I started reading this book after hearing about St Vincent Ferrer in another book (Trial, Tribulation, and Triumph) on apocalypticism. St Vincent Ferrer is perhaps the most amazing saint of all time, but for some reason we don't hear much about him anymore. He was well known for his preaching which attracted crowds so large (tens of thousands) that he often had to preach outdoors. He also performed so many miracles (often 10 or more per day) that the Vatican gave up trying to document them all when his cause for sainthood was under investigation. What's interesting is that St Vincent Ferrer travelled and preached during times much like our own, when people were turning away from God and the world was in danger of chastisement. St Vincent's passionate preaching converted many sinners and saved the world once before. Perhaps it is time today for us to start praying for this saint to intercede for us.

When I first heard of St. Vincent Ferrer, most of the information was either boring to very little about this great Saint. After buying and reading this book, I learned many things about him from his sufferings to his triumps over Satan. One of the things that amazed me about this Saint was all the mircles that he preformed from the womb until his death. He even proved that he is the Angle of Judgement by bringing a woman back to life. He could touch the hardest of souls by his preaching and many followed this Saint. After reading this book, you may follow St. Vincent Ferrer, too? St. Vincent Ferrer, pray for us.

In this fine volume, David Boucher and Andrew Vincent introduce the reader to the thought of seven major British idealists: Thomas Hill Green, Francis Herbert Bradley, Bernard Bosanquet, David Ritchie, Henry Jones, Robin George Collingwood, and Michael Oakeshott. And they do it by approaching these seminal philosophers through their political theories.

It's a good book on a subject on which there aren't too many good books. Another one in its class is William Sweet's _Idealism and Rights_, which is also excellent but specifically devoted to Bosanquet.

The two of them more or less take turns -- Vincent writing on Green, Bradley, and Bosanquet, and Boucher writing on Ritchie, Collingwood, and Oakeshott, and the two working together on Jones (on whom they've cowritten an earlier book). Each is a respected scholar in this field; each is a reliable guide and expositor.

This focus on political theory strikes me as a good idea. For one thing, it gives the reader new to idealism a way to get a handle on these philosophers. For another, it makes clear that the British idealists really _did_ have social issues in mind and _weren't_ just philosophizing in a vacuum. For a third thing, the range of political opinions represented here makes clear that metaphysical idealism doesn't, in and of itself, commit anyone to any particular political theory or outlook (a lesson that needs to be learned by some present-day libertarians who think Hegelian metaphysics is a recipe for totalitarianism).

These two gentlemen write clearly and well. Oh, they misspell the last name of my favorite philosopher Brand Blanshard -- as "Blanchard" -- but that's not as unusual as it probably should be, and I forgive them. At any rate, the exposition is sound and thorough, and each of their subjects is placed in his proper historical and philosophical context; Bradley, for example, is discussed largely in relation to Henry Sidgwick. And they are not, let's say, subjected to any undue reverence; we meet them warts and all.

It's well done. I recommend it to any reader who wants to learn more about idealist philosophy in general and British idealism in particular.

The Gay Rights Movement edited by Vincent Samar is an essential, must-read book. Samar has collected the most important and often controversial NY Times articles on gay issues in this century. Samar's intelligent selection shows the evolution of an entire culture. In terms of human rights, we give a lot for granted. Reading Samar's book reminds us that nothing is a given. Highly recommended in particular for young readers.

