Average customer rating:
- Great finish in an outstanding trilogy
- Very Affecting Novel on the last years of the Civil War in the East
- Moving finale of the Civil War trilogy
- A fine study of the last year ...
- Great book!
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The Last Full Measure
Jeff Shaara
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
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Gods and Generals
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ASIN: 0345434811
Release Date: 2000-05-02 |
Amazon.com
Author Jeff Shaara rounds out the Civil War trilogy started by his late father Michael Shaara, whose book The Killer Angels describes the Battle of Gettysburg. Just as Jeff Shaara's Gods and Generals covers action prior to Gettysburg, The Last Full Measure picks up with Confederate General Robert E. Lee's retreat from Pennsylvania and continues through the end of the war. Shaara focuses on the characters of Lee and Union commander Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, both of whom play prominent roles in the earlier books. He also introduces a new one: Ulysses S. Grant, the Union general who would finally defeat the South--something no soldier before him could manage. The Last Full Measure is often exciting and poignant, and fans of The Killer Angels and Gods and Generals won't be disappointed. --John Miller
Book Description
In the Pulitzer prize-winning classic
The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara created the finest Civil War novel of our time, an enduring bestseller that has sold more than two million copies. In the bestselling
Gods and Generals, Shaara's son, Jeff, brilliantly sustained his father's vision, telling the epic story of the events culminating in the Battle of Gettysburg. Now, Jeff Shaara brings this legendary father-son trilogy to its stunning conclusion in a novel that brings to life the final two years of the Civil War.
As
The Last Full Measure opens, Gettysburg is past and the war advances to its third brutal year. On the Union side, the gulf between the politicians in Washington and the generals in the field yawns ever wider. Never has the cumbersome Union Army so desperately needed a decisive, hard-nosed leader. It is at this critical moment that Lincoln places Ulysses S. Grant in command--and turns the tide of war.
For Robert E. Lee, Gettysburg was an unspeakable disaster--compounded by the shattering loss of the fiery Stonewall Jackson two months before. Lee knows better than anyone that the South cannot survive a war of attrition. But with the total devotion of his generals--Longstreet, Hill, Stuart--and his unswerving faith in God, Lee is determined to fight to the bitter end.
Here too is Joshua Chamberlain, the college professor who emerged as the Union hero of Gettysburg--and who will rise to become one of the greatest figures of the Civil War.
Battle by staggering battle, Shaara dramatizes the escalating confrontation between Lee and Grant--complicated, heroic, deeply troubled men. From the costly Battle of the Wilderness to the agonizing siege of Petersburg to Lee's epoch-making surrender at Appomattox, Shaara portrays the riveting conclusion of the Civil War through the minds and hearts of the individuals who gave their last full measure.
Full of human passion and the spellbinding truth of history,
The Last Full Measure is the fitting capstone to a magnificent literary trilogy.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Great finish in an outstanding trilogy.......2007-04-04
I think this book, and the two preceding it should be required reading in school. I had no idea how horrific this war was, particularly more so as the brutalities committed on both sides were against our own. There were so many moments when I wanted to stop and cry for the loss of life, and especially at the end when the one man who was capable of healing the country and bringing us all back together as one nation, Abraham Lincoln, was assassinated.
The research was impeccable and telling the story from the viewpoints of the various generals absolutely fascinating. The honorable Robert E. Lee, Chamberlain (loved his gracious salute to the surrendering army), and the ever fascinating U.S. Grant.
One quote from so many in the book that just brought tears to my eyes: "Yes, it was horrible, horrible indeed. But he had to tell himself that, remind himself to see it that way. There was no sickening revulsion, no outrage, no indignation at the barbarism. It was just one more scene from this war, one more horror, one more mass of death, blending together with all the rest."
Highly highly recommended, and will definitely open your eyes to the horror of war.
Very Affecting Novel on the last years of the Civil War in the East.......2007-03-20
This is the novel that it seemed that Shaara came into his own. This part of the Civil War was incredibly brutal and Shaara depicts this well. The campaign that Grant and Lee waged was epic and Shaara brings out the humanity of these two men. This book seems just a notch below the "Killer Angels" and is superior in many respects to "Gods and Generals". It is populated by a very human Grant (this book made me want to read more about him) and a very ungodlike Robert E. Lee who propel the story. Chamberlain and his struggles are also depicted and are very relevant because his actions in the last year of the war were as heroic as his actions at Gettysburg. Appomattox is also depicted very movingly. Hopefully this novel will eventually be made into the definitive Civil War film.
