Robert E. Lee on Leadership: Executive Lessons in Character, Courage, and Vision (On Leadership)

Book Description

Robert E. Lee was a leader for the ages. The man heralded by Winston Churchill as "one of the noblest Americans who ever lived" inspired an out-manned, out-gunned army to achieve greatness on the battlefield. He was a brilliant strategist and a man of unyielding courage who, in the face of insurmountable odds, nearly changed forever the course of history.

"A masterpiece—the best work of its kind I have ever read. Crocker's Lee is a Lee for all leaders to study; and to work, quite deliberately, to emulate."
— Major General Josiah Bunting III, superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute

In this remarkable book, you'll learn the keys to Lee's greatness as a man and a leader. You'll find a general whose standards for personal excellence was second to none, whose leadership was founded on the highest moral principles, and whose character was made of steel. You'll see how he remade a rag-tag bunch of men into one of the most impressive fighting forces history has ever known. You'll also discover other sides of Lee—the businessman who inherited the debt-ridden Arlington plantation and streamlined its operations, the teacher who took a backwater college and made it into a prestigious university, and the motivator who inspired those he led to achieve more than they ever dreamed possible. Each chapter concludes with the extraordinary lessons learned, which can be applied not only to your professional life, but also to your private life as well.

Today's business world requires leaders of uncommon excellence who can overcome the cold brutality of constant change. Robert E. Lee was such a leader. He triumphed over challenges people in business face every day. Guided by his magnificent example, so can you.

Customer Reviews:

GREAT READ.......2007-10-05

GREAT READ ON MULTIPLE LEVELS. EMPHASIS ON LEADERSHIP TRAITS AND PERSONAL STRENGTHS. GREAT ALSO FOR TEENAGERS TO STRESS MANY ATTRIBUTES TO BEING A LEADER.

Timeless.......2007-07-30

If business leaders and managers would implement a portion of what Lee stood for, we would all have a more desirable work environment!! Book has absolutely timeless principles. Must read for person who really wants to make a difference.

Move over Sun Tzu.......2007-06-16

Move over Sun Tzu.

Harry Crocker has brought new meaning to the "how-to" book genre of business success. Robert E. Lee on Leadership is Crocker's latest book and specifically addresses the business professional. Using General Lee as the paragon of character and leadership, Crocker deftly compares Lee to the modern businessman and draws the appropriate parallels.

Sun Tzu's The Art of War has become somewhat of a cult classic among business "leaders" with its emphasis on destruction of the enemy and preparedness before battle. It was written over two thousand years ago and has served as a blueprint for success on the battlefield as well as the business field.

Crocker's Robert E. Lee on Leadership, however, is unique. Crocker describes the life of a great figure from the 1800s, takes a detailed look at his leadership style, and concludes that modern business leaders could succeed by emulating the revered Confederate general.

Far from being a book solely for the businessman, Crocker's Robert E. Lee on Leadership is a mini-biography of one of the greatest military generals of all time. Despite his military prowess, however, Robert E. Lee was a humble man, as Crocker points out repeatedly. Lee believed firmly that "obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character." Obedience to God was of primary importance for Lee, and he expected those under his command to adhere to the principles of the Bible. A devout Episcopalian, Lee felt that the good leader teaches responsibility by giving it to others. Delegating authority to those under his command was one means by which Lee could accomplish both his military goals and direct Washington College (now Washington and Lee) of which he was president following the Civil War.

The reader takes away from Robert E. Lee on Leadership a lesson not only in business but also in life. Humility served as Lee's code of conduct. His only rule for his students at Washington College was that everyone "would conduct himself as a gentleman." On one occasion a young mother asked for General Lee's blessing on her son. Lee told her, " Teach him he must deny himself." One must control oneself before being able to control others; the business lesson is clear. Crocker uses instances such as these to draw a direct parallel to the life of Christ. By doing so, he gives the reader reason to hope that one can be both a model Christian and a successful man of business.

In battle, Lee was brilliant; he went up against enormous odds and succeeded, but was insistent his soldiers were not to harm any civilians. Never one to blame others, Lee accepted blame in the loss at Gettysburg when clearly his subordinates failed to successfully carry out his plans. But, when he was forced to surrender at Appomattox, he stated "we must submit ourselves in adversity to the will of a merciful God as cheerfully as in prosperity."

Harry Crocker's Robert E. Lee on Leadership belongs in the hands of anyone who has authority over others, whether in business or not. Its lessons are timeless.

Robert E. Lee on Leadership : Executive Lessons in Character, Courage, and Vision.......2007-05-12

Very well written with lessons for today!

Great Book.......2007-01-10

I did not actually read this book, but I bought it for my father who is/has been the top CEO or consultant for a number of very large corporations. He said the book was terrific.

The Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee (Civil War Library)

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A Measure of the Marble Man

The Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee (Civil War Library)
Robert E. Lee
Manufacturer: Konecky & Konecky
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0914427660

Book Description

Recollections and Letters shows all the varying facets of Lee's character. His letters reveal his personal warmth, bravery and concern for the South during and after the war. No other collection of source materials gives such a whole and rewarding picture of one of the South's greatest sons and heroes.

Customer Reviews:

A Measure of the Marble Man.......2004-12-23

Robert E. Lee never had the chance to pen his own autobiography as U.S. Grant did. He meant to, but kept holding it off until heart disease claimed his life five years after the surrender of Appomattox.

Many of those who served under him during the Civil War wrote biographies of the great Confederate General, claiming to know how he felt, and what he thought. But only two of them really came close. The ponderous but solidly written "Memoirs of Robert E. Lee" by his Aide, Colonel Long, and this volume, comprised of letters actually written by Lee, and the remembrances of those who knew him well, and none more so than the author of the book, his own son, Captain Robert E.Lee, Jr.

Captain Lee describes his childhood in the Lee household, of General Lee's love of animals, especially horses. He describes a man who smiled, was warm, as compared to the austere, solemn descriptions and illustrations of him once the Civil War commenced. He writes how Lee agonized within his own family of the decision to leave the U.S. Army, and then join the Confederacy, even though wishing for a quiet, neutral life, and of Lee's personal losses during the war - a daughter who passed on, a son wounded and captured, the son's frail wife also passing on, and the known loss of their dearly beloved home in Arlington, which was turned into the national cemetery of the same name.

Captain Lee studiously avoids the controversial sides of Lee, his stand on slavery or the rights of the South, concentrating mainly on the personality of man and how he dealt with others.
This is a volume that belongs on the shelf of any Civil War buff, especially those interested in the life of Robert E. Lee.
I recommend this book, and Burke Davis' "Gray Fox" be purchased together.

