Rating: 
Summary: Jimmy loves Dolly, Andy loves Rachel, Win loves
Review: Sally. Joseph Loves Jenny etc.
This historical soap opera starts with a lots of tumescence then settles down to tell a true story.
The events are true, most of the characters are real. Most of the dialogue, the conversation are decidely not. No matter, as they serve to advance the history going on around them & the history that they are making.
There are several important venues: Washingto D.C., Where President & Dolly Madison preside in the White House, Canada, northern New York & the Lake Champlain area where key naval battles are fought & the south particularly New Orleans, where General Andrew Jackson is making his name. The unabridged tape is long as is the book, but I was not bored. It is told like a novel rather than straight history.
This story is the coming out of America, more united than ever. The reasons for the war, trade & the impressment of American sailors was quickly resolved by the very act of war. However, the conclusion reached by many history books is that this was a useless war. In fact, it may not be much more than a footnote in the history of the British Empire