Moving finale of the Civil War trilogy.......2007-01-24
I echo the positive sentiments previously expressed. Let me add that the chapters covering Lee's surrender and Chamberlain's salute are among the most moving I have ever read.
A fine study of the last year ..........2007-01-14
... of the American Civil War. I would say this is an excellent history for those who do not particularly have the patience or care to read a history book.
Set as a novel viewing the events of the war through the eyes of it's major players, the story begins with Lee's army at the swollen banks of the Potomac after his retreat from the disaster at Gettysburg. Although the novel does not include the recruitment process of Grant for command of all Union forces as Lt. General (a rank last held by George Washington), nor the strategy session between Grant and his favorite, Gen. W.T. Sherman; it does give a glimpse of why Lincoln chose this man to led the Army.
With the selection of Grant the focus of the war is changed from the dubious capture of Richmond as a means to defeat the South to the defeat of Lee himself. Grant sums it up in a sentence to Gen. Meade (who he leaves in charge of the Army of the Potomac) saying, "Where Lee goes, you will go too." Grant knows that the fighting heart of the South is not in Richmond, but in its most popular leader, Gen. R.E. Lee. When Lee is beaten, the war will end ... and of course, history bears this out.
The tale takes us through the Union defeat in the burning thickets and forest of the Wilderness; Lee's (and Stuart's) brilliant disengagement and race to Spotsylvania and the mule shoe salient -- where the most vicious fighting of the war takes place -- the two armies positioned literally yards from each other, clubbing and stabbing one another to death over and through chinks in the log barricades. It follows Lee's move to the North Ana River where Grant's leaders make a terrible mistake in deployment, but are spared disaster because Lee remains in his tent, too ill to take advantage of the situation. The fight moves further south to Cold Harbor and the wholesale slaughter of Union troops in Grant's biggest mistake of the war. Over 7,000 men are killed in twenty minutes of battle. And finally to the siege of the strategic rail center at Petersburg.
Ultimately Lee will leave Petersburg and march his army west only to be dogged by the Union and finally give up the fight as hopeless at Appomattox.
Although slow moving at times, the average reader will come to know the last year of the Civil War in a way that standard history texts cannot tell it. This is the most critical period of time for each nation's survival. If Lee can hold out for a few more months and Lincoln is not reelected, the pacifist movement in the North will permit the Confederacy their independence and the Union will be broken. With the defeat of Lee in Virginia and the victories of Sherman in Georgia, the South will give up the fight and the Union preserved. We all know the eventual outcome of the struggle. This book gives us the personalized details of how desperate a fight it really was.
Some of the more avid history buffs might be a bit disappointed at the coverage of some events (such as the battle of Cold Harbor), but all in all, this is a fine book on the greatest event in American history. Well written and very readable.
*** Highly Recommended ***
~pjm~
Great book!.......2007-01-11
Jeff Shaara does it over and over again. I cant tell you how much I enjoyed this book. I have read all his books on the Revolutionary War and the Civil War and I feel like I was actually there! He is certainly a great writer and I would recommend his books to everyone.
Amazon.com
Author Jeff M. Shaara rounds out the Civil War Trilogy started by his late father Michael Shaara, whose book The Killer Angels described the Battle of Gettysburg. While Gods and Generals covered action prior to Gettysburg, The Last Full Measure picks up with Confederate General Robert E. Lee's retreat from Pennsylvania and continues through the end of the war. The younger Shaara focuses on the characters of Lee and Union commander Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, both of whom play prominent roles in the earlier books. He also introduces a new one: Ulysses S. Grant, the Union general who would finally defeat the South--something no soldier before him could manage. The Last Full Measure is often exciting and poignant, and fans of The Killer Angels and Gods and Generals won't be disappointed. A nicely boxed edition of this classic historical fiction. --John Miller
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding trilogy, a must for history lovers.......2007-04-04
These three books should be required reading in school. Very eye opening to the horrors of war.