This meticulously researched and wonderfully written book is the first volume in a three-part biography of Jackson that will undoubtedly set the standard for years to come.
Part of what makes Remini's work so useful is that he does not rely solely on American sources but has also dug deep into the Archivo General de Indies in Seville, Spain in order to try to see Jackson from the viewpoint of the Spanish colonial government. It was this research that led Remini to his main thesis in this book which is that Jackson, thru his military exploits against the Indians of the southern United States (notably the Creek, Choctaw, Cherokee, Seminole and Chickasaw tribes) and against the Spanish in Florida did as much or more than any other individual to extend U.S. territory into much of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and all of Florida. One of the more interesting revelations of the book for me was the mutual admiration and the shared goals at this point in their lives between Jackson and Monroe's Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams.
In fact, Remini makes a good argument that Jackson's military exploits in that region were is what enabled Adams to deal so successfully with the Spanish in negotiating the Trans-Continental Treaty of 1819. This treaty formalized the recognition of the European powers of the territory added to the U.S. by Jefferson in the Louisiana Purchase. Up until then the purchase was widely recognized as illegal.
So why don't I give this book a higher rating? I think that Remini falls prey to a common tendency of American historians who take on the task of writing the lives of our great men. As a reading public, we do not seem to want to acknowledge the dark side of our leaders or our history. As a result, it is difficult to write biographies that do not border on hagiography. Remini for the most part avoids this failing. He is clear about Jackson's violent (murderous, really) temper, his tendency to bully others until they gave in and his paternalism. This is not a man I would have wanted to know.
Where Remini does not quite live up to his own standards is in regards to Jackson's (to my mind) overt racism. Jackson regarded the presence of the Indians anywhere in territory that was being settled by Americans as unacceptable unless the Indians were willing to give up their tribal territories, accept a farming plot and become good little American citizens. Remini tries to convince his readers that Jackson the paternalist hated only the tribes not the individual Indians and that therefore Jackson and his policies were not racist (see the discussion on p. 337). I leave it up to the reader of this review whether this defense is adequate. I think that the last fifty years has amply proved that a racist can befriend individual members of the hated group as long as that individual keeps their place. I think that this is actually a rather common type of racism and Jackson exemplifies to a plentitude. To be fair to both Remini and Jackson he had a life long history of defending the underdog if they applied to him for protection.
Of course, this makes Jackson a paragon of the southern culture of the time but we also need to be honest about our own history. Jackson was a racist, he initiated Indian policies that were, at the least, marginally genocidal (the Indians called Jackson, Sharp Knife) and he was still one of our greatest men, one who had an enormous influence on our historical destiny. Remini, the good honest scholar that he is, gives us enough material and detail so that we get enough of the story so that we can sort out our own vision of the truth.

This is the first of a three volume set but if this one is anything like the next two are going to be, I am going to really enjoy the other two books as well. It is obvious that there was a tremendous amount of work put into tracking down all the details of Jackson's life. There were things that I have never heard of before I read this book. It appears that the author left no stone unturned in evaluating Jackson's life from his family life to his political life. There is plenty of detail regarding everything in his life. This has almost got to be one the best books out there on Andrew Jackson. The reader gets to understand why Jackson makes the decisions he makes by the author pointing out what kind of character he was plus other circumstances in his life that made him the way he was. The maps in the book help as well to show areas where battles were fought or land claimed to expand the American frontier. There were countless times when the author included what Jackson actually said or what somebody else important to the subject at hand said about him. It is a well written-well researched book. This was a set of books that I decided that I wanted after some friends and I visited The Hermitage in Nashville in July of this year.

This is the first book in a trilogy of Andrew Jackson and it is a magnificent book. So many biographers bury their subject and forget that most readers what to know who their subject *was*, not merely what they *did.* Remini doesn't fall into this trap. He gives the reader a well-grounded and detailed look at Andrew Jackson as a man: his foibles, passions and prejudices, as well as his extreme ambition and vacillating brilliance.

Remini strikes a beautiful balance when examining Jackson's private life and military/political life. His examination of the Battle of New Orleans is absolutely riveting, and he weaves Jackson in and out of the narrative with rare poise and skill. The reader can actually picture Jackson in the midst of this battle, feel his emotions and understand the decisions he made. When a biographer can paint such a vivid picture, the reader will always be rewarded.

This is an excellent book for the entire spectrum of people interested in Jackson. Whether you are a neophyte or an established Jacksonian historian, there is much to enjoy, as well as new material. The footnotes and bibliography are excellent resources and lead to additional sources for the reader. The minute I finished this, I bought the second volume, "Andrew Jackson: The Course of American Freedom, 1822-1832," also available on Amazon. This first volume is truly an outstanding book

Robert Remini completes his biography of Andrew Jackson in an excellent third volume. This biography is very well written and a pleasure to read. Remini is so well versed on his subject and really makes Jackson come to life as one of the major figures in U.S. History. This is as honest account of an individual that I have ever read and have come away with a new found respect for Andrew Jackson.
Remini does not shy away from Jacksons many faults nor does he make excuses for them and he also shows how tender and loyal Jackson can be to those that were family and friends. Remini makes the case that Jackson was the most influential person in shaping the Presidency and government to the modern democracy it is today and I am inclined to agree with him. Jackson had certain convictions on government and policy and would not bow under pressure and reshaped the role of the Presidency despite pressure from Congress. I would definitely recommend this biography to everyone interested in Andrew Jackson as well as those interest in the evolution of our government.

