Great! Plus the pictures!
I wasn't expecting any surprises from a paperback edition until I turned to the back and found all the extra stuff. It's like a DVD with a bunch of bonus features.
A great read!
As an avid reader of history books, I luckily found this book on Amazon because I was doing a college report on the War of 1812 for my American History class. I wasn't sure what to write about, but I selected The War of 1812 just for the hell of it. Never having read about it before, I didn't know what to expect. Knowledgeable on the Revolutionary War, I was stricken on how eerily similar this one started off. This undoubtedly helped me on my research. What I loved about this book is how easy it is to read. It reads like a newspaper article. Simple and to the point and with generous examples to give precise clarification. What I love about Borneman's version is how he recaps past events as each chapter evolves throughout the story of the war. What better way to fully grasp the events of this war by constantly reminding yourself. If you're a student who appreciates simplicity and you're in a time crunch, this is a perfect, well-crafted read. Not to say that it's simplicity lacks any depth. On the contrary. There is cause and consequence and perspective in each chapter. You are placed in each party's frame of mind and allowed to distinguish between cause and effect. Too many colleges require tougher reads, but that's BS. Many professors will agree. Simplicity is what they're looking for as well when grading papers. And if you can't get excited over American History in general, then this book is for you. It brings a mildly comedic approach to the War and paints images in your mind of what it would have been like back then. If you are having any doubts, then take my word for it. It's a great and easy book. Buy it!
The conversational style robs the narrative of all credibility
First, an admission: I only read the first chapter. That's as far as I could get. I regard myself as an extremely avid and knowledgeable US history aficionado, and am used to reading books that are written *much* better. Ambrose, McCullough, Ellis, Fischer, McPherson. These are authors who know how to write a historical narrative. Borneman writes with a stilted style that gives the impression of your war veteran uncle telling you the story. Phrases like "Enough said", "greased his palm", "Perhaps.... (twice in the first chapter) abound. The aforementioned sentence ending with a question mark and topped off with an inordinate amount of personal musing, theorizing and essentially completely guessing make this book intolerable. I find it really hard to believe that this many people find this an acceptable account of US history, especially my once-revered Remini. Aargh.