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Title: Gettysburg

Author: Stephen Sears

Narrator: Ed Sala

Format: Unabridged

Length: 23 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-17-11

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 546 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Best-selling author and acclaimed Civil War expert Stephen W. Sears, hailed by The New York Times Book Review as arguably the preeminent living historian of the wars eastern theater, crafts what will stand the test of time as the definitive history of the greatest battle ever fought on American soil. Drawing on years of research, Sears focuses on the big picture, capturing the entire essence of the momentous three day struggle while offering fresh insights that will surprise even the best versed Civil War buffs.

Members Reviews:

I loved this detailed account of the battle

I've seen some complaints about the author's perspective or personal feelings about various leaders in the battle and campaign, but find them basically uninteresting. This was a superb and detailed account of the battle and it's consequences and aftermath. It's astonishing how many mistakes, miscues and missed opportunities there were in this battle - inlcuding the somewhat accidental initiation of general battle at a site not to Lee's liking.

Keeping it brief - I give it 4 stars as a book I would listen to again, but may not find the time for. It did keep me listening and I did not want to turn the book off - but it didn't drive me mad with the desire to continue the way some books do. I don't fault the book for this - it's tougher to pull off that kind of engagement with historical non-fiction (even though I love the genre).

Highly recommended - especially for those with interest in the battle and it's main leaders or those with a general notion of the battle looking for details.

Thanks - hope this review helps!

Will

The Narrator's Craft and the Scholar's Care

Ive read accounts of the Gettysburg Campaign from Catton and Coddington. Ive read Foote and Freeman and Pfanz. But no one is quite like Stephen Sears.

Catton, Foote and Freeman are gifted narrative-makers. Coddington is a conscientious historian but an indifferent writer. Pfanzs work is so detaileddown to the movements of platoonsthat all semblance of a coherent story is easily lost.

Stephen Sears manages to combine the narrators craft and the scholars care. He chronicles every march, order, command fumble or inspired decision. Yet because he seldom goes below the regimental or battery level, his narrative sweeps along effortlessly. When he mentions a particular company or battery section, its for the sake of a telling or poignant anecdote that just makes his narrative that much richer.

Sears also excels at gently correcting misunderstandings, whether fostered by veterans faulty memoirs or movie scripts. In his Chancellorsville, for example, he proves that Joe Hookers oft-quoted confession that he just lost faith in Joe Hooker couldnt have been made to the man who claims to have heard it in the place he claims to have heard it.

Likewise, in Gettysburg the Pulitzer-Prize-winning-novel-and-epic-movie version of events on Little Round Top is set right. When Joshua Chamberlain ordered his desperate bayonet charge he thought the 15th Alabama was gathering for another assault; he couldnt know their colonel had just decided to call retreat. That doesnt make the charge any less heroic; Sears isnt out to debunk. Hes showing us that the bare facts of what happened at Gettysburg dont need airbrushing to inspire awe. So he includes Colonel Oats admission that even if his Alabamians had taken the hill they couldnt have held it for 10 minutes.