The final volume in Robert Remini's definitive biography of Andrew Jackson follows the life of the seventh president from the beginning of his second term through the end of his life. In it, we see many of the things that made Jackson one of our most important presidents despite his significant flaws.

Prior to Jackson's presidency, the executive office was much weaker. The designers of the Constitution, with their fears of strong central figures, had intended Congress to be the most powerful of the supposedly co-equal branches. Jackson, however, viewed himself as the sole representative of the people - the only person elected by a nation, not a region - and through various measures such as an expansion of the use of the veto, was able to shift the balance of power. Although the following presidents would be weaker, the presidency as an office had been redefined.

As the book begins, Jackson's second term was beginning and he needed to deal with South Carolina and the Nullification Crisis. Essentially successful with this problem, he also dealt with other issues, including his war with the Bank of the United States and bad relations with France. By many measures, his presidency was a success, but there were a number of negatives as well, in particular his treatment of Indians and his disregard of slavery issues. His appointment of Taney to Chief Justice would eventually lead to the Dred Scott decision. Remini finds more positives than negatives with Jackson, but he doesn't disregard the black marks.

Probably only Washington was as universally adored in his time as Jackson was, and unlike Washington, Jackson was a true man of the people, a populist who courteously met with rich and poor alike. Even after his retirement, his popularity guaranteed his continued political clout, and few Democrats defied his wishes while he was alive.

The three volumes in this biography are around 1300 pages (plus notes and indexes), but Remini is such a good writer that this is far from a burdensome read. There may be shorter biographies of Jackson, but there aren't better. Remini knows this era well (he also has written excellent biographies of Clay and Webster) and he brings it to life.

If you have read my reviews of the first two volumes in this biography you already know my opinion of Remini and of his subject. Suffice it to say that if you are serious about learning about American history these volumes are for you. Not only are they an excellent introduction to many of the political and social issues of the era but they also allow the reader to wrestle with our national proclivity toward uncritical hero worship. Our past leaders were every bit as complex, as flawed and as human as our current crop .... What follows is a small portion of what I have learned from Remini's hard and honest labors.
Jackson's accomplishments were extraordinary by any standards and some of them are quite ironic. He very much believed in states rights yet he probably did more to strengthen and expand the executive part of the federal government than any President until Franklin Roosevelt. Consider the following (all discussed in Remini's volume):
1.He was the first President to use the pocket veto. He was the first to use the veto power for nonconstitutional reasons. We are so used to our Presidents using the veto because of policy disagreements with legislation that we forget how much of a shift this was in the balance of power as envisioned by the original generation.
2.He reformed every department of the federal government and greatly expanded the bureaucracy as a result. He eliminated much of the graft that was rampant at the time and (at least, gave the impression of) greatly democratizing the civil service by making it more of a meritocracy. All this inevitably led to more people working for the government. A lot more people.
3.Jackson changed the relationship of the various Cabinet members to the President. He was the first to fire a Cabinet member because of a disagreement over policy. Up until then Cabinet officers and ambassadors, because their appointments had to be approved by the Senate, were regarded as being accountable more to Congress than to the President.
This is only a partial list of the ways that Jackson's Presidency changed the stature of the Executive branch of the government.
Jackson's ideology (as I see it) comes from him trying to work out the tensions between his state's rights philosophy with his military experience, which taught him the necessity of a clear uncontested chain of command with his love of and trust in the people. I will comment on only one portion of that dynamic. Like so many of our leaders, the tensions in Jackson's ideology led him into conspiracy theories. He believed in and trusted the American people to always make the right decisions (the ones he would have made) and almost always credited any electoral reverses to cabals acting to befuddle and delude the populace.
As a result, he became one of ablest early advocates of putting a good spin on the issues. Early on in his first term he helped to establish a newspaper that served as the official organ of the administration. Altogether, Jackson was a fascinating and maddening character.
I find myself greatly in the debt of Remini. Jackson has always repulsed me by his blatant racism and his paternalism. Remini has humanized Jackson quite a bit for me. I am more appreciative of Jackson's great accomplishments and I have learned quite a bit of the politics of the time. I will be reading Remini's book on Van Buren next along with Seller's biography of Polk. One of the ways that I evaluate the work of a historian is by how much they increase my interest in further reading on their subject and on the period in question. By this standard, Remini belongs to my first rank of American historians.