Gods and Generals - Fascinating portrayal of a sad time in US History, as told from the perspectives of the generals involved in these campaigns. I was most particularly moved by Lee and his torn loyalties to the US Army and his home state of Virginia, and most especially by the great Stonewall Jackson. I've come across the names in history classes (oh so long ago) and the occasional novel covering this period, but it was wonderful to have them brought to life as this author did, and we are once again reminded that was is indeed h***. One moment in the book that particularly touched me was during a retreat of Federal soldiers. One of them slipped in the mud and was told that since the general decreed the roads to be in good condition therefore there is no mud. Four stars instead of five as the author's habit of inserting a comma instead of the word "and" was a bit of a distration for me.
The Killer Angels - The author brings the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War to life in this wonderful novel. He uses the alternating views from the officers of both sides of the conflict, thus making you feel as you are right with them, culminating in the horrific and tragic end of the battle. I was truly saddened by the incredible loss of life due to the mistakes of the priveleged few, the generals. No wonder they say Gettysburg is one of the most haunted places in America.
The Last Full Measure - I think this book, and the two preceding it should be required reading in school. I had no idea how horrific this war was, particularly more so as the brutalities committed on both sides were against our own. There were so many moments when I wanted to stop and cry for the loss of life, and especially at the end when the one man who was capable of healing the country and bringing us all back together as one nation, Abraham Lincoln, was assassinated.
The research was impeccable and telling the story from the viewpoints of the various generals absolutely fascinating. The honorable Robert E. Lee, Chamberlain (loved his gracious salute to the surrendering army), and the ever fascinating U.S. Grant.
One quote from so many in the book that just brought tears to my eyes: "Yes, it was horrible, horrible indeed. But he had to tell himself that, remind himself to see it that way. There was no sickening revulsion, no outrage, no indignation at the barbarism. It was just one more scene from this war, one more horror, one more mass of death, blending together with all the rest."
Highly highly recommended.
Five star general.......2007-01-24
Shaara has the ability to allow the reader to know the generals and soldiers in the Civil War. He must have read countless books in preparation, for he includes details that I haven't read before. Shaara takes the reader to the battlefield, and we learn the strategies and accidents of each battle. Shaara takes the reader to each general's tent, and we find out the strengths and weaknesses of each man. We learn about the horrible wounds and the lack of medical training to treat them. Each battle is described as though Shaara had been there and were writing a diary. The Last Full Measure gives the sorrow of the loss and the dignity of the surrender.
2 out of three ain't bad.......2007-01-16
Having read THE KILLER ANGELS many years ago, I was of course, very excited when the son followed his father's brilliant work. With GODS AND GENERALS, I was left wanting more. The charaters were most interesting and the setting was naturally very exciting. That period of the war was cresting for the south and with a little good fortune, things might've ended much differently, and much sooner. Along comes THE LAST FULL MEASURE. Needing to tie up the war in a nice neat package, Schaara, I think, pushes the ending upon the reader. We all know how it ended, It didn't need to be forced. With more new interesting characters to develop, it could've and should've flowed mush easier to its foreknown conclusion. I have not read any of his books since, and maybe that's unfair. I think I will sit down and check out THE GLORIOUS CAUSE next. He might have simply been overwhelmed trying to match his father's brilliance. But for anyone who has recently discovered this collaboration
either through school or word of mouth or even by watching TNT, embrace them and realize the love and passion that is being recounted through these novels. There will never be another time when so many give their "last full measure" because it's the right thing to do.
Great Set.......2005-11-04
Maybe a somewhat romanticized view of history and war (mostly heroism, very little drudgery, boredom, disease, and discomfort) but captivating, nonetheless. I was given this set as a gift from a friend. While I am very grateful because I enjoyed all the books so much, I'm a little annoyed with my buddy for unintentionally stealing all of my free time. I just couldn't stop reading them. I went from book to book over the course of about 2 ½ weeks.
Shaara is a master of providing a voice to the legendary generals of a long concluded war. He provides so much detail about the strengths and idiosyncrasies of these men, that you feel as if you almost know them personally. What's more, as you turn the pages it seems almost possible to anticipate their actions based upon your personal insight into their characters. As you pour over the descriptions of the battles and maps of troop placements, you want to shout to the generals, "Don't you see that you're flanked? Get the heck out of there!" But perhaps the most unique experience for me, was finding that I felt for the generals on both sides of the conflict. Instead of having the almost hardwired reaction to the confederacy of, "you are supporting an immoral practice (slavery) therefore you're evil," I, for the first time, understand how so many decent, moral men became embroiled in the conflict. For that insight, I thank Mr. Shaara.