The Civil War: In the Words of Its Greatest Commanders : Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant : Memoirs of Robert E. Lee

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Grant's "Memoirs" and Memories of Lee in one nice Gift Book

The Civil War: In the Words of Its Greatest Commanders : Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant : Memoirs of Robert E. Lee

Manufacturer: Thunder Bay Press (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1571458379

Book Description

This new edition of two of the greatest works to chronicle the Civil War provides the unique perspective of that great conflict as it appeared to its greatest generals. It is illustrated with over 400 drawings and photographs drawn from historically contemporary sources. The illustrated abridgement of the Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant is contained in this work. Fast-paced, colorful, lucid and laced with flashes of humor, it provides the most authoritative of all contemporary accounts. All the topics that are not covered in the excerpts are summarized by the editor. Historians have always lamented the fact that Lee, who died only five years after his surrender to Grant, was never able to write his personal memoir of his role in the Civil War. The most detailed and revealing view of this great general in action is by General Armistead L. Long in his classic Memoirs of Robert E. Lee. The edition of Long's Memoirs contained in this work is a shortened version of the original. Peripheral matter has been summarized and full texts of official correspondence and extended quotations by other writers have been deleted. What remains is vivid first-hand portraits of Lee just as the author set it down over a century ago.

Customer Reviews:

Grant's "Memoirs" and Memories of Lee in one nice Gift Book.......2002-10-26

This is a lavishly illustrated abridgement of Grant's wonderful "Personal Memoirs" and of Confederate Officer Armistead Long's "Memoirs of Robert E. Lee", two of the major works of the Civil War (Lee never did get around to writing his own memoirs).

Book Description

Steven Woodworth's previous book, the critically acclaimed Jefferson Davis and His Generals, won the prestigious Fletcher Pratt Award and was a main selection of the History Book Club. In that book he showed how the failures of Davis and his military leaders in the west paved the way for Confederate defeat. In Davis and Lee at War, he concludes his study of Davis as rebel commander-in-chief and shows how the lack of a unified purpose and strategy in the east sealed the Confederacy's fate.

Woodworth argues that Davis and Robert E. Lee, the South's greatest military leader, had sharply conflicting views over the proper conduct of the war. Davis was convinced that the South should fight a defensive war, to simply outlast the North's political and popular support for the war. By contrast, Lee and the other eastern generals--notably P.G.T. Beauregard, Gustavus Smith, and Stonewall Jackson--were eager for the offensive. They were convinced that only quick and decisive battlefield victories would prevent the North from eventually defeating them with its overwhelming advantage in men and materials.

Davis and Lee, Woodworth shows, shared a mutual respect for each other for most of the war. But it was respect mixed with a stubborn resistance to the other's influence. The result of this tense tug-of-war was Davis's misguided pursuit of a middle ground that gave neither strategy its best chance for success. The war finally ground to a bloody conclusion with Davis as indecisive as ever and virtually blind to how little confidence his generals had in his leadership.

Drawing extensively upon the papers of Jefferson Davis and the works of leading Civil War historians, Woodworth places the eastern military campaigns in an entirely new light and expands our understanding of Davis as leader of the Confederacy.

This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

Customer Reviews:

was easy to find and was a great thing to read!.......1999-05-11

It was ok but if your doing a report then it could get a little boring but it is great information!

One of the best books on war time leadership.......1998-04-10

I found this book to be one of the best books about command decisions and relationships between Politicians and generals during the Civil War I have ever read. It covers the battles and the leaders of the Confederacy, both great and flawed. I found it hard to believe that some Southern leaders/generals fought harder against their own side in stupid little infights and disputes. The book goes a long way in explaining Lee's strategy and that of Davis and how they were different and the results of that difference. This book concentrates on the Eastern Theatre, the author's other book 'Jefferson Davis and his Generals' covers the Western Theatre of operations and is brillant in its examination of this area. Both books are well worth reading.

Robert E. Lee: Virginian Soldier, American Citizen

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I have read this book...
A solid intermediate biography of Robert E. Lee for younger readers
A Solid Biography Written for Younger Readers (12 and up)

Robert E. Lee: Virginian Soldier, American Citizen
James I. Robertson Jr.
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0689857314

Book Description

To some, Robert E. Lee is a beloved general, held in the highest regard. To others, he is one of history's most paradoxical heroes. He fought passionately to defend his homeland and was one of the nation's greatest soldiers, yet his name is often inextricably linked with slavery and secession.

In 1861 Lee was Lincoln's first choice to lead the Union troops in the Civil War. But a strong loyalty to Virginia held Lee back. Instead he chose to become the commanding officer of the Confederacy. Lee had great success in battle by spitting his forces and unleashing suprise attacks. His victory at Chancellorville, where his troops soundly defeated an enemy twice their size, remains the most astonishing.

However, only when he surrendered in 1865 did the nation understand the kind of man Robert E. Lee truly was. He was kind and loving, giving all of himself to a reconciliation between the North and the South. In this meticulously researched biography, James I. Robertson explores the life of one of the most revered -- and misunderstood -- Civil War Generals.

Customer Reviews:

I have read this book..........2007-01-22

and heard the author speak today at the 200th anniversary of Robert E Lee's birthday. What hero worship? What aggrandizing? Robert E Lee, himself, would have blushed! James I. Robertson is more of a minister than a historian... his religion is Lee, his analysis is flawed. Lee was not raised by Washington, George was dead in his grave 8 years before Robert E. Lee was even born. Lee was a reaction. A reaction to his father, Harry 'Light-Horse' Lee; a fabuluous military man in his own right, with a penchant to trust too much; especially, George Washington, who advised him on property speculations, which ultimately left Harry Lee broke. Harry, like Washington was a Federalist, a believer of a strong central government. Robert was taught to despise his father, by anti-federalists, who couldn't stand the idea of "America," were threatened by it, and were ultimately destroyed... a confederacy of weakness against a Nation of strength. ( See: Light-Horse Harry Lee and the Legacy of the American Revolution (Paperback) by Charles Royster if you want to read the facts)

A solid intermediate biography of Robert E. Lee for younger readers.......2006-05-16

There are a couple of interesting things about the cover of this juvenile biography of Robert E. Lee. First, the complete title of the book is "Robert E. Lee: Virginian Solider, American Citizen," and the sub-title James I. Robertson, Jr. picked set up an ironic juxtaposition. Because Lee considered Virginia to be his country, rather than the United States of America, he turned down President Abraham Lincoln's offer to become the commander of the Union armies, choosing instead to side with Virginia and the Confederate cause. Consequently, Lee's fame as a solider was in part because he decided he was more of a Virginian than he was an American. There is the additional irony that at the end of his life, after the Civil War, when he was no longer a soldier, he was not exactly considered an "American citizen" by the North. The painting of Lee that appears on the cover shows him in the dress uniform of a lieutenant of the engineers in the U.S. Army, when he was in his mid-twenties, several decades before he made his fateful decision. So the cover does take a step or two back from the picture we have of Robert E. Lee as the commanding general of the Army of Northern Virginia.

The paradox of Lee is that we consider him to be our greatest military commander even though he was on the losing side of the Civil War. The only other general from the "other" side that I can think of who has anything close to that level of respect would have to be Germany's Erwin Rommell from World War II, whose Afrika Corps had a reputation comparable to that of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. We tend to think of such men as existing independent of the ideologies of the nation's for whom they were fighting. Robertson deals up front with that idea, noting that on the one hand Lee is a beloved general, held in the highest regard to such an extent that he has practically become an American saint, while on the other his name is inextricably linked with the issues of secession and slavery associated with the Southern Confederacy. Robertson's introduction begins by touching on Lee's greatest military triumph at the Battle of Chancellorsville, where he defeated a Union army twice his size by dividing his smaller force in two, but most of the focus is on the Lee legend that exists today.