Professor Remini's book, Andrew Jackson, is a well written and interesting biography of one of our greatest presidents. This well written, smooth reading book reads as if it were a novel. It draws on the main points of Jackson's life and times, and does it concisely. It is just over 200 pages therefore it should not scare off the casual reader, whith overwhelming size. Check out Remnini's other Jacksonian books because he is the eminent Jacksonian historian.

Author Robert Remini's 3-volume biography of Andrew Jackson is acknowledged to be one of the best. However, for someone - like me - for whom Jackson has long been an object of fascination but, regretfully, not someone that I was taught about in school or have had time to research on my own, I found the slender book detailed here the perfect introduction to "Sharp Knife" (the Indian nickname for Jackson.)

Mr. Remini hits the high points (Jackson's origins, his role in the Revolutionary War, his courtship/marriage to Rachel Robards, his role in Indian affairs and the battle of New Orleans, as well as his two terms as President) in an efficient, informal manner. Stylistically, the book's contents are a broad brush-stroke, designed to provide a "jumping-off point" for the reader who is little-or-unacquainted with Jackson.

Once you complete this book, if you still don't feel up to the challenge of the 3-volume work, I recommend the one-volume abridgement of same, entitled "The Life Of Andrew Jackson" (ISBN No. 0060937351), which gives even more detail and background than this "introductory" Jackson biography.

By the time you read both of these, you'll be well ready to jump feet-first into Mr. Remini's classic multi-volume masterpiece and further indulge what will surely have become an even greater fascination with the Hero of New Orleans.

This may not be the most thorough of biographies but it is very good. Although Mr. Remini does seem to admire Andrew Jackson, he doesn't gloss over his failings: his treatment of the Cherokee Nation, his inability to see the need for some sort of central bank, his brutal treatment of just about everybody during the Indian wars. I felt the author's refering to Andrew Jackson as 'the hero' was done more for artistic flourish rather than concrete evaluation.

The book is an easy read and Mr. Remini is an entertaining writer. He packs an amazing amount of information into the 200 pages of this book. I am looking forward to reading his three volume biography of Andrew Jackson.

This book would be a master piece for anyone who is christian or believes in a God at some point. I dont have any religion at all so I foud this book kind of useless since it was written only from a christian view. While I was reading it I found interested theories, ideas, and passages but all where about God and the bible.

This book is better than 30 years of counseling and my old Zoloft prescription. At last, someone has explained exactly what I'm feeling-exactly what we're ALL feeling-and given us logical, step-by-step ways to overcome this tremendous burden of anger, aka frustration, disappointment, injustice, etc. I don't have to be upset all the time anymore! Freedom!

I recommend this to everyone. It is sad fact that alot of us just didn't learn how to effectively deal with our anger growing up.

Structured as a series of interviews with the key players behind TAC Web: -- the senior director, project managers, technical writers, and site manager - the book is laced with e-support terminology as well as high-tech colloquialisms (e.g., bleeding edge appears frequently). The interviews themselves convey a sense of intimacy; you feel as if you're sitting in a meeting with all of Cisco's e-Support teams, getting an interior view of how their organization is structured and what methods they use. For example, you learn that Cisco has dedicated technical writers within the support teams to transform customer issues into meaningful support content. Also, a bonus of the interview format is that it allowed the book's designer to leverage white space effectively, alleviating the feeling of density that sometimes characterizes a text-heavy book.

The target audience for this book is CEOs and Senior VPs seeking to either implement an e-Support solution or improve an existing one. Of particular interest to these execs is the chapter on metrics, which provides graphics and sample charts showing the kinds of metrics Cisco relies on. (Walker Information regularly surveys Cisco customers regarding the TAC Web site content). It examines the greatest challenges involved in acting on these metrics, as well as what metrics are meaningful and where they come from. For example, Cisco measures what technical articles customers access most frequently so that their tech support team can proactively get that information to customers in a more direct form - either via e-mail messages or by making the content more visible on the TAC Web. Cisco also measures customer satisfaction with the technical content on the Web site, so that they can improve its effectiveness and accessibility..

