Killer Angels
by Michael Shaara
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Book Summary Information
Author: Michael ShaaraEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-05-01
ISBN: 1841580821
Number of pages: 395
Publisher: Birlinn
Book Reviews of Killer Angels
Book Review: Wonderful Overlooked Novel
Summary: 5 Stars
Occasionally an author's passion of the subject emanates from the pages and amplifies the brilliance of the literature. This is one such book. Oddly, from this experience, the author never received common-reader acclaim as his 1975 Pulitzer Prize winning novel was a critics' choice ignored by the reading public through the time of his death. Only postmortem, when his children had grown, did acclaim reach this book. Why? Movies.
The script of renowned Gettysburg- a film starring numerous marquee names - delivered informational hunger on this incredibly historical moment of our country's young history. So many were sent to the source of the movie - this novel. Soon discovered as more than just a novel with fine dialogue, the book became a bestseller and soon thereafter became required reading in many schools' curricula.
Unlike my generation's required reading - Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage- this book embraces the hard task of looking upon this battle from both perspectives. We are invited to the personal talks and meetings between the leaders of each side, learn about the people behind the heroes, and discover what brought about Lee's decision to abort "defensive war" and attack in Pennsylvania - only to basically put an end to the armed conflict as the Confederate losses would never be reparable.
The writer, someone involved only in short stories before this novel, had an almost professional hobby of studying the war, and more particularly this battle. His interest grew to obsession from which came this historically accurate docudrama full of great dialogue and description. In many respects, this novel is an opinion page of any large newspaper, but the statements are not made by one person, rather the statements are the derivative of the statements made by characters' fictional discussions in this factually driven novel.
He manages to make simple statements from seemingly simple characters deliver "public opinion"; and, discussion between these souls can elucidate social philosophical themes, deep introspective insight, and even grand political philosophical conclusions which eerily sneak in references from great philosophers - but of whom no references are made.
This novel, which is a step above Crane's masterpiece, led me to go to the local library to learn more about this time period, of this battle, of the men who I felt I met and now know. This was fun, and now I am going to take out the movie to see if it could somehow give appropriate credence to this novel's depiction.
Summary of Killer Angels
This title is a novelized account of the Battle of Gettysburg. Despite carrying a letter from Lincoln offering peace on the South's terms, General Robert E. Lee resolved on one mighty blow to finally destroy the Federal Army of the Potomac.This novel reveals more about the Battle of Gettysburg than any piece of learned nonfiction on the same subject. Michael Shaara's account of the three most important days of the Civil War features deft characterizations of all of the main actors, including Lee, Longstreet, Pickett, Buford, and Hancock. The most inspiring figure in the book, however, is Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, whose 20th Maine regiment of volunteers held the Union's left flank on the second day of the battle. This unit's bravery at Little Round Top helped turned the tide of the war against the rebels. There are also plenty of maps, which convey a complete sense of what happened July 1-3, 1863. Reading about the past is rarely so much fun as on these pages.
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