Carl Schurz is a very important and very interesting personage from the 19th Century. It is unfortunate that he has become a rather obscure figure in this century. Hans Trefousse wants to make him a little less obscure. He has written an excellent biography which should satisfy anyone interested in learning more about Carl Schurz. The book provides a comprehensive picture of Schurz's entire life. In fact only a quarter of the book covers the Civil War years. The revolutionary upheaval in Germany in the 1840's is given extensive coverage and may be the most intriguing portion of the book. There is also a complete anyalysis of the postwar years when Schurz was a leading political figure in the United States. Trefousse's 386 page work is exhaustively researched. He waded through dozens of manuscript collections and newspapers. The bibliography alone takes up 22 pages! Nineteen illustratons augment the narrative. If you are interested in Schurz, this is the book to buy.