As for the book itself, it has one big weakness: It is not a blueprint. Although it provides a useful peek inside a successful e-Support implementation, it does not offer a step-by-step method for creating a comparable system for your company or for "saving millions" with your own e-Support solution. The authors could have done a better job of setting appropriate expectations in an Introduction explaining the book's scope and goals or by writing a Conclusion that summed up the interviews. Also, they really don't talk about how the Cisco e-Support model might translate to other companies. Will it scale down for companies that don't have the resources to assemble a marketing team devoted exclusively to e-Support or a team of writers and editors to gather and shape content from support engineers?

Collaboratively written by Cisco experts Andrew Connan and Vincent Russell, E-Support: How Cisco Systems Saves Millions While Improving Customer Support is an intrinsically fascinating, informed and informative presentation of the E-support system -- a self-service, web-based means of providing help and support to customers that is much less costly than traditional telephone-based support services. A thorough and "reader friendly" guide to what e-support is, and how it can benefit the conduct of business (especially focusing upon the e-support network created by Cisco Systems), E-Support is very highly recommended reading and directly applicable to understanding and developing an e-support corporate marketing strategy.

In this, the second (and shortest) installation of three volumes on the life of Andrew Jackson, Robert Remini covers the decade between Jackson's ostensible retirement from public life after serving a short ' and miserable ' term as governor of the newly acquired Florida territory to the culmination of his first presidential term.

The central issue covered in this volume ' indeed, the central issue in Jackson's political life, as Remini later concludes in Volume III ' is the presidential election of 1824 and the so-called 'corrupt bargain' between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay to deprive Jackson of the presidency despite his commanding lead in the popular vote. For Jackson, it was conspiracy of the wealthy elites against a commoner, and it proved that the American republic itself was in mortal jeopardy. The defeat served as a catalyst for Jackson's passionate, almost obsessive commitment to 'reform and retrenchment,' which Remini weaves together with the character developed in Volume I. It was his quest to avenge the loss of 1824 (and the honor of the American people who had been swindled) and sweep the 'augean stables' of corruption and graft in Washington that led to the great democratic movement that bears his name. (It should be noted that Harry Ammon and other leading historians of the Monroe and Adams administrations stridently contest Remini's assertion that the Era of Good Feelings was actually the 'Era of Corruption.')

For those of you who puzzled over Washington's obsession with the Monica Lewinsky affair, you will be amused to read that the dominating issue of Jackson's first term was the reportedly lascivious nature of Peggy Eaton, the wife of Jackson's old friend and secretary of war. This so-called 'Petticoat War,' which saw the wives of other cabinet members and senior officials ' mostly notably vice president Calhoun's wife, Floride ' shunning social interaction with Peggy, literally ripped the cabinet asunder and very nearly toppled the government. Remini tells the story with verve and wit, which at times reads more like a Sidney Sheldon novel than a volume in a definitive presidential biography.

In this, the second (and shortest) installation of three volumes on the life of Andrew Jackson, Robert Remini covers the decade between Jackson's ostensible retirement from public life after serving a short - and miserable - term as governor of the newly acquired Florida territory to the culmination of his first presidential term.

The central issue covered in this volume - indeed, the central issue in Jackson's political life, as Remini later concludes in Volume III - is the presidential election of 1824 and the so-called "corrupt bargain" between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay to deprive Jackson of the presidency despite his commanding lead in the popular vote. For Jackson, it was conspiracy of the wealthy elites against a commoner, and it proved that the American republic itself was in mortal jeopardy. The defeat served as a catalyst for Jackson's passionate, almost obsessive commitment to "reform and retrenchment," which Remini weaves together with the character developed in Volume I. It was his quest to avenge the loss of 1824 (and the honor of the American people who had been swindled) and sweep the "augean stables" of corruption and graft in Washington that led to the great democratic movement that bears his name. (It should be noted that Harry Ammon and other leading historians of the Monroe and Adams administrations stridently contest Remini's assertion that the Era of Good Feelings was actually the "Era of Corruption.")

