Lee Looking Lee book recommendations

as if Pryor has some sort of distaste of Lee’s reverence, and has made it her goal to prove that he is not worthy of the praise.

Anyone not drinking the Lost Cause Kool-aid should have some "distaste" for Lee's reverence. He's long been deified beyond reason by the South and, while surely worth some praise, is certainly not worth the level of praise many heap upon him.

I vaguely recall that Korda's book got mixed reviews. What was the take from Korda's detractors?

The book skims over or outright skips a number of Civil War battles and campaigns that Lee and the ANV were involved in. It cites Wikipedia as a source several times. It makes very dubious arguments regarding Lee’s views on slavery, including a somewhat infamous comparison to Lincoln. Some odd errors like "St. Marye's Heights" and confusing the Copse of Trees and Zeigler Grove.
 
He has an axe to grind in seeing Lee's shortcomings being brought out in addition to his strengths.

Odd... he says his issue is with the author inserting too much of her own opinions and 20th/21st century biases, not the fact that Lee had shortcomings...

Take a look at another 3-star review:

"Typical white washing of Lee's behavior toward Blacks and disregard of the oath he took to protect and defend the nation he later tried to defeat."

That's someone with an axe to grind in the other direction.

I agree with your assessment of that review, but not the other one.

Like I said, Amazon reviews are typically worthless. They're usually one of the worst ways to make up one's mind whether or not to purchase the book.

No, they aren't revealing at all, except for the prejudices of the reviewers.

Like I said, generally speaking, you may sometimes be right...
 
"The chapters begin with a selection of one or more letters written either by Lee, or about him and his situation. The context of the letters is then discussed, with emphasis on their relationship to the current political situation in the country at the time, or to Lee’s personal environment at the time. Pryor would then use her research to discuss some facts about Lee’s situation, and then immediately dive in to the defamation of his character. By the end of each chapter, Pryor has either abandoned her research for a rampage of vilification or is on damage control, trying to salvage what is left from the object of the chapter after her tirade of libel."

I have read most of "Reading the Man" and this review describes the book with 100% accuracy. The goal is clearly to tear Lee down, not objectively look at his life. "We can't infer"... Pryor will say, and then she spends most of any given chapter making the worst possible inferences.
 
I have read most of "Reading the Man" and this review describes the book with 100% accuracy. The goal is clearly to tear Lee down, not objectively look at his life. "We can't infer"... Pryor will say, and then she spends most of any given chapter making the worst possible inferences.
What is interesting is that the same crowd who praises the late Ms Pryor’s book also does everything in their power to resurrect the image of US Grant. Coincidence?
 
***Posted as Moderator***
This thread is about book recommendations. Please confine your comments to opinions on books about Robert E. Lee and avoid arguing with fellow posters.
 
Reading the Man was the first book selected this year for Gettysburg National Military Park's Battlefield Books discussion program.

Those interested in an in-depth review of Reading the Man may be interested in these posts:

https://studycivilwar.wordpress.com/2018/01/17/reading-the-man-chapters-1-5/

https://studycivilwar.wordpress.com/2018/01/19/reading-the-man-chapters-6-10/

https://studycivilwar.wordpress.com/2018/01/28/reading-the-man-chapters-11-15/

https://studycivilwar.wordpress.com/2018/01/30/reading-the-man-chapters-16-20/

https://studycivilwar.wordpress.com/2018/02/05/reading-the-man-chapters-21-26/

That people interested in a true portrait of Lee should also seek a true portrait of Grant should surprise no one.
 
Please don't forget to include something about his loyal mount Traveler in it! He so loved that horse!

Traveller got a little box off text of his own in the article, with the classic photograph.

(This thread has suddenly sprung back to life after a long sleepy spell, my piece was published in April 2017 so it's to late for me to benefit from any more advice. I did use Korda in the end, and was happy to do so. I did browse Emory M Thomas and JFC Fuller too, and found both useful.)
 
I couldn't find where this would be best to post this far as introductory or beginner books on the civil war so I posted it on here.I am new to learning about the CivilWar.For a beginner book or starter book on the subject is This Great Struggle By Stephen Woodworth one of the better ones?Would anybody have any reccommendations for the beginner?
 
I couldn't find where this would be best to post this far as introductory or beginner books on the civil war so I posted it on here.I am new to learning about the CivilWar.For a beginner book or starter book on the subject is This Great Struggle By Stephen Woodworth one of the better ones?Would anybody have any reccommendations for the beginner?

I haven't read that book, so I can't comment on it.

McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom is an excellent introduction, as is Allen C. Guelzo's Fateful Lightning. I don't know where Woodworth's book would fall in comparison.
 
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