1812

by David Nevin

Paperback, 1997

Status

Available

Call number

Fic Historical Nevin

Series

American Story (book 2)

Tags

Fic, Historical, __scan_cover, !Mooched

Genres

Collection

Your library

Publication

Forge Books (1997), Paperback, 576 pages

Description

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

LibraryThing member northandsouth
1812 puts the reader right in the heart of each and every battle. Unlike his earlier and more epic tale, Dream West, this novel emphasizes battles and politics, not personal stories, romances, and struggles. I prefer the latter, so this novel was a bit of a disappointment for me. I did, however,
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 learn a great deal about this forgotten war and gained a greater appreciation for the American heroes of General Andrew Jackson and President James Madison. Nevin is very skillful in bringing to life real people from America's past and should be an author in every historical fiction reader's library.
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LibraryThing member pacrome
1812 was a very entertaining, informative historical novel. This is the the third David Nevin novel I have read, and all have been quite impressive. It was rewarding to read about a war that is often forgotten, but which was very important -- after all, it looked for a time as if the British were
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 going to regain America as an overseas possession.
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LibraryThing member Neilsantos
This was great. A nice bit of time I knew very little about, I learned who Dolley Madison was (other than being the Zingers lady) Looking for others by Nevin, he's my new Shara.
LibraryThing member DWWilkin
Having finished this, one can only think that reading the end of the story is much like the Battle of New Orleans and the end of the war. It was already over when the Battle took place. We had so many more pages to go, when the story really was over.

While I may not believe that some of the
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 attributes he gives to the leading characters in the story, the Madisons, Winfield Scott and Andy Jackson, are correct, Nevin has done his homework. It is a large historical novel and telling us some of what happened is quite well done.

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.
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LibraryThing member karatelpek
A fun readable account of a oft ignored part of American History.

Language

English

Original publication date

1996

Physical description

576 p.; 6.6 inches

ISBN

0812524713 / 9780812524710

Local notes

American Story, 2

DDC/MDS

Fic Historical Nevin

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Rating

½ (36 ratings; 3.8)

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