This book by Richard Andersen is helpful if you are unsure of your basic writing skills, but does little to help you out with being creative or playing with words, which is what I expected when I bought it. Still, it does complete it's purpose and explains some of the quirksome nuances of the English language that we all must conquer to be good writers. If you didn't master English in Junior High real well, you probably could use this book.

I hate to slam a book this severely, but I have to agree with a previous reviewer who found it sensationalist, inaccurate and generally sloppy in small or large features. Like her I was annoyed by the many untruths with which the author built up his tale. Why build around a real person, Colonel Robert Shaw, only to abuse his known character, his possible motives, and the wife, parents and friends who in reality did surround him? According to many historical records these were all people of integrity; you'd never know it from this romance. Far better to pick a purely fictional person and start over, leaving Colonel Shaw alone.

I got this book, because I am a HUGE Col. Robert Gould Shaw fan. I expected it to be fairly good, but I found out it is absolutely HORRIBLE! It has some good points, but there are very few. It is not historically correct. It has many false statements, and I am ashamed to have ever bought it. It is an insult to Col. Shaw! If you want to read some false junk, then this is for you, but if you want to learn something, steer clear of this book!