Eight of the ten chapters in this book focus on Lee during the Civil War: (1) The Making of a Soldier covers how the son of "Light Horse Harry" Lee graduated second in his West Point class of 1829, married Mary Anne Randolph Custis, and served with distinction during the Mexican War in what proves to be the chapter's longest section. (2) Nation Versus Country begins with Lee being appointed superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy and his confirmation in the Episcopal faith, and ends with his wife inheriting the Custis estates in Arlington, his role in the capture of John Brown at Harper's Ferry, and his resignation from the U.S. Army on the eve of the Civil War. (3) Rocky Path to Army Command is one of the most interesting chapters because it reminds us that Lee did not start off the war as a commander, but rather as President Jefferson Davis' confidential military adviser. It was not until June 1862 that Lee was place in command of troops, with low expectations exemplified by his nicknames as "Evacuation Lee" and "Granny Lee."

The Lee that history remembers emerges in the next chapters. (4) Brilliance in the Field shows how Lee bested General George B. McClellan, the overly cautious commander of the Union's Army of the Potomac in the Seven Days' Campaign, and his replacement John Pope at the Second Battle of Manassas (a.k.a. Bull Run, but I go with the belief the winning side gets to name the battle). Robertson underscores the importance of General "Stonewall" Jackson to Lee's successes. (5) The Bloodiest Day is about Lee's first invasion of the North and the Battle of Antietem (a.k.a. Sharpsburg), and the slaughter of Union troops at the Battle of Fredericksburg. (6) Loss of an Arm contrasts Lee's greatest military achievement at the Battle of Chancellorsville with the devastating loss of Jackson. (7) Gettysburg explains Lee's desperate gamble in invading the North a second time, focusing on how he came to order Pickett's Charge, his biggest military mistake.

The next two chapters play out the end of the war, as Lee once again becomes the "King of Spades." (8) Forced on the Defensive looks at how General Ulysses S. Grant forced Lee's army to move backwards to protect Richmond. (9) From Siege to Defeat begins with Lee's entrenchments along the Richmond-Petersburg line and ends with the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House when Lee's starving troops were surrounded by several Union armies. (10) National Symbol is the final chapter, which details what Lee did after the Civil War in becoming the president of what was then Washington College and what is now Washington and Lee University, and covers how his death in 1870 brought on national mourning.

This is a solid intermediate biography of Lee for younger readers, which goes to pains to explain the major battles he fought during the Civil War. The book is illustrated with dozens of black and white etchings and photographs from throughout Lee's life. Robertson also wrote a similar biography, "Standing Like a Stone Wall: The Life of General Thomas J. Jackson," which would certainly provide a nice complement to this volume (Robertson also has written an adult biography of Jackson, "Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Solider, the Legend").

A Solid Biography Written for Younger Readers (12 and up).......2006-03-17

Part of the books for young readers put out by this publisher, this is a fairly short and not filled with complexity. Having said that, this is also a very well researched, very well written biography of General Lee. It is profusely illustrated, particularly the Civil War years which generated a lot of photographs.

All in all, this is an excellent short biography. I recommend it for not only young readers (Grades 6 up) but for anyone wanting a fairly quick biography that captures the essese of the mas as well as books several times this one's size.

Grant and Lee: A Study in Personality and Generalship

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Fresh, Stimulating, and Thought Provoking Comparison of Two Remarkable Generals.
Interesting Comparison Between Lee and Grant
Unique Unbiased View of the Generalship of Both
A Very Enjoyable Book, Very Interesting & Very Creative
Outstanding Analysis by the Clausewitz of the 20th Century!

Grant and Lee: A Study in Personality and Generalship
J. F. C. Fuller
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0253202884

Customer Reviews:

Fresh, Stimulating, and Thought Provoking Comparison of Two Remarkable Generals........2007-04-09

Grant and Lee, A Study in Personality and Generalship, published in 1932, compares quite favorably in its detailed research and readability with works by modern writers and historians like Shelby Foote, James M. McPherson, Gary W. Gallagher, and Stephen W. Sears. This work by Major General J. F. C. Fuller is notable for directly challenging the conventional wisdom that Grant was little more than a "butcher" and that his eventual success was almost entirely due to the North's larger population and more abundant resources. In Fuller's view Grant was not only the greatest general of the Civil War, but ranks among the greatest strategists of any age. Fuller generated even more controversy with his contention that Robert E. Lee in several respects had major failings as a military leader.

Controversial or not, Major General J. F. C. Fuller was no ordinary soldier writing about the Civil War. Fuller was a highly respected British military strategist and noted author. In the 1920s he collaborated with B. H. Liddell Hart in developing new ideas for the mechanization of armies. Ironically, their recommendations were more readily adopted in Germany than in Britain, France, or the U.S.

Grant and Lee, A Study in Personality and Generalship, is a relatively short book, around 300 pages. Fuller writes with clarity and precision. He makes careful use of firsthand accounts; he paid particular attention to opinions of staff officers, as men in these roles were likely to have gained greater insight into the personalities of Grant and Lee. He also utilized the opinions of foreign witnesses of the war, like Colonel Fremantle, as a check on insiders' observations. His sources were identified through extensive end notes as he realized that his findings would be controversial. He includes statistics on battle losses to illustrate that the persistent belief that Grant's losses were abnormally high is simply a myth, and that Lee's percentage losses were actually higher.

There are many exceptionally good books on the Civil War, but there are few that are as readable as Fuller's Grant and Lee, and offer such a fresh viewpoint (albeit, now nearly 75 years old, but one that remains stimulating and thought provoking). Grant and Lee, A Study in Personality and Generalship, is available in a reprint edition (1982) by Indiana University Press. Five stars.

Interesting Comparison Between Lee and Grant.......2005-06-23

Whatever your view of Robert E. Lee and U.S. Grant, Fuller's book will challenge you to think long and hard about your beliefs concerning both generals.

As a Southerner, I have to admit that Fuller makes a compelling case for Grant being the better general between the two. One instance is where he confronts the idea that Grant was a butcher because of the heavy casualties during the Wilderness-Spotsylvania Campaign. While Grant indeed suffered the heavier losses, the percentage of losses was acutally lower than Lee. In fact, this was a common occurence in many battles in which Grant commanded.

The book's contents are as follows:

1. The Two Causes - the two nations, presidents, armies and other North/South factors both generals had to operate within.
2. The Personality of Grant - modesty, common sense, courage.
3. The Personality of Lee - humility, tact, audacity.
4. The Generalship of Grant and Lee, 1861-1862 - description of the battles fought by both generals during both years (Shiloh, Fort Donelson, Antietam, Fredericksburg, etc).
5. The Generalship of Grant and Lee, 1863 - Vicksburg, Gettsyburg, Chattanooga, Chancellorsville.
6. The Generalship of Grant and Lee, 1864-1864 - Spotsylvania, Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Appamattox.
7. The Two Generals - comparison and contrast between their two styles and personalities.

