My family, growing up, was one of those who didn’t go to amusement parks. Even though I was promised a trip to Disneyland, we never made it (we moved across the country instead). No, we were subjected to Educational Trips. I remember monuments, national parks, historical sites, battle sites… my dad’s dragged the family to all sorts of places. I guess it’s even more telling that I married a man who feels much the same way about vacations: a trip to a national park or a Civil or Revolutionary War battle site is what a good vacation is all about.
The thing is, when it comes to the battle sites, I could care less. Walking around a nice piece of countryside where lots of people shot at each other a long time ago isn’t my idea of a fun way to spend an afternoon. So, I suppose it’s no surprise that I’d never heard of or expressed interest in this book by Michael Shaara.
I should say, then, thank heavens for book groups. Because without my in-person group, I never ever would have read this book. And I was fascinated by it.
For those of you who don’t know, it’s a novel about the three days of the battle of Gettysburg, beginning with the day before. It’s the story of how General Lee lost the war, of how the North managed to dig in and pull out a victory. It’s heart-rendering. It’s exciting. It’s… well… a classic.
Sure, the book has it’s drawbacks. It’s a war book. That, in itself, could be a drawback. But it’s an engaging read — much of it is internal monologue with the main characters: Lee, Longstreet, Chamberlan. Sometimes, the rambling got long, and I do have to admit that I skimmed parts that got boring (granted, there were times I regretted that, and had to go back and re-read). But for the most part, it was a compelling book. The most exciting part, for me, was Chamberlain’s defense of Little Round Top. It was gutsy, brilliant, and dang impressive. And I had no idea. I think that’s probably the most interesting thing about this book: it’s so well written that I could believe that this wasn’t made up, that it actually really happened the way Shaara wrote it. I had to keep reminding myself that it’s fiction, that Lee/Chamberlain/Longstreet probably didn’t actually think/feel/say these things.
But wouldn’t it be interesting if they did?
The Book Nut 
Your family trips sound sort of like mine. We usually ate homemade sandwiches and fresh fruit. Every once in awhile Dad would stop and we could get an ice cream cone.I finally posted my ‘8 Things About Me’ meme that you tagged me for weeks ago. It’s located < HREF="http://bookschatterblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/8-things-meme.html" REL="nofollow">here<>.
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Educational family trips! That’s what my family was all about, too. One year we spent five weeks on the road (2 parents, 6 children under 12, one small Winnebago) traversing the nation from CA to DC and stopping at every significant historical site along the way. 🙂 (This is Heather C from the Nook, in case you were wondering). I had <>Killer Angels<> on my shelf for years (bought it for a history class I ended up dropping). I was always reluctant to open it up, since it is a war novel, and I wasn’t sure how much graphic violence I’d be in for. I finally sold it on half.com not too long ago. Now I wish I’d kept it!
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Shaara’s son Jeff wrote a follow up called “The Last Full Measure” that is good, too. I got to hear the < HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Address" REL="nofollow">The Gettyburg Address<> recited by Garrison Keillor in person on Friday Night as part of his Memorial Day show. It was absolutely riveting. The entire audience at the outdoor amphitheater was so silent. It actually made me want to go up to Gettysburg to feel what Lincoln felt. It and many other battlefields are within hour away from me. I’ve never been for the same reasons you mention. Living here in the middle of Civil War Battlefield heaven, I have heard many people say that these places have a reverential, temple-like feeling about them if one is attuned to it.
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Ah, Heather. My husband’s family did the same thing, from WA to DC — with 9 kids ages 15 and younger. He’s got some stories to tell. I guess those make the best memories, though. No one ever says, “Remember all those summers we went to (blank amusement park)?”
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Kellie — we ALWAYS wanted to go see Prairie Home Companion at Wolftrap, and never made it. One of our regrets from our time in DC. You really should go to Gettysburg; it’s not a long drive from MD, and it’s a lovely place. I enjoyed the town more than the battle sites, but even I have to admit it was impressive.
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I’ve got this book on by tbr shelf. It sounds like everyone has enjoyed it! I definitely enjoy those war sites much more once I’ve read about them. Thanks for the great review.
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Thanks for reminding me about this book! I read it a few years ago when I first moved to Richmond. (I borrowed it from a friend who was a Civil War re-enactor). Being from the north, the Civil War was not very prevalent in my life and I thought I’d hate the book, but, like you, I remember really enjoying it.
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Our family read this book right before a family vacation to Gettysburg. It’s a terrific book and the trip is remembered as one of our best vacations.It wasn’t ALL educational. We had fun too. ;o)Thanks for posting your review!
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I have had trouble with getting into war books in the past, this one looks really good though. I will have to give it a go.
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Great blog! I found you through the Blogroll game & have signed up for your feed–
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Ha ha, that sounds like our family vacations, too. To this day I have never been to Disneyworld, though I have been < HREF="http://www.cornpalace.org/newpages/webcam.html" REL="nofollow">here<>.You know how I feel about historical fiction 🙂 — this book sounds great!
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