For those of you who puzzled over Washington's obsession with the Monica Lewinsky affair, you will be amused to read that the dominating issue of Jackson's first term was the reportedly lascivious nature of his secretary of war and old friend John Eaton's wife, Peggy. This so-called "Petticoat War," which saw the wives of other cabinet members and senior officials - mostly notably vice president Calhoun's wife - shunning social interaction with Peggy Eaton, literally ripped the cabinet asunder and very nearly toppled the government. Remini tells the story with verve and wit, which at times reads more like a Sidney Sheldon novel than a volume in a definitive presidential biography.

When we last left Andrew Jackson, he had just quit his job as governor of the Florida territory. Having built his reputation on his military actions against Indians and his rout over the British in the Battle of New Orleans, Jackson now had two goals: first, recovering his precarious health, and second, becoming president.

In this second volume of Remini's biography of the seventh president, Jackson rises to the pinnacle of his power, though it is by no means easy. First, there is his health: having abused his body over the years in war and duels, Jackson was not in good shape and probably spent the last decades of his life in constant pain which only his vast willpower could overcome.

In 1824, Jackson ran for president and despite getting a plurality of the popular and electoral votes, wound up losing to John Quincy Adams that makes the 2000 election seem non-controversial in comparison. Getting cheated (as many felt) would lead to a second, successful campaign in 1828, but even this had a high price, as the slander he was subjected to due to the dubious circumstances of his marriage would emotionally wreck and eventually lead to the death of his wife.

The second half of the book focuses on Jackson's first presidential term, ending with his election to a second term. In many ways the first populist president, Jackson redefined the role of the presidency by expanding the power of the veto (rarely used previously and only in limited circumstances) and attempted to clean up the corruption left over from the so-called "Era of Good Feelings."

Remini is a great biographer and this book is every bit as great as the first volume. He holds back few punches when it comes to Jackson's negatives, especially his treatment of Indians and his tendency to dwell incessantly on little things (such as the Eaton affair). Nonetheless, this is a generally positive biography, as Remini demonstrates that despite the view that Jackson was an ignorant backwoodsman manipulated by his aides such as Van Buren, Jackson was both intelligent and independent.

This is the definitive biography of Jackson. If you want to learn of the man or the era, this is a must-read.

Robert V. Remini is the great modern authority on Andrew Jackson, having written a majestic, award winning, three volume biography. Now he has taken a lifetime of research and consideration and distilled it down into one slender volume examining the pivotal moment in Jackson's career and, he argues, one of the vital events in our nation's history.

If you're like me you know exactly three things about the War of 1812. First, that Dolly Madison saved the White House portrait of George Washington from being burned by invading British troops. Second, every kid who ever went to summer camp knows the great Johnny Horton song Battle of New Orleans. Third, that the battle itself took place after the peace treaty had been signed ending the War, but before the combatants had been informed. That was seriously all I knew until I read David Nevin's novel 1812 a couple of years ago (see review). You may know more. If so, more power to you. Should we know more? Remini makes a compelling case that we should.

In addition to doing an excellent job of narrating the events of the battle, he argues that the victory was the moment that really made America a nation. The elements he cites include not merely the fact that it produced a future President, but also the confidence building importance of a citizen army winning a battle against the professional troops of the great British Empire, as well as the fact that this overwhelming defeat made the nations of Europe begin to take the United States seriously as a player on the world stage. In fact, he goes beyond this to argue that New Orleans was actually the nation's first military victory, discounting actions like Saratoga and Yorktown as mere surrenders. It is, of course, possible that he overstates this case a little, having such a vested interest in Jackson's career.

On the other hand, he raises an excellent and little understood point about the War. It was one of only three wars in our history where our existence as a nation was truly threatened (obviously the Revolution and the Civil War were the others). We've fought all kinds of skirmishes, minor brush wars and mopping up operations--Mexican, Spanish-American, WWI, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, etc. And we like to kid ourselves about the threat that the Nazis posed in WWII, though by the time we got in, they were already toast. But really there were only the three conflicts where the United States as we understand it could have perished. If we understood that fact better, perhaps we would pay more heed to the events of 1812-1815. As is, Remini has done his part to capture our attention with this excellent little book.

GRADE: B+

I tend to agree with all the previous reviews of this book, both the good and the bad. That may sound a bit strange, as this is a well told historical account of the Battle for New Orleans. The book's narrative is fast and snappy, the story is well told and presented in a way that it reads like a novel. The author, Robert V. Remini certainly loves this period of history and has a deep respect for Andrew Jackson, which shows throughout the book, maybe too much so. One of the previous reviewers mentioned the fact that the story was a bit too much like "good versus evil".