One other interesting point mentioned by Fuller was perhaps making the Confederate capital in Atlanta instead of Richmond. I have often thought how such a move would have affected the fighting in Virginia, Georgia, and my home state of North Carolina. Something interesting to ponder!

I highly recommend the book. Read and enjoy.

Unique Unbiased View of the Generalship of Both .......2005-01-20

If you read the introduction to this book, you will understand that Fuller has set out to write a brief but direct book on the Generalship capabilities of Grant and Lee. In the introduction, Fuller notes that Henderson's classic book on Jackson is more a romantic study than one that is an objective view. He goes further to say that a full study of Jackson gives a different appreciation. A respect for his maneuvering and desire to fight but also his idiosyncrasies and secrecy that Fuller indicates would cause one to question Jackson's sanity. With that introduction, you are prepared for the author's blunt assessment of both Generals. The book is brief concentrating more on strategy than just battlefield tactics. He concentrates on the critical battles of the war and the general effect the war has as a whole not just the eastern theater. In Lee, he notes that he was not a grand strategist but one that fought with intuition. As a General, he excelled on fighting on the defensive as showed in the final campaign. However, Lee preferred fighting aggressively and his errors show at Gettysburg and Malvern Hill. In the case of Chancellorsville, Fuller notes that Lee should have used the wilderness more often as a greater asset for defensive maneuvers instead of coming out in the open into battle. That like a spider, he should have waited for opportunities to attack and withdrawal with the protection of cover. He further indicates that Lee had a poor operating staff and his administration impaired supply and clarity of orders as all were given verbally and minimally. Grant on the other hand was a former quartermaster, was well organized and had a global plan of the war hence his simultaneous operations with the western theater and his multiple prong attacks in the east. Fuller notes that at first his objective was to follow Lee and not concentrate on the Richmond. But later he changed to maneuver so that Lee had to react to him as opposed to the reverse. Grant was often accused of having little imagination but as Fuller notes, he did not have the imagination to inflate numbers that were against him (McClellan) but he was rational in knowing that the Confederates had limited manpower. Through his intuition, Lee had success against the earlier Union generals but as Fuller points out, he could not fathom Grant.

The book is critical of both; however, as an overall commander, Grant comes across as much more able and Lee a totally different commander highly capable on the defensive but not as much a hands on commander as most would previously think. Both men are stripped bare; the author offers a unique unbiased view of the war without the human frailty of sentiment.

A Very Enjoyable Book, Very Interesting & Very Creative.......2003-08-05

This is a small book, but don't judge it by its size. It is a great little book. Grant & Lee, with such different backgrounds, lead two great armies in the strangest of times. In the end, with no grudge, the two men get to know and respect each other. But the story of how these men fought & how they thought so similarly in the battlefield and how they were both so noble and courageous help show that two men that could not have been more dissimilar, ended up being so alike serving their causes. I highly recommend this book. Very entertaining, and very educational.

Outstanding Analysis by the Clausewitz of the 20th Century!.......2002-08-24

The oft-repeated view, especially from Confederate defenders, is that Grant won though he was a drunken butcher indifferent to high casualties whose triumph was inevitable because of superior manpower and supplies. John Frederick Charles Fuller, the British Major General, and along with Liddel Hart one of the top military strategists of the 20th century, provides overwhelming evidence to lay this view to rest. Grant practiced maneuver warfare when he could, and his Vicksburg campaign (not just a siege, rather a series of five battles), along with Jackson's valley campaign, are the two greatest campaigns of the war. In his final Overland campaign, Grant could not maneuver much because Lincoln required that he keep substantial forces between Lee's army and Washington. By a thorough analysis of Grant's and Lee's battles throughout the war, Fuller makes the case that Grant was among the best generals ever, and greater than Lee, who was also great but had his limitations (after Order 191 was lost and recovered by McClellan's troops before Antietam, Lee would only issue oral orders, and his subordinates were often confused by them; Grant was known for crystal clear written orders, following the example of Zachary Taylor under whom Grant (and Lee) had served in the Mexican War). Rating Grant so highly will of course be heresy for neo-Confederates, but there is no question Grant has received unfair treatment even among historians. Another Fuller book, "The Generalship of Ulysses S. Grant" adds more details to the defense of the claim that Grant was an excellent general. In assessing the relative greatness of Grant and Lee, one should keep in mind their age difference and the difference in upward mobility on the two sides during the war. Lee was 14 years older than Grant, Lee was already a Colonel when the war started and still serving on active duty, whereas Grant had left the army as a captain after the Mexican War. At the start of the war, Winfield Scott, who had served in the War of 1812 and masterminded in the Mexican War the amazing defeat of a country of 20 million people with 12,000 invading troops, was the greatest soldier on either side. However he was old and so fat he could no longer ride a horse; his campaigning days were over. After Scott, Lee was the best soldier on either side at the start of the war--and Lee was offered command of the Union army but turned it down. However Grant rose through the ranks because he learned quickly from his mistakes at Belmont, Forts Henry and Donelson, Shiloh, and Holly Springs. By the end of the war Fuller's analysis shows Grant was clearly the superior general, and not just because he had superior numbers. Even the oft-cited mistake at Cold Harbor, according to Fuller, is exagerrated. Fuller summarizes the overall casualy numbers during the war: the ratio of killed and wounded to total forces engaged for Grant was 10%; for the whole Federal army it was 11%; for the whole Confederate army it was 12%; and for Lee, it was 16%. One must be fair to Lee and not lose sight of the fact that he was an exemplary, even a saintly individual who must always be acknowledged as among the great American generals. But the simplistic, grossly unfair judgment of Ulysses S. Grant is revealed here as a sham which must stop. Under the razor-sharp and penetrating analysis of Fuller, one of the greatest military historians of all time, the conventional, common opinion of Grant is shown to be balderdash. Ulysses S. Grant was one of the greatest generals the U.S. has ever produced. Though written many years ago, Fuller's book is still relevant to this ongoing national discussion, and is a must read for anyone who wants to compare Union and Confederate generalship. Regarding Grant's drinking, Fuller doesn't discuss this, but this too is greatly exaggerated. He was indeed a binge drinker. When I asked the renowned Civil War historian Ed Bearss about this, he said Grant got drunk about four to six times during the war, always when he was away from his wife (she was with or lived near him during some campaigns and he was always lonely without her). Moreover, in the Civil War one could usually tell when battle was near, and there was usually inactivity during the winter months. The circumstances are not comparable to a modern general's always being on call in the nuclear age. Grant's occasional binge drinking never once affected his generalship, in public functions he usually would not drink at all, being a semi-recovered alcoholic except for the occasional binge. The stereotype is that Grant was constantly drunk during the war. This too is an unfair assessment not based on historical fact. Read this book and will see just how wrong the stereotype of Grant's generalship is, and how good a general he was.

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Definitive, sort of......
Needs More Maps
Lee
A Real American Hero
Abridgement good but is nearly all military details

Lee
Douglas Southall Freeman
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684829533

Customer Reviews:

Definitive, sort of.............2007-08-16

From the time I was a toddler close to 60 years ago, I was taught that Robert E. Lee was, except for Jesus Christ, the greatest man who ever lived. A lifetime of study has confirmed my parents' opinion...I am NOT unbiased about General Lee. If Robert E. Lee was the greatest man, Douglas Souhthall Freeman was the greatest Civil War author, and he's not unbiased, either.

