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A World On Fire: Britain's Crucial Role In The American Civil War (2011)

by Amanda Foreman(Favorite Author)

3.94 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

037550494X (ISBN13: 9780375504945)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Random House

review 1: Foreman does a creditable job looking at the American Civil War from a largely British perspective. The typical Civil War history does mention a number of incidents involving Great Britain (e.g. The Trent Incident, the building of the Florida and Alabama, the cotton riots, and more) but never before have I seen them woven into a coherent whole. We benefit from a deep understanding of British political opinion, the agony of decision when a great deal of pressure is built up by both the USA and CSA, internal issues, and more. We can also follow English citizens who volunteered to fight for both sides, something I rarely encounter. I have but one complaint, and that is the failure to establish objective credibility. Foreman is generous with most of the English players in... more the drama, but is relentlessly dismissive of Americans of either coloration. Diplomats Seward and Adams come off very poorly, and the Confederates worse still. But overall, I appreciate this entry in the canon.
review 2: To say this book is long is to call the Atlantic Large, the civil war costly, Abraham Lincoln tall. Lots of interesting points in the book but the incredible amounts of names and bits of detail thrown out make it hard to follow. I feel like the same story could have been told in less than half the length and with much less detail. Some of the characters in the book are fascinating including Lyons, Seward and Rose Greenhow. Others come up at random and I find myself having to go back to my notes to figure out who is who. This book is probably written for a british audience and knowledge of the inner works of their government might make this book more palatable. It was interesting but finishing felt like going to the top of the mountain. In the end I finished because I was determined to do so, not because I was fascinated and couldn't put the book down. less

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