Rating: 
Summary: AMAZING storytelling!
Review: Winik's April 1865 is an absolute treat for the novice reader or those with a more critical eye. Winik weaves his premise carefully and his on-the-mark persuasive style offers that rare style of writing where it indeed appears the author is in your parlor having a conversation with you! Wonderful blend of style and substance. His well-planned digressions keep the pace fluid and fanciful. Winik's style gives me the same "warmth" I felt when reading Shelby Foote's accounts. I recommend this book in the strongest possible terms.
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Summary: Appomattox and the birth of a nation
Review: This book takes you to Appomattox Court House and the Mclean House, where Grant surrendered to Lee. It lets you listen to the actual conversations that occurred between Lee and Grant, read the letters that were exchanged between them just before the fatefull meeting, hear the observations of those who were present, and understand the circumstances that, by chance, led to the surrender at that time and place. It is like being there as a witness to history. Professor Winik succinctly tells you why Lee, Grant, Sherman and Johnston acted nobly and prevented the war from dissolving into guerilla warfare and retribution by the North, thereby saving the Union and laying the foundation for the single nation we know today. Lincoln's great vision of malice towards none and charity for all aptly sets the stage, and the failure of the assassination to unravel the nation is a great tribute to the the American people and those who led all of our people during those monumental events. This is a great book, well written and presented in an exciting and readable fashion. Unless you are an expert on the Civil War, you will learn alot that is new and fascinating, and you will recommend it to your friends.
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Summary: don't listen to this book
Review: This book is painful to listen to. The publishers made a mistake by letting the author read it. His lispy voice does not make for good reading. As someone who listens to many audio books, it was very disappointing to hear such a bad reading of what seems like a good book.
If you are interested in this topic, buy the book and read it. DO NOT waste money on the audio version. It's that bad.
Rating: 
Summary: READ this book . . . pass on the tape
Review: I travel extensively by car and listen to a lot of audio books for education and entertainment. I was delighted to finally buy an audio book that was read by the author. Now I know why there are professional readers. ... this is a well written, very interesting book ... But the author made a serious mistake when he decided to read the book aloud personally instead of using a professional reader. The author's nasal voice and dreary delivery detract from the material. History is not very entertaining when it sounds like this. Winik is a very talented author, but ... I advise that you READ this book and pass on the audio version.
Rating: 
Summary: The Flow of History
Review: Winik does a good job describing the events before and after what he argues is the most critical month in the existance of the republic, April 1865. The book is very well written and researched. He argues very effectively that history is causal in nature. One events leads to another one which leads to another. He applied this concept to the events leading up to the Civil War. From the beginning of America's history, slavery and race relations played a front role in the political scene. Winik describes these forces in detail. Founding Fathers like John Adams and his son John Quincy both were detractors of slavery while Thomas Jefferson believed that slavery was evil, but yet supported it as a traditional institution. These feelings boiled over into the Civil War. Winik then goes on to describe the events of the War and really focuses in on the last days of it, which is the most critical part of the war. Winik believes that April 1865 was such a critical month because it would determine whether the country would remain a united whole or not. Critical issues like Reconstruction were being debated at the time. The possibility that guerilla warfare might break out in the south was also a possibility. All of this, and President Lincoln was assassinated and a Vice President most people thought of as a drunk hack, Andrew Johnson, was to take the Presidency. It was a very turbulent, yet very important month in our nations history that would mark the first true test of our democracy. Winik describes the tension very well.
Rating: 
Summary: Save your money !
Review: Jay Winik's assertion that Robert E. Lee somehow 'saved America' by discouraging the Army of Northern Virginia from pursuing guerilla warfare, is not supported by the evidence. Even Nathan Bedford Forrest ,who was a natural for this type of warfare, thought it was a terrible idea. When one of his subordinates made a similar suggestion(i.e. continuing the war past April 1865), Forrest stated " Anyone who thinks this war should be continued is fit material for an insane asylum and should proceed there immediately ". Lee knew if the war was continued by irregular means, the result would have been even greater desolation of the Southern States, without any benefit . He said the continuation of the war would result in ruination of those areas of the South that escaped destruction up to that time and clearly stated so. Lee knew he had only one choice when he said "I would rather die a thousand deaths than ...(surrender to Grant)but it must be done".Jay Winik clearly over idealizes Robert E. Lee. Winik is also inaccurate in his portrayl of such momentous events and the surrender of Lee to Grant at Appomattox. When Winik discussed his book on Book TV on C-span 2, he presented the meeting of Grant and Lee at the McClean House at Appomatix Court House as almost a meeting of dear old friends. There are many accounts of the meeting ,which give a different picture(see Richard Wheeler's "Witness at Appomattox") . Jay Winik is not a noted historian of the Civil War and this book clearly reveals this.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable read
Review: The author has produced a very enjoyable read about a time in our history when our continuing on as a united country was somewhat of an open bet. I got the feeling that most of his content had been well covered by others, but his cutting the pie around the happennings in a single month was creative. I always enjoy popularly written accounts of Civil War battles, the South in the 1800's , slavery, reconstruction , etc. So, I enjoyed the book very much. Winik doesn't confine all of his writings to the occurrences of April, 1965. He also uses what was going on then as points of departue for exploring the bios of many of the participating characters, ie Lincoln, Davis, Sherman, Lee, Grant, etc. These mini-bios were enlightening. He also laces the story with personal items like a six year old Theodore Roosevelt watching Lincoln's funeral procession go by in New York. I found my interst waning somewhat near the end when the author began addressing what was going on with a lot of other soon to be famous people. Kind of seemed like he was sruggling to continue the book beyond where it should have logically ended. But, these are minor points. It is advertised on the cover as a " Civil War Saga". Well said.
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Summary: An Undying Resolve
Review: The premise found in "April 1865" is one that has been debated time and again, but Jay Winik does an excellent job keeping the reader enthralled all the while presenting the story of our nation's "re-birth" through the series of events that unfolded in the last month of the Civil War. I did find Winik's focus on General Lee's decison to not under go guerilla warfare as an important turn of events, a bit over blown. However, it's difficult to dismiss the "what if's" that constantly creep in your mind as you read about the triumphs and tragedies that both sides felt during this turmoltous time. As well as the decisions that were made, or not made, while the war closed its final chapter. Winik's approach to Lincoln's assasination, as well as the nation's mourning of the fallen president, is moving. The book reminds us of Lincoln's greatness as a leader and of how his wisdom and grace inspired the nation's leaders to embrace healing after his death and after the bloodiest war in our history. All in all, this book is a good footnote for Civil War and history buffs, and the book has the feel of a novel at times, which keeps the reader interested. But the most important part of the book, and the focus Winik is shooting for, is the reminder of how our nation has always bounced back, out of the ashes, inspite of the odds, with an iron will and an undying resolve. This book is a good companion for post 9/11 reflection.
Rating:
Summary: Military Analysis Suspect
Review: The author dedicates a good portion of the first half of the book to a praising description of the life of Lee. He seems to argue that Lee saved the country by not ordering a guerilla war. Grant's strategy which brought the war to a close in 1864-65 is not mentioned. The second half of the book is much more interesting, especially the discussion on the development of the role of the vice-president. I would not recommend the book to someone looking for an introduction to the Civil War.
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Summary: great study of American history and values
Review: April 1865 is a stirring, stunning account of that pivotal month in American history during which victory in the Civil War, while imminent, was anything but certain, and during which the United States faced not only the ravages of four years of war, but also an assassinated president and the task of rebuilding a country physically damaged and psychologically torn. Winik's narrative is gripping and moves quickly, covering the gamut of social, political, and military history. Moreover, he places the events of that month in broader historical contexts. Connections are made to the past (e.g. his tie-in to Monticello and Jefferson was masterful) to the Founding Fathers and to the origins of the Civil War; moreover, links are made to what would follow the war, what the country and its people would become. Most interesting to me was Winik's discussion of the twelve or so hours after Lincoln was incapacitated and before Andrew Johnson was sworn in as president; during those hours, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton governed essentially by military decree, and it was anything but certain that Johnson would, in fact, become president and remain so. (There were only shaky precedents regarding succession.) Through Winik's multi-faceted, multi-dimensional approach shines what really matters: the transcendence of American values, which both caused the war and, eventually, brought North and South together and set America on the path to greatness. A truly enjoyable, fascinating book.
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