Anyone reading this probably already knows Lee's story...born of a great mother and a useless father whose earlier greatness was long forgotten... raised in aristocratic poverty....West Point with no demerits...30+ years in the Army as an engineer, with brief combat in Mexico...offered command of the Union Army...a man who cried as he followed Virginia out of the Union...took over the Army of Northern Virginia a year into the war and made it, man for man, the greatest fighting force the world has ever known...held off a vastly larger, and better supplied, Army for three years...surrendered, then set the example for his men in becoming citizens of one nation...accepted the Presidency of a small college, and, in the five and a half years he had left, started it on the road to becoming the world-class school it is today...served God to the end, suffering his final heart attack while running a Vestry meeting at the Church pastored by one of his old generals.

In 1915, a young newspaperman named Douglas Southall Freeman accepted a contract to write a 75,000 word biography of General Lee. Born in Lynchburg, the son of one of Lee's troops, he had learned about the General at a young age. Twenty years after starting, Dr. Freeman finally finished his 1,000,000 word biography, and saw it published in four volumes; those four volumes ARE definitive, and the greatest biography in the English language.

Richard Harwell, who knew Dr. Freeman, made this one volume abridgment in the 1960's [and also a very fine one volume version of Freeman's "George Washington"]....it is very probably the best one volume study of Lee available, for which Harwell would give ALL the credit to Dr. Freeman. OK, what is lost in the abridging? Fair question if you're spending your money for this...I'm going to round numbers. Freeman takes 400 pages for the first 54 years [100 for Mexico], 1,600 for the war, and 400 for the last five and a half years. Harwell has roughly 100 [27 for Mexico], 400 and 100. Lost are the footnotes, the appendecies, the bibliography, much of the dialog, and most of the redundencies....

Should you buy, and read this? Definitely. There are a LOT of one volume biographies of General Lee, ranging from kid's versions, to good, bad, and indifferent. Two or three are by men who actually met him. Harwell has done a superb job. Now the real question....do you need to read the whole four volumes? If you are a poor soul like me, you already have. Your best bet would be a used set, but if affordable, they may not be in good shape, and if in good shape, they may be expensive. [I was lucky to find a decent set for $35]. ["Lee's Lieutenants" is easy to find at a good price, and "George Washington" is impossible]. There were badly overpriced paperbacks available, but I'm not sure they still are; there is a beautiful leather bound edition in print, but you can imagine the price. The four volumes are definitive, and very readable....while you're deciding, read this first...

Needs More Maps.......2007-08-13

I enjoyed reading this book but it was sometimes hard to figure out what happenned in each of the battles since there was typically only one map for each battle. In fact the map for gettysburg did not even show where any of the troops were at any time during the battle.

If you want to read this book I would recommend having maps of the battlefields that you could refer to. This would help you figure out what is going on better.

Lee.......2007-05-25

This was purchased for a book report. The book was a great source of information.

A Real American Hero.......2006-09-21

This book was a fantastic education on Robert E. Lee. General Lee was not just a Confederate hero, but an all-American hero. He had a character that all men would do well to emulate. It is too bad that his birthday is not a national holiday. Thank you for reading this review.

Abridgement good but is nearly all military details.......2006-07-10

This adridgement of Freeman's four-volume biography is certainly a popular necessity - it opens the work up to a much broader audience that would find the original too intimidating an investment of time or money. Freeman's elegant, descriptive prose is preserved and has aged remarkably well.

The chief failing of this abridgement is it's imbalance in focus. It has been reduced to a study of Lee's generalship rather than a true biography. Fully three-fourths of the book is a thorough, tactical description of his four years of battle in the Civil War, with the other 59 years of his life serving as mere bookends. While these military details are fascinating and are certainly required reading for students of the conflict, the end result leaves one feeling rather at a loss for who Lee was as a husband, father, and citizen.

Call of Duty: The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee (Leaders in Action Series)

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More neo-Confederate idolotry
There's only one word for this book, and I can't say it here...
Ordered of the Lord...
Hooray for Lee ! Boo for Wilkins ? :-(
If ever there was a man who followed Christ's example....

Call of Duty: The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee (Leaders in Action Series)
J. Steven Wilkins
Manufacturer: Cumberland House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1581823347

Customer Reviews:

More neo-Confederate idolotry.......2006-06-08

Upon graduating from West Point,a young Robert E. Lee put his left hand on the Bible, raised his right hand and swore he would bear true faith and allegiance to the United Stated of America. As an older, but not wiser man, he turned his back on the country he swore to defend and took up arms against it. So much for "sterling nobility." This book is the usual neo-Confederate claptrap that has been making the rounds ever since the war ended.

There's only one word for this book, and I can't say it here..........2006-05-07

This book was deceitful and misleading, like most Confederate propaganda. J. Steven Wilkins was cunning in his choice and presentation of facts. If someone with no knowledge of the Civil War read this book, he would be left with an absolutely incorrect perspective of Robert E. Lee, the institution of slavery, and the Civil War in general.

First, there are inconsistencies between "Call of Duty" and... "Call of Duty"! At one point in the book, Wilkins quotes Lee as saying, "If the slaves of the South were mine, I would surrender them all without a struggle, to avert this war." Later, Wilkins claims that Lee was offended and hurt that anyone thought slavery had anything to do with the war. So answer me this...how could freeing slaves avert a war that had nothing to do with slavery?

Another instance where the book contradicts itself is regarding race relations. Wilkins tries to sell the idea that Southern whites and Southern slaves lived in perfect harmony, respecting each other without the slightest presence of racism. Once again, later in the book this changes...Wilkins tells us of a church in Richmond whose attendees were shocked by a Negro who went up to take Communion! None of the churchgoers, except for Lee, as the story goes, wanted to be the first one to participate with a colored man. How is this possible in a society where racism is absent? Wilkins tries to blame this on Reconstruction, but I doubt a society could go from having no racism whatsoever to this degree of racism in such a short period of time.

The book also contradicts history...notably, regarding Robert Lee and slavery. The book says that Lee never seemed to have owned more than six slaves. This is not true. Wesley Norris, one of Lee's slaves, says in an account that almost 70 slaves were inherited by Lee upon the death of Lee's father-in-law.

Following in the said account, Wesley Norris tells the story of him and his sister Mary, who tried to escape the plantation after Lee inherited it. Upon being caught, Lee took it upon himself to "teach them a lesson they would never forget." He had them stripped to the waist, flogged, and thoroughly washed in brine. We see a little glimpse of Christian chivalry peeking out of Lee as he only had Mary receive twenty lashes, whereas Wesley received fifty. This is far from the compassionate Robert Wilkins would have us know! Wesley Norris's account can be found in "Slave Testimony: Two Centuries of Letters, Speeches, and Interviews, and Autobiographies".