History as novel rather than historical novels.......2005-10-04
These three books are excellent because they are well written, nice to read (difficult to put down)and are good history too, because everything is rigorously researched.
I am a "civil war buff" who has read quite a few "real history books" on the same subjects, like "High Tide at Gettysburg" by Glenn Tucker (pretty good one volume account of the battle) and " Lee" by Douglas Southall Freeman (a biography that Shaara probably used extensively), and seen the two movies Gettysburg and Gods and Generals, based on the novels.
You probably enjoy the novels better if you already have read more thorough accounts of the battles and "seen" them on film, photo, paintings,etc. If you re-enact, you are getting even closer.
The main differences are in the rythm, as history books tend to cover everything in depth, and these novels only pick the more dramatic scenes and shorten all the rest. The emotional, the purely human aspects are more highlighted as well.
The result of both Shaaras' work is that you have the impression to be there with the characters, you can see their human side (good biographies can also reach that result). But if you have all the civil war " culture", you are also better able to visualize the story, if you know what the places,the uniforms, equipment, etc. looked like. You enjoy the books even more. In the end, you also realize that war really is a terrible thing (and you still do not see pictures of corpses...) and that as Robert E.Lee himself said, after Fredericksburg, " it is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we would become too fond of it".
Everytime I finish a book on war, I feel disgust at the wastage it represents and still I come back and read another one. This was no exception.
People who loved these books should read "The battle" and "The retreat", by Patrick Rambaud (translated from French). They cover the napoleonic battles of Vienna in 1808 and the Russian campaign of 1812 in the same vein. They are also extremely well written. There is a 3rd volume on Napoleon's exile in Elba but it is apparently not available in English yet.
Average customer rating:
- Very Good Action Adventure Tale On Enterprise's Xindi Hunt
- Spend your money elsewhere
- Well what did you expect from these guys?
- Earth's Fate Hangs in the Balance
- Excellent Moral Tale... Barely Star Trek
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Last Full Measure (Star Trek: Enterprise)
Michael A. Martin , and
Andy Mangels
Manufacturer: Star Trek
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ASIN: 1416503587 |
Book Description
Without warning or provocation an alien weapon appears above Earth and unleashes a blast that kills millions across two continents. A second such weapon could destroy the entire planet. In a desperate bid to save Earth and its people, Starfleet must change its mission from one of peaceful exploration to one of military service.
Only the Starship Enterprise is fast enought to stop the production of a second Xindi weapon. But the crew cannot do it alone, and Captain Jonathan Archer accepts a contingent of Military Assault Command Operations personnel -- battle-hardened soldiers known as MACOs -- on board his ship.
Starfleet and the MACOs are two very different services sharing a common goal, but divided in their views of how to attain it. It is a culture clash that echoes across centuries of military service. The men and women on board the Enterprise understand that somehow they must succeed in working together or the price will be paid in blood -- failure is not an option.
Customer Reviews:
Very Good Action Adventure Tale On Enterprise's Xindi Hunt.......2007-06-23
Writers Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangelis have crafted a very good action-adventure tale in their novel "Last Full Measure (Star Trek: Enterprise)". It is commendable primarily for demonstrating how the MACO team of soldiers finally began bonding with Captain Jonathan Archer and his Starfleet crew aboard the USS Enterprise (NX-1) during their pursuit of the Xindi and their planet-destroying beam weapon in the Delphic Expanse. As such it is a fine bit of "Star Trek" fiction that will entertain anyone interested in "Star Trek" or is interested in a quick, enjoyable bit of literary entertainment. On the other hand, I would agree with one other Amazon.com reviewer who noted that the sociological aspects of the two military groups as depicted in the novel did not correspond with real-life militaries or, for example, such elaborately detailed space operas like David Webber's popular "Honor Harrington" series.
Spend your money elsewhere.......2006-11-19
It started with the dedication. Okay, okay! The authors do not (I mean really do not) like the war in Iraq. I should have taken it as a harbinger of things to come.
