Sep. 19, 2007
Summer Reading Review ~ The Killer Angels
Posted in Book Reviews
As I first started The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, which is about the battle of Gettysburg, I searched my memory for what I knew about that particular battle. I was slightly shocked to realize that I wasn’t even absolutely sure who had won the battle of Gettysburg! How awful is that? It was with this shameful knowledge that I began reading The Killer Angels.
The book covers the four days that make up the battle of Gettysburg. Nothing more. From the perspective of several top-ranking officers in both armies (including Robert E. Lee), we are given a glimpse of what those four days were like, and of the decisions behind the battle.
This is one of the most gut-wrenching books about the war that I’ve read. I cried several times, not because the author was sentimental or sappy, but because of the clear way that the author presented what happened. It made me ache to think of all the slaughter and death.
Aside from the emotional aspect of the book, I thought the author did an excellent job of making sure that I understood the positions the armies were in. I tend to skim over those portions of battles, because I can never get a clear picture in my mind of which direction everyone is coming from. But with the aid of maps, Shaara actually managed to pound it through my thick skull.
I have only one complaint. At the beginning of the book, the author said in a note to the reader, “I thought it necessary to update some of the words so that the religiosity and naïveté of the time, which were genuine, would not seem too quaint to the modern ear.” Now, I don’t know about you, but this “modern ear” wouldn’t have minded hearing some of the “religiosity”. For me, it would have added a bit of hope to the book. To the author’s credit, though, he did an excellent job of portraying Lee as a man of faith.
A warning: there is some bad language. More than a little, although the two words that were most frequently used weren’t of the worst sort.
If you can get past that, read this book. The battle of Gettysburg will be clearer to you than it ever has before.
Comments
Sep. 19, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by writer4him
AHHHHHHHH!!!! Yes, I am quite glad you finally learned who one the battle of Gettysburg....the Yankees!! Hip hip hooray!!
Sorry, you just touched on one of my very, uh, passionate sides ;-).
Anyway, I actually haven't finished Killer Angels....I'd been going through it with a pen, scribbling out about every other word! I thought Michael Shaara's style of writing was very interesting.
~writer4him
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Sep. 20, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Free2bme
Sounds like an interesting book. That period of history is fascinating. The War Between the States was terrible! So sad, we're blessed that our country even made it through that!
But that part of our history is extremely interesting. I read a book about a girl that runs away from home and dresses as a boy and joins the Yankee army and then is recruited as a spy in the brand new Pinkerton spy agency.It was a really neat book!
Debs
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Sep. 21, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Bluejane
It sounds like a neat book.
I'll have to check it out sometime.
Bluejane
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Sep. 21, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by guardedmodesty
hey, that was another awesome review! I'm glad you liked the book. I had to watch the movie for school last year. It's called Gettysburg, and it says its based on Killer Angels. It was amazing!
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Sep. 22, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by totustuus
That sounds like a great way to learn more about the battle at Gettysburg!!! I am going to reserve that at the library.
Our youth group is stopping at Gettysburg on our wayt to DC for the March for Life next year. That should be a good book to read before we leave. :-)
Great review!!
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Sep. 24, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by totustuus
RYC: I wrote a couple of posts about the deuterocanonical books (like Maccabees) and the origin of the Bible on my apologetics blog (hsb/thecatholicapologist). You could check those out if you ever feel inclined......
About the language, thanks for the warning. However, it doesn't phase me too much (I wouldn't hand it off to my little siblings, though). :-)
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Sep. 24, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by ShedHisGraceOnThee
I think what he means is that homeschoolers should get equal opportunity that the public and/or private schoolers get--such as access to spec ed services and the like.
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Apr. 1, 2008 - The Killer Angels
Posted by Anonymous
I am currently reading this novel for a book report and I have to say: it is excellent! I don't see why you cried a few times but the thoughts of war certainly made me gloomier. It is excellent and the maps are really awesome. However, I sometimes have trouble linking the positioning in the story. This book is certainly fast-paced! Lots of discussions to be had on this novel, and just in the first chapters! Great book and review!
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