The book also implies that Lee opposed slavery. However, the supposed "proof-text" for this actually tells us quite the opposite. In the text of a letter Lee sent to his wife, which is printed in "Call of Duty", Lee actually defends slavery. Lee tries to distort the gross institution of slavery into some kind of mission work. Slavery was Christianizing the Negroes, and preparing them for freedom, and to seek to free Negroes from the clutches of slavery was to shake your fist at God, or so Lee reasons. This is ridiculous, considering how many missionaries of all religions have successfully converted people without enslaving them, and yet it is the rationale used by Lee, Wilkins, and so many other Southern partisans who seek to defend the South by justifying slavery.

"Call of Duty" makes a god of Robert E. Lee, condemns the North, and justifies slavery with no regard for historical, logical, or moral facts. The Southern partisan will love it.

Ordered of the Lord..........2005-09-17

A great opportunity is afforded any reader introduced to the Leaders In Action Series, and the refined biography of Robert E. Lee serves as an excellent first choice.

Though written in a non-confrontational style, enough facts contradict the popular notions of Lee, the Civil War, {or the Southern appelation: The War between the States}, slavery, and the northern view of 'slavery and the South' to compel serious examination of the historical facts.

It is no secret in Christian circles that Lee was an ardent disciple of the Lord Jesus, striving his entire life to follow the way of the Lord. That the General was against slavery is not as well known.

Author J. Steven Wilkins' notation that Lincoln emancipated only the slaves in the enemy states held in rebellion, while leaving northern slaves to their chains is a topic that has layed untroubled since that President's proclamation of fame.

Lee's Christian character and military genius are well chronicled in this immaculately manicured biography. Easy reference searches are made a joy by the editor's finely outlined table of contents, chronology of Lee's life and additional study helps.

A historical work of value for the academic of a number of disciplines. A study of integrity unfolded into the Christian walk.

Well done to Pastor Wilkins, though his study undoubtedly made it's own reward. Acknowledgements to those savvy enough to see not only the need for such a series, but wise enough to include enough detail in each volume to demand further consideration.

"The steps of a good man are..."

TL Farley,
author,

When Now Becomes Too Late {prophecy}

Distant Reaches {adventure}

Hooray for Lee ! Boo for Wilkins ? :-(.......2001-08-26

Any accurate portrayal of Robert E. Lee, certainly one of our country's finest leaders, should definitely move anyone with an ounce of common sense to an enormous appreciation for this most outstanding human being. Lee's inspiring faith in God, his leadership by example, and lifelong message is one of love and honor. His own words and letters best exemplify this fact, and this author's liberal use of them brings it all home in this short, succinct work. However, be forewarned that Wilkins adds his own additional preaching far removed from the Gospels, most sadly detracting from an accurate historical perspective on Lee by adding his own self-serving distortions on slavery. The historical record is clear: Lee found slavery objectionable and looked forward to the day when it would end. None-the-less, Wilkins tries very hard to rationalize slavery as something good, as if his sad excuses are necessary in order to make Lee look acceptable.... so far from the truth! Wilkins does our great man, Lee, along with the rest of America, a dis-service by his disgusting blabberings. Let's hear it for Robert E. Lee, and not taint his image with such dribble. Most other Lee biographies will serve us more fairly and honorably.

If ever there was a man who followed Christ's example...........2001-08-09

If ever there was a man who followed Christ's example it was Robert E. Lee. This book illustrates such a man. It illustrates the strength of character that men lack in our society today....lacking even in our churches. This book is a must read for all men who are interested to know what a Christian gentleman is. Well done Reverend Wilkins. May Lee's example, which you have illustrated, set an example for others as it has for me and bring glory to God.

Mrs. Robert E. Lee: The Lady of Arlington

Average customer rating:

LOVED IT
What did he ever see in her?
Facinating insight - well written
Interesting and informative
Wonderful biography of a remarkable woman

Mrs. Robert E. Lee: The Lady of Arlington
John Perry
Manufacturer: Multnomah
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1590521374
Release Date: 2003-05-10

Book Description

Many know about her husband, Robert E. Lee, and her great-grandmother, Martha Washington; many have visited the cemetery that now occupies her family estate. But few today know much about Mary Custis Lee herself. Chronically ill and often in excruciating pain, Mary raised seven children, faithfully witnessing to her husband for years before his conversion. She retained her dignity and faith throughout a fruitless, heartbreaking attempt to win compensation for the confiscation of her home and possessions. History is never more powerful than when it provides a role model for enduring hardship with sturdy and radiant faith. Mary Custis Lee is such an example.

Customer Reviews:

LOVED IT.......2007-05-16

THE BOOK WAS VERY WELL WRITTEN.MADE ME THINK I WAS LIVING IN THE TIME. I COULD NOT LAY THE BOOK DOWN,I EVEN GOT ON THE ARLINGTON SITE AND LOOKED AT SOME GREAT PICTURES OF ARLINGTON AS I WAS READING THE BOOK AND THIS MADE THE BOOK ALL THE MORE INTERESTING. GREAT AUTHOR.

What did he ever see in her?.......2006-11-05

I read this book in three days as it was very well written, but did not, in my opinion give a very favorable view of Mary Lee. It portrayed her as self-centered, and like her father, more obsessed with the Washington connection than with the Lee connection. It pictures him as madly in love with her, I just cannot figure out why? I think it is very telling that none of their daughters chose to marry. Already a huge fan of his, the book only reinforced my good opinion of him.

Facinating insight - well written.......2006-08-27

This books give the reader a facinating insight into a woman who is too often over looked in history. It is the story of a woman, who's family members were on the front lines of America's early history, and who was a loving and supportive wife to the famous Robert E. Lee. History is full of stories of his life, especially during the Civil War, but the reader of this book will find that his wife was courageous in her own right, and worthy of historical note.
After reading this wonderful book, I found two other books which were just and wonderful and insightful about the Lee Family. They were "Growing up in the 1850's", the jouranl of Agnes Lee, and "The Lee Girls".

Interesting and informative.......2006-04-18

I always find it interesting to read about famous people's lives, but especially about the people who have been behind the scenes so to speak and little is told about them. That is why I found this book so interesting. Robert E. Lee is well known as the civil war general who surrendered and the war ended, of course, but to read more about his wife and get an insight to his family life made it hard to put the book down. There are some basic history rehashed somewhat in this book, but over all I found the book very personable and engaging in letting me know something about this woman whom I had never really heard of before. It also will show readers that no matter how famous a person may be, all people have their troubles and sorrows- and a lot of how life turns out to affect you depends on your reaction to what has happened in one's life. If you enjoy anything about the Civil War, this book would be a definite must !

Wonderful biography of a remarkable woman.......2004-11-05

Mrs. Mary Custis Lee of all people seemed to symbolize the tragedy of the Lost Cause. Born to wealth and privilege, the daughter of George Washington's adopted son (and Martha's grandson), she could have married any young man, but instead chose soldier Robert Edward Lee. She was to follow him through war and peace, the births of seven children, a debilitating illness and the loss of her beloved home. Through all, she maintained grace and dignity and personified the gracious Southern lady. Highly recommend.

