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Fiction. Historical Fiction. HTML: From the author of the New York Times bestseller Dream West comes this vivid historical novel about the dawn of America and the personalities that shaped it. Only three short decades after the revolution that created the young republic, a deeply divided America would be drawn into war once again. The war of 1812 would either make America a global power sweeping all the way to the Pacific�??or break it into small pieces bound to mighty England. The principal actors in this drama were President James Madison and his beloved Dolley, General Andrew Jackson and his Rachel, and the young military talent Winfield Scott. From the White House, to the southern woodlands haunted by British-backed Indians, to the war's most celebrated battle in New Orleans, their courage and determination would shape America's destiny. Finely tuned writing, vivid characters, and attention to historical detail make this a novel not to be missed.… (more)
User reviews
While I may not believe that some of the
Some is not. When I studied this part of history, a long time ago, much was made of the causes for the war. I would think that we would have seen a great deal more of that from James Madison's viewpoint. We don't. Not enough to justify a war.
And then we get into the war and the fragmentation of having so many focal characters, makes it a difficulty to stay with any one aspect of the tale. With so much prestory to the actual events of the war, and preparing one with so many pages after the war is over for what comes next in American History, we don't get a tight tale at all.
Michener is quoted on the front of my copy, but his tales which often cover centuries, provide a better scope then we have with Nevin. This war was a very brief few years. A non-historical narrator near the great people who Nevin has made his protagonists, may have worked better.
For me, I shall not be able to pick up this volume again for a reread, it is not that kind of a story. And Nevin's handling of such pivotal characters may make me question them when I come across them in history or in fiction in the years to come.