with relevant historic figures and is, at times very amusing. Rather than dealing with his whole life, this book was written as a first hand account detailing events of the Civil War, particularly the armies under his direct command as well as events leading up to the Civil War and relevant political events after the war. Straightforward and efficient, no fluff.
|