Reading the Man: A Portrait of Robert E. Lee Through His Private Letters

Average customer rating:

`The Great General Robert E. Lee -
Lee the Man
Robert Lee -- He's Human After All (and Still a Legend)
Critics have an agenda. They miss the point.
Revolutionary and vital. Absolutely indispensable.

Reading the Man: A Portrait of Robert E. Lee Through His Private Letters
Elizabeth Brown Pryor
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0670038296
Release Date: 2007-05-03

Book Description

For the 200th anniversary of Robert E. Lee's birth, a new portrait drawing on previously unpublished correspondence

Robert E. Lee's war correspondence is well known, and here and there personal letters have found their way into print, but the great majority of his most intimate messages have never been made public. These letters reveal a far more complex and contradictory man than the one who comes most readily to the imagination, for it is with his family and his friends that Lee is at his most candid, most engaging, and most vulnerable. Over the past several years historian Elizabeth Brown Pryor has uncovered a rich trove of unpublished Lee materials that had been held in both private and public collections.

Her new book, a unique blend of analysis, narrative, and historiography, presents dozens of these letters in their entirety, most by Lee but a few by family members. Each letter becomes a departure point for an essay that shows what the letter uniquely reveals about Lee's time or character. The material covers all aspects of Lee's life—his early years, West Point, his work as an engineer, his relationships with his children and his slaves, his decision to join the South, his thoughts on military strategy, and his disappointments after defeat in the Civil War. The result is perhaps the most intimate picture to date of Lee, one that deftly analyzes the meaning of his actions within the context of his personality, his relationships, and the social tenor of his times.

Customer Reviews:

`The Great General Robert E. Lee - .......2007-09-08

To put to rest the suggestion of "faulty" research, with which Ms. Pryor wrote her book, I found it to be of an impeccable nature as well as being fully noted.

Of all of the Civil War books I have read, "Reading the Man" has certainly had the most impact on this 7th generation Georgian, whose forebears fought and died in this terrible war. I remain a loyal daughter of the South and deplore what our battle flag has come to represent. The house I grew up in was on the site of one of the fiercest battles fought for the City of Atlanta, and only after becoming an adult, I learned that the "alley" behind my Grandmother's house was really a rifle pit used in that battle. Thus, my familiarity has been with the battles fought in this part of the Confederacy and on Sherman's devastation during his march to the sea. Therefore, I began this book with little knowledge of General Lee, the man.

Ms. Pryor's fine book has brought to life a man who "did the best he could", at all things for which he took responsibility. His striving for excellence became both a blessing and a curse as he and his soldiers fought against terrible odds. His loyalty to his beloved home state of Virginia, which caused him to regretfully resign from the US Army and a much enjoyed position in the Army Corp of Engineers and to turn his back on his mentor, General Winfield Scott, was a true measure of the man's unbreakable bond with the places and things he loved more than the offer, coveted by many others,to be the commander of the Union Army.

This loyalty to his state, to his home, to his wife and extended family, and the men he commanded, never wavered throughout all the times of this terrible war.

I was moved to tears when, after Lee's honorable surrender, I read about a group of "Richmond Grandees" watching these tattered men file past them; they "stood at a turnpike intersection and watched ten thousand soldiers file by." In place of the bright eyes and gold braid flashing from every passing parade, "now they saw rags and tags - nothing alike - most garments and arms taken from the enemy - such shoes, such tin pans and pots tied to their waists, bread or bacon stuck on the ends of their bayonets. For many, these tough veterans still represent the greatest army that has ever fought on this continent. Who they were and how they mocked deprivation and danger is a fascinating story."

Ms. Pryor has brought to life the human story of the gallant General Robert E Lee, his family and the thousands of brave Southern boys turned men, who fought to defend their beloved homes and against the invasion of the mighty Army of the North.

With his human shortcomings, at the heart of the man, he was gallant and honorable. I would recommend this book to anyone as a shining example of a man who overcame the terrible reputation of his father, "Lighthorse Harry Lee", and lived his life in the most honorable way possible - in love and loyalty to those he loved and what he believed in. He would be a wonderful example to the men of our times.

Lee the Man.......2007-08-19

Reading The Man is a refreshing analysis of Robert E. Lee the human being. Indeed, this is the central goal of her book in that there is much that needs to be revealed to show the humanness of the man who has often been placed on a pedestal. Her book is well researched as her endnotes and sources cited clearly reveals. There are still many admirable traits to the man, e.g. his innate dignity, his sense of duty, his love of his family as well as his abilities as a general, but he is also revealed to have less admirable traits, such as his domineering tendencies, his inability to admit error on his own part, his views on slavery, and so forth. This is the kind of treatment we need of all figures in history to show that even though they may have possessed unusual abilities and played significant roles in major events, they are still fallible human beings.

Pryor traces Lee's entire life's journey, from the influence of his father (Light Horse Harry of Revolutionary War fame) and mother as well as the reputation the family name bestowed on young Robert (both good and bad), his years as a cadet at West Point, his role as husband and father, and through his years in the military, culminating in his leading role as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War. I personally enjoyed reading of his friendships, his affectionate letters to his children and family, and his periods of difficulty (which show once again more of the human side of Lee). There is no question that the subject of this book was and led an unusual life with a driven sense of purpose and duty and who consistently displayed the strengths and weaknesses of every human being.

His personality traits came through in many of these letters as well. He was extremely friendly with the ladies, had a conscious sense of his own reputation, was warm in his letters to family (though he certainly could evince the attributes of a stern disciplinarian), enjoyed the camaraderie of the army and so forth. But he could also be self-justifying, fall into bouts of depression, and reveal a bitterness and disappointment, especially in the postwar years. His religious views and experiences are also well discussed in this book and the role various family members played in his life is also valuable.

Without reciting all the events of Lee's life, which most who read this book will be familiar with, it is doubtless the most heartbreaking period to read about during those years during and after the Civil War. Perhaps Lee felt this was his surest form of duty, but his actions can not go without criticisms. His role contributed to the carnage that resulted. His battlefield successes, which could be remarkable, still don't negate the fact that huge casualties were incurred on his own side. In my opinion, slavery played the major factor in that war, and the cry of the defense of states rights implicitly meant that a state could perpetuate the institution that considered other human beings as property. This denied the South the moral high ground in my opinion, and I'm a Southerner. It was partly this same defense of states rights that often showed itself in some of Lee's postwar writings.

Lee is credited with making statements against secession before the war and against the institution of slavery, but his actions certainly seemed to prove the contrary. Yes, Lee was a product of his time, but as Pryor mentioned in this book, he certainly wasn't ahead of his time either; he was no progressive or liberal on the slave issue. In fairness, neither were many Northerners. I have certainly come more around to the view of Lee as a tragic figure, though as Pryor stated, he made his own choices. Lee did much with little in the course of that terrible four year conflict. He possessed many remarkable traits and abilities, yet, as Pryor's book reveals, he was still human.

Robert Lee -- He's Human After All (and Still a Legend).......2007-08-05

Having read a couple of reviews in the "main stream" print media that appeared to celebrate this book's exposure of Robert E. Lee's true sentiments about slavery (e.g., the Philadelphia Inquirer's review focused ad nauseum on the most negative report of Lee's ordered whipping of a captured runaway slave), I relunctantly bought this book (from Amazon, of course), fearful that this would prove to be yet another exercise in political correction by a less-than-objective historian.

