Robert E. Lee
The Great Generals Series from Palgrave MacMillan is, frankly, a wildly uneven compilation of biographies. John Mosier’s 2006 volume on Grant was a train wreck of factual errors and abysmal editing. Trudeau’s book on Robert E. Lee, however, is a triumph. Future additions to this series should use this book as a model. Trudeau – whose volume on Gettysburg is also an impressive accomplishment – conveys Lee’s story in a brisk and accurate narrative. Anyone looking for an excellent introduction to Lee’s life and career should begin with this book. Trudeau’s account manages to omit nothing of consequence and to include enough fascinating detail to keep the interest of even the most jaded reader. Trudeau’s analysis of Lee’s decision-making is honest without being hypercritical. While there are no paradigm-shifting conclusions here, there are also no eyebrow-raising oddities or perplexing notions that often litter modern books on Civil War figures. Too many authors seem intent on grabbing readers’ attention by tossing out concepts and theories that have not even the slightest basis in fact. Lee is – and shall ever remain – a towering figure in American history. Trudeau’s biography opens the door to understanding this important leader, and helps readers to appreciate the man who became, through no fault or design of his own, a myth. Reviewer: John Deppen John Deppen is past president of the Susquehanna CWRT, a member of General John F. Hartranft Camp #15 of the SUVCW and a living historian who portrays Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock. His articles and reviews have appeared in Military Heritage, Gettysburg Magazine, The Civil War News and The Daily Item in central Pennsylvania.
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Illustrated, maps, notes, index, 234 pp., 2009. Palgrave MacMillan, 175th Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010, $25 plus shipping.