This book has no soul, it is not engaging, and it has a ridiculously idiotic notion of how real militaries act and work together. I'll make just two points about the latter and then summarize. 1.) Enlisteds do not berth with officers. Officers will double (or even triple) up with officers to clear bunk space for enlisteds, but otherwise they do not share the same social space. Thus Ensign Mayweather sharing a bunk with Corporal Chang just doesn't cut it. 2.) No enlisted personnel ever calls officers "scared rabbits" in an "attempt to shut them up" and corporals especially do not call ensigns that. I was a squid for a while, and whenever I encountered a marine corporal, he was obsequiously polite to me, the ensign.
There was a lot more of the same in this novel. I finally gave up on it around page 164. Spend your hard-eared money somewhere else. This book does not deserve your attention. As for me, I have personally sworn off these two losers. I'm not interested in hearing what they have to say.
Well what did you expect from these guys?.......2006-09-26
This book shares its title with Jeff Shaara's concluding book in his trilogy. I would guess that most of the participants in that book would be offended by this one. Beginning with the outrageous dedication to the pitiful dolt Cindy Sheehan it is apparent that this is going to be a book that will find praise from those who share the same views on Iraq and on alternative life styles and distain from those who don't. Count me among the latter.
Earth's Fate Hangs in the Balance.......2006-09-10
Seven million dead. That was the death toll when the Xindi attacked earth with their first attack. Now, they are constructing a weapon that would destroy the entire planet. Captain Jonathan Archer and his crew must work with MACOs, with whom they often have an adverserial relationship, to save the planet earth.
Through the story, they are seeking clues in a part of space humanity knows little about populated by species they know even less of. However, failure is not an option as failure means the end of Earth.
Through the story, Starfleet and MACO learn to work together. They learn, grudgingly at times, to have respect for one another. They realize that they are truly on the same side.
The authors keep the story moving with vivid detail. You can picture the main players and events as they unfold in four different places, including the Xindi Homeworld, which Arthur and his crew is trying to find.
Unfortunately, this book does not have the complete story of the quest as the ultimate fate is included in the TV series. If you have access to it, you need it to see what happens in the end. Other than that minor point, I think this would be an enjoyable book for Trekkers everywhere.
Excellent Moral Tale... Barely Star Trek.......2006-08-22
In the wake of the Xindi attack on the planet earth, Captain Jonathan Archer and the crew of the Enterprise have been assigned the challenging task of neutralizing a Xindi super weapon that is being prepared for the annihilation of the human race. Along for the ride is a troop of space-marines, the MACO's. The MACOs view the crew of the Enterprise as soft and undisciplined, while the crew looks upon the MACOs with discomfort and concern. The cauldron is set boiling as separate missions expose Captain Archer, Major Hayes, Lieutenant Reed, Corporal Chang, and Ensign Mayweather to the best and worst of one another, and themselves.
In a quest to discover the location of hidden Xindi weapon construction bases, Captain Archer, Major Hayes, and Lieutenant Reed embark on a shuttlepod journey to the planet Kaletoo to track down a Xindi supplier.
Later, Ensign Mayweather is assigned to track down an odd emission reading at the edge of the Kaletoo system - and to take a squad of MACOs with him.
In the interweaving tales both sides of the 'sharks and squids' competition (mirroring the inter-service rivalry of modern day naval/marine contingents) learn valuable lessons about one another and grow in their (grudging) appreciation of the gifts and talents that both bring to the table in the fight to save the human race.
Last Full Measure is a very, very satisfying read. The writing duo of Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels manage to do an outstanding job of laying out several supporting crewmembers who one grows to care for by the end of the story, interweaves the work with a large amount of Star Trek backstory (particularly in the Prologue and Epilogue), and offers up a satisfying moral and interpersonal relations tale.
Sadly, however, while the novel is excellent, it goes to confirm in my mind a wide gap between Star Trek and the Enterprise series.
Star Trek, at it's purest form, is both a social commentary and a space adventure. This book manages to capture both elements well, and yet still manages to fall outside the pale of what, in my mind, constitutes a Star Trek story.