Reading it, however, revealed something altogether different -- Lee was a man of his times (high society in the antbellum south, 19th Century) and also a real and very moral man, who focused more on the practical than the theoretical.

That is not to say that the author, Elizabeth Pryor Brown, sought to try prove that Robert E. Lee wasn't the icon that he is held to be, even to this day, in many parts and in many hearts of the South. She dramatized the presence of a whipping post for errant slaves, with little proof that it was ever used. But as is often the case with historians who delve deeply into their subjects, her heart was touched the humanity, grace and character of Lee, through a thorough and scintillating read of private letters that had been locked away in a bank vault for more than a century.

Things I learned in the book: He was a mega-flirt, but never unfaithful to or threatened by his strong-willed, secure and relatively independent wife. He loved the company of others, particularly his fellow soldiers and officers. None of three daughters ever married. He was confident yet humble,loved his family, and had a tireless devotion to duty, both an an engineer and a soldier.

He, not unlike almost anyone who has ever served in the military, expressed his share of frustrations with the military life, and even showed a little jealousy when peers were promoted ahead of him (but also showing that he was not particularly adept at, or fond of, politics). Except, possibly, for his flirtations, apparently done with the full knowledge of Mary Lee, none of this would be a surprise to any devotee or student of the General.

This book is very well written; it is fair and balanced, and gives more time and attention to Lee, the man, than Lee the general or even the soldier. The book was a joy to read and very hard to put down, even for a historical tome, with difficult to understand reprints of entire letters by Lee and members of his family and a bit too much ink on Harry "Light Horse" Lee, Robert's heroic but badly flawed and largely absent father. Her final chapter, and its final words, are wonderfully insightful at answering an important question -- why, after all these years, are we stil fascinated by this lengdary man? This book is a wonderful achievement and a worthy read.

No minds will likely be changed about Lee, whether you're a son of the South or South-hating liberal yankee who will be disappointed that Lee isn't thorough demystified. The careful and thoughtful reader will come away with greater appreciation and respect for the man.

Critics have an agenda. They miss the point........2007-07-16

I have just finished this excellent work and am dumbfounded by the two star reviews left by some readers. Clearly they didn't read the same book I did. Did Fruit Loop actually say it was "shoddily researched?" Did he see the 140 pages of footnotes? The 21 page bibliography? That he should question Ms. Pryor's credibility is laughable considering he makes major flaws in his own information. The slave whipping story did not only appear as an anonymous accusation in the New York Tribune. It appeared many times including one first hand account by one of the slaves who was whipped! Ms. Pryor's so-called "shoddy" research clearly shows this. And Fruit Loop's description of other aspects of Lee's relationship with his father-in-law's slaves is full of errors. GWP Custis's near bankruptcy had nothing to do with slaves emigrating to Liberia. Those that did go, the Burke family, went when Mr. Custis was still alive. Also, Lee had almost nothing to do with educating the slaves. That was done almost entirely by his mother-in-law, wife and even his daughters. He was pretty detached from it.

I think what is at the heart of the criticism of this book is an inability by some to consider that Lee had flaws; that there were unpleasant aspects of his character. Those unpleasant aspects were very common for his time and Ms. Pryor clearly states that Lee was no worse than others but he was no better either. He was very much a man of his time. These defenders of Lee and the Old South need to come to grips with the fact that slavery was bad and slaveowners, while not evil, did something bad by owning other human beings.

That said, Ms. Pryor's book is remarkably evenhanded and forgiving of Lee. She has said that she has a fondness for Lee and she certainly highlights his virtues as much as his vices.

This is a new kind of study of Lee. Finally we can see the whole man. And, for this reader and student of the Civil War, I can say that for the first time we have an explanation of Lee that actually makes sense. Bravo.

Revolutionary and vital. Absolutely indispensable........2007-07-15

I have been a park ranger at Arlington House, The Robert E. Memorial for 17 years now and I can honestly say that I have read at least five biographies, assessments, evaluations or interpretations of Robert E. Lee for each of those years. I am certain that when all the books and articles are added together they number close to a hundred. It's important that I do that. It's my job and my responsibility to have as comprehensive an understanding of Robert E. Lee's life as is possible so that I can honestly and accurately convey it to the people who visit and the students who partake in our education programs. But with all of these books and articles there is a certain consistency, not with interpretation but with information. It is safe to say that since Douglas Southall Freeman wrote his landmark, Pulitzer Prize winning four volume biography in the 1930's the assumption has been that there is nothing new that can be found out about Lee. Freeman's work was so exhaustive, seemingly leaving no stone or document unturned, that, it seems, every biographer of Lee since then has taken the approach that no new research was needed or possible. Instead, it became the fashion for biographers and other historians to simply take what Freeman researched and interpret it in whatever way they wanted. Thomas Connelly chose to psychoanalyze Lee in a groundbreaking and exceptionally flawed work, The Marble Man while Alan Nolan chose a lawyerly approach, constructing the case against Robert E. Lee in his book, Lee Considered, as if Lee had never been considered before. And there have been others, many quite reverential but the problem with all of them is that they've all used the same information. Writing about Lee ceased being about scholarship and instead became bickering op ed pieces. And the greatest crime of it has been that it has made Robert E. Lee uninteresting. How many times can you read the same things, no matter what way they've been spun, and still remain excited? I stopped being interested in reading things about Lee over five years ago. I have forced myself to keep reading but there has been no joy in it.

Until now. Elizabeth Brown Pryor and her extraordinary new book, Reading The Man, has single-handedly revived what was hitherto unrevivable. She has made Robert E. Lee come to life in a way that no other writer has ever been able to do and she has done it in a way that should make every other biographer of Lee blush: she has let the man speak for himself and she has done it through new research. Yes, new research. Certainly much of the new material she has uncovered has been locked away in trunks for almost a century so other researchers including Freeman had no access to it. But some of what she's used has been available to researchers for decades they just chose not to look. Intellectual laziness? Or have researchers just been content with what they've had? Fortunately, Elizabeth Pryor was neither lazy nor content and what she has constructed is a masterpiece of biographical examination. The Lee that springs from her pages is dynamic and emotional, conflicted and complex, playful and loving and nothing like he has ever been portrayed before. But the magic of this work, what truly elevates it beyond mere interpretation into what can only be described as revolutionary, is how Ms. Pryor manages to be both critical and sympathetic with her subject. With Lee it has always been you either revere or revile him. There has been no middle ground. Those that simplified him to the point of mere symbolism insured that. He was either the Christ like martyr of the Lost Cause or the white supremacist Benedict Arnold of the Civil War. But Elizabeth Pryor has shown us, has proven beyond reproach, that you can be critical of someone and still like him. You can point out his flaws but empathize with his humanity. You can be honest without defilement. What Ms. Pryor has done for all of us interested in history, the Civil War and Robert E. Lee is incalculable. She has, quite literally, shown us a new way to examine our common history and truly learn from it. We would be fools not to follow her.

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