I found on occasions that the American forces could do no wrong while the British were blunderers. For example, the chapter 'The Night Attack' shows Jackson throwing his troops, inferior in numbers and without full knowledge of the British forces in a spoiling attack against the advance guard of the British forces. Certainly the spoiling attack is a sound military move and paid good dividends in this instance. Jackson is shown as a daring commander however when the British forces do something very similar against the American positions they are made to sound like bumbling fools. Why is one commander a daring master and the other an idiot?

On a similar note, when Jackson showed caution on a number of occasions throughout this battle he was commended but when the British leadership showed this same caution they were castigated. I agree with the author that the British leadership was ineffectual at times but that is making a judgement in hindsight. The author made mention of Jackson's burning hatred of the British and their contempt for the American forces, maybe a little of this has rubbed off on the author?

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book, it's a great story and my own country's history has no love of the British but I don't like it to show so one sided in any book I read. Beside that, the maps supplied (3) were of a high quality and a pleasant change but once again even the maps seemed to be one sided. The map showing the positions of the opposing forces for the attack on January 8, 1815 (page 135) show in great detail the American positions with the units indicated but nothing as detailed for the attacking British forces.

Having said all that, it was pleasing to note that the author paid tribute to the brave soldiers on both sides of this terrible battle. Overall this is an excellent story, told with verve and passion and it's a great book to read. I hope that the remarks above do not offend anyone, they are not made with that intention. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history and would like to learn about this turning point in America's history.

Remini has filled a gap for lovers of American history. The War of 1812, which the Battle of New Orleans ended convincingly (allowing the previously negotiated Treaty of Ghent to be accepted by both the British and our side as negotiated), has had too few treatments in recent years.

Yet the Battle of New Orleans, as the author argues, perhaps was the event that convinced hostile Europeans that America was here to stay as a free nation. I would not completely agree with Remini's contention that the Battle of New Orleans was America's first major victory over European arms (he dismisses Yorktown and Saratoga as mere surrenders doing in my opinion a disservice to the aggressive American commanders and troops who did fight and convincingly beat the British at Saratoga). The author makes a case that this neglected Battle of a forgotten war earned our country the grudging respect it would need to grow unmolested over the next few decades.

That having been said, the book is a very well written account of a stirring and fascinating story. General Andrew Jackson, after defeating the Creek Indians and punishing Spanish Florida for aiding that foe as well as the British, leads his American volunteers to Louisianna to defend against the expected British move on New Orleans.

The British proceed to the bayous of the Mississippi delta and engage in another European style campaign against wiley American back country fighters. One wonders why the English high command did not learn the lessons of Gen. Braddock's defeat in the French and Indian War or numerous defeats during the American Revolution. Doctrinaire plans and rigid troop handling along the lines of European war were not very successful against citizen soldiers who know how to use their weapons with skill and fight from behind cover.

Using first person sources to illustrate the events in December 1814 to January of 1815, Remini gives voice to the events and people who helped make New Orleans a stirring American victory. Unsurprisingly, this biographer of Jackson paints a good portrait of the man whose talents and traits were sorely needed by our side in facing British regiments who had recently faced down Napolean's best troops. The hodge-podge of defenders are given colorful treatment. The pirate Laffite brothers and their outlaw band who manned our artillery, backwoodsmen in buckskin (giving the name the British used for our troops -- 'dirty shirts'), freed blacks, Creols and New Orleans first citizens all manned the barracades to await the onslaught.

The British, with their straight ahead determination, poor avenue of attack and lack of planning aided the American cause. But Jackson earned much of the glory that surrounded his victory. He cajoled troops and supplies, built a well fortified line, attacked before the British were all up and ready and worked to keep together an army that in reality was more like today's UN peacekeeping forces than a coherent American corps.

The battle scenes are well told, particularly the Jan. 8th main assualt in front of New Orleans. Remini's writing is good enough that the unfamiliar (to most) details of an unknown battlefield come alive in the reader's mind. So do the personalities on both sides. His descriptions are aided by three very good maps that allow one to fully picture the terrain.

This book is a quick read. The author tells just enough of the main charactors to separate them from one another in the story without bogging it down with a lot of background. The battles themselves come alive and are given a full description and dramatic rendering. You'll enjoy this book.