Rating: 
Summary: A Fine Denouement for a War That Never Had One!
Review: At times absorbing, at times uneven. Nearly always well researched and smacking of authenticity. This novel has a lot of ground to cover. The author divides time, nearly evenly, between private lives, diplomacy, and combat for all the key players of the war. He also divides the time evenly between conflicts in the North and in the South. Nevin treads between history documentary and steamy mini-series innuendo and nearly pulls it off entirely. These two areas are difficult to bring together. Alternately, I would long to return to the combat theater while the author waxes on the domestic trials of Rachael Donnelson Jackson, or wish to read more about Sally McQuirks early femminist character while the author was steeped in documenting Jackson's sweep of the south. Oh well. None the less the novel was engrossing and a pleasure. Its biggest downfall was that the Treaty of Ghent was completely ignored! There was quite a group of personalities involved in that roe. They would would have fit in well with Nevin's saga. Perhaps his next historical novel can examine the picadillios that occurred in that lowlands city.
Rating: 
Summary: A must read for anyone interested in the history of America.
Review: I passed this book 3-4 times before I decided to pick it up, and that was only because nothing else looked interesting. I have tried to read American history books, but they bored me. It was with some trepidation, then, that I started this book. I found, however, that once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. David Nevin took an obscure time in the history of America, and wrapped a fascinating story around it. Did you know that James Madison was a short man with a low self-esteem? or that andrew Jackson was hot-tempered but brilliant military tactician? Read about the burning of the White House, and how America turned the tide of the war by winning two major battles, one on Lake Champlain, and the other in New Orleans. This is one of my all time favorite books.It is written in a style that entertains and educates the reader. I learned more about the War of 1812 than I did in school. It should be manditory reading for all students taking American History. I do not usually read a book more than once, but I know this book will be read and reread.
Rating: 
Summary: A History major's review of 1812
Review: I read this book last year and I loved it. 1812 is ofcourse
about the War of 1812 mostly from the point of view of James
Madison, Andrew Jackson and a young Winfield Scott. It talks
about battles such as Horseshoe Bend(Andrew Jackson's battle
with the Creek Indians), Plattsburgh(the battle between the
Americans and British for control of the Great Lakes), Lundy's
Lane(Winfield Scott's battle with the british near niagara falls)
and New Orleans(Andrew Jackson's famous battle where he defeated
the British weeks after the treaty Ghent had been signed ending
the war). It also talks about how Washington D.C. fell but spends more time on the events leading up to James and Dolly Madison fleeing the capitol. Although it comes up shallow on the
true views Andrew Jackson held about Native Americans and doesnt
go into the real motivations of the Indians uprising during that
war because it would make the the characters and the war look less heroic. Yet like Jeff Shaara's Civil War novels it is a quick and easy read that will entertain and inform you at the same time. Hopefully somebody in Hollywood will make this book
into a movie. P.S. My favorite part is when Dolly Madison dances
a jig on a British flag in front of Congress.
Rating:
Summary: 1812
Review: I truly enjoy reading about the colonial period of our nation and had considered myself to be quite well versed on the subject. This book however presented some interesting, and new to me, insight into the condition and feeling in the nation these few short years after the revolution. Highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A good read
Review: I was hesitant to buy a book that employed the description 'historical novel', feeling it would likely alter the real history of the period in order to achieve readability. In fact, the author has a splendid awareness of the history and of the times, and has obviously read and researched each character so extensively that they truly 'come alive' by virtue of the technique. While no one recorded the private conversations of James and Dolly Madison (et al), I felt the text was probably an excellent approximation of what their dialogue must have been. Many other characters of the period come alive and interact, and the entire feeling is one of great delight in having 'been there' to hear them speak. The period itself is nicely covered as well. This is a great lesiurely read and would be a wonderful way to read history for those who hate the textbook approach.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book!! You won't regret it.
Review: I'm just going to keep this short and sweet: 1812 is a fabulous book! I read it over a year ago and I still rave about it to anyone who will listen!! My brother and I bought it as part of a gift for our father but he never got it because neither of us could put it down. We read it so many times the jacket is ruined. Whether you're a history buff, just someone who likes to read, or someone who wants to be reminded why they should be proud to be an American, you won't regret picking up this book. It is so down to earth, so real, and so vibrant you can't help but be moved by arguably the most important yet little remembered war in America's history, and the people who believed in America enough to win it against all odds. Beautiful book.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book!! You won't regret it.
Review: I'm just going to keep this short and sweet: 1812 is a fabulous book! I read it over a year ago and I still rave about it to anyone who will listen!! My brother and I bought it as part of a gift for our father but he never got it because neither of us could put it down. We read it so many times the jacket is ruined. Whether you're a history buff, just someone who likes to read, or someone who wants to be reminded why they should be proud to be an American, you won't regret picking up this book. It is so down to earth, so real, and so vibrant you can't help but be moved by arguably the most important yet little remembered war in America's history, and the people who believed in America enough to win it against all odds. Beautiful book.
Rating:
Summary: And I thought the War of 1812 would be a dry read...
Review: The main reason I like this book so much is that I came away with the feeling that I now understand a rather murky period of American history from ground level. I've read lots of Civil War books and a Mexican War book or two but the War of 1812 always seemed, well, boring and dry. The author has effectively balanced the geopolitics, the personalities, and the military aspects of this period and put forth an entertaining book. I went out and bought his other book, "Eagle's Cry" also. I hope that the author will continue to fill in the gaps in his collection and extend them into the pre-Civil War years.
Rating:
Summary: Good history in a slightly melodramatic setting
Review: The War of 1812 is rarely accorded the importance it deserves as a seminal event in America's history. It brought the U.S. to the forefront of world events and showed the willingness of Americans to defend their rights on the world stage. Nevin applies his knowledge of the event and its participants to the task of explaining the war's importance with mixed results. James Madison and his wife Dolly come off well as Nevein shows "Little Jimmy's" rising to the occasion bolstered by Dolly's fierce and loving determination. Winfield Scott comes to the forefront as a soldier who changes the way the U.S. looks at tactics, but serves, oddly, as a love interest for an imaginary character. Andrew Jackson gets a bit too much time as the raging lunatic who is calmed by his wife's gentle influence. I don't find fault so much with the presentation of Jackson as it took away from Madison and Dolly, who I found to be the more intriguing pair.
That being said, it is the battle scenes that really make this book one of interest. New Orleans has been discussed a multitude of times but Nevin makes it fresh and the battles on the Niagra frontier were vividly presented. Here Niven's obviously strong research truly comes to light. 1812 may be a novel but it is one of excellent insight, occasionally plagued by melodrama, but worth the time of any fan of this genre.
Rating:
Summary: a worthwhile read
Review: This is an enjoyably absorbing book.You will get a close and personal look at some of America's greatest men,most notably James Madison and Andrew Jackson.Read about their love for our country and the love and lust for their wives, Dolley Madison and Rachel Jackson.Understand the War of 1812 as well!
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