Conflict and the occasional poor decision needs to be a staple of good storytelling, particularly when one is attempting to create a sympathetic hero-figure. Sadly, in the tradition established in the televised episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise, Captain Archer continues to be depicted as an (at best) inept spacecraft commander, ill suited to the demands of tracking down the greatest threat to Earth that the human race has faced in a century. For most of the story, I had a very difficult time accepting Archer as a Starfleet captain, a position I grew to feel more and more during the third season of the television series. While Archer is well written given his previously established mindset, I have to admit that he is a commander I would never have followed into battle.
Ensign Mayweather gets a good portion of development in this particular story, and the insights gel well with what we observed of him on-screen.
The shining element of the story, however, is Lieutenant Malcom Reed. His reflections, his personal deliberations on right and wrong - particularly given his assignment as the Enterprise's tactical officer - are most satisfying, even if the internal dialogue that he has is criticized by some reviewers as being nothing more than ham-handed political commentary on the Iraq war. Reed's was the single-most compelling element of a very good story, and given my own personal views on matters of justice, integrity, and militarism, I found myself utterly sympathetic towards him from the outset.
Martin and Mangels also use the novel to set forth the beginning elements of an Enterprise relaunch (using the framing material to do this quite well), and to place the events of Enterprise squarely into the Star Trek universe... while the actual tome convinced me more than ever that Enterprise is not truly Star Trek.
Last Full Measure is good military sci-fi, and a compelling moral and personal tale, one that I would commend to all those looking for a morality tale and an action-adventure rolled into one; but it is barely Star Trek. This is not the fault of the authors, however, who have provided an excellent story to those interested in the investment.
Average customer rating:
|
Lincoln the President: Midstream to the Last Full Measure (Lincoln the President)
J. G. Randall , and
Richard Nelson Current
Manufacturer: Da Capo Pr
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ASIN: 0306807556 |
Book Description
A pleasure cruise, a treasure hunt, swing music, and murder? who could ask for anything more? In late November 1941, swing musician Katy Green joins two old friends in a dance band on the SS Lurline en route to Honolulu. Hidden treasure at their destination could make them rich, but murder—as well as World War II—is in the offing. Swing music fans, nostalgia buffs and history enthusiasts will enjoy the authentic period and musical detail in this delightful historical mystery. And Stanford and Cal graduates will enjoy the traditional Big Game rivalry aboard ship! A vintage postcard of the SS Lurline introduces each of the 13 chapters, as well as cover and frontispiece illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Full to overflowing, even -- .......2007-01-05
As are all of Hal Glatzer's books, this one is exceptionally well written, drawing the reader in to the story immediately, and keeping him/her there. The only real problem with having read this book is in knowing that it will be a year or so (or close to it!) before the next Katy Green story appears. That's sad.
This book, however, is not quite a Katy Green story in the manner of the first two, which had at least as much music as mystery in them. This one is rather undecided about what it wants to be: there is some music, and a little mystery--well actually, more suspense than mystery, I think, and a lot of history. Since I love history as much as I love music and mystery, I found this to be an engrossing story.
Having never met anyone from Hawaii until last year, I'd never given much thought to the history of the islands other than the basics than most people know. I was little more than a toddler when WWII broke out, and it was the European conflict that most affected my life, rather than that in the Pacific.
Of course, I think everyone dreams of an ocean cruise, especially on one of the vintage liners. Reading this book was almost as good as the actual thing, I think, which is probably not possible any more, anyway.
All in all, even though there was not as much music as I might have liked, I didn't feel at all gypped by this book. There are so many other elements that make up for that lack, I have no hesitation at all in recommending it. It succeeds on every level--satisfying reading, excellent characterizations, splendid historical data presented in a readable fashion, and enough suspense/mystery to keep any reader happy.
There is a brief allusion to an older Katy mystery tale. Dare we hope--?
Book Description
Since its publication, Richard Moe's THE LAST FULL MEASURE has garnered a reputation as one of a handful of classic regimental histories of the Civil War and the definitive history of the First Minnesota Regiment.
Moe's chronicle of the First Minnesota has received wide acclaim from reviewers and historians alike. As James MacGregor Burns notes in his foreword to the book, "Like Tolstoy's 'War and Peace,' this work sticks close to the men in battle, and hence, like Tolstoy, the author keeps close to the human size of war." Ken Burns, co-producer of the acclaimed PBS documentary "The Civil War" notes that "Richard Moe, in this wonderfully told regimental history, manages to rescue that which Civil War studies so often neglects: the people."
Customer Reviews:
Too much quotation.......2007-08-12
The research and flow of the book is good, but there's too much quotation from the primary sources. It's great to see the perspective of the regiment's men, but the use is excessive. This has a tendency to make the book a bit tedious at times. More analysis from the author would have been helpful. Nontheless, a noble effort to tell an important story.
Great regimental history .......2006-12-28
Few Union Civil War regiments did more for the Union cause then the First Minnesota. The case could even be made, on a man by man basis, that the sacrifices these men made, culminating in the enormous losses the regiment suffered at Gettysburg, exceeded that of any other unit on the Union side. Yet for many years this gallant regiment was relatively unknown, at least until this excellent regimental history was published. Minnesota native Richard Moe does justice to this great unit by portraying the men just as they were--brave, stalwart, yet human underneath it all. The tenacity these men showed in battle is evident from the first time they saw real combat against the Stonewall brigade at First Manasses, and is demonstrated over and over throughout Moe's work.
One of the great challenges in writing combat history lies in doing justice to the battle narrative without coming across as over-dramatic in the telling. Moe does an excellent job of relating the combat experiences of the First Minnesota, with his telling of the First's participation in the battle of Gettysburg being very moving and some of the best combat narrative I believe I've ever read. In those few pages alone Moe accomplishes his objective--to make the reader appreciate the part these great men played in the war--and even without the rest of the book I believe his point would be made.
This is a regimental history, of course, so the focus is on the First Minnesota rather than the actions of the Army of the Potomac in general. There are parts of the narrative, such as when the regiment is guarding Harper's Ferry, when relatively little happens, yet such is the nature of a unit history such as this one. I think a full appreciation of this book requires some knowledge of the first three years of the Civil War, but Moe provides enough detail that one could probably get a general idea of what was going on elsewhere in the war even without it.
In-depth coverage of the finest Union regiment of the Civil War.......2005-08-04
While the gallant charge of the 1st Minnesota on July 2, which saved the Union cause was well known to me, the rest of the illustrious history of the first volunteer Union regiment, from First Manassas to The Wilderness, was not.
To read the homely accounts of these citizen soldiers helps you to understand how the Army of the Potomac, despite a succession of inept commanders, ultimately prevailed.
A must for serious Civil War buffs.
If our generation could just walk in these men's shadows..........2005-07-16
This is an account of mostly young, inexperienced, rurual boys and men from Minnesota (three years after statehood) who fought to preserve the Union, giving the last full measure at Gettysburg. A breathtaking narrative. All to not let a wrong thing happen to our nation. If today's generation of boys and men could grasp what the 1st Minnesota taught us, the present war on terror would be quickly addressed.
one of the best books on the Civil War.......2004-10-20
The Last Full Measure proves to be one of the best books ever written on regimental history. The subject here was the First Minnesota who founded lasting fame on the fields of Gettysburg. The author, Richard Moe, did a superb job bring this regiment alive, using primary sources of diaries, letters and reports.
The book traces the regiment's history from its Minnesota origins as it mustered into the Union army and fought its campaigns from First Manasass to Gettysburg. After Gettysburg, the regiment wind down before it was discharged in February of 1864. But it was at Gettysburg where the regiment met their final fame and glory. Just as 20th Maine showed their right stuff at Little Round Top and General Greene's brigade held by their fingertips over at Culp's Hill, First Minnesota saved the Union center by making a "banzai" charge against overwhelming odds with successful result. Their losses were heavy. The book skillfully reflects on their heroic actions against unsurmountable odds. It proves to be a very exciting and informative reading.
They came on the field with roughly 330 men and lost 229 men (killed and wounded), about 67% loss. It was not the most in the Union Army for this battle. 24th Michigan of the Iron Brigade for example lost 73% loss while 2nd Wisconsin lost up to 77% of their strength. First Minnesota ranked 15th among Union regimental losses based on percentage.
A well written book, superbly researched and easy to read, many Civil War regiments could wish that their stories could be as well told as the First Minnesota's thanks to the author. I believed this book belong to the "must read if you are interested in the American Civil War" list.
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Lincoln the President: LAST FULL MEASURE
James G. Randall , and
Richard N Current
Manufacturer: University of Illinois Press
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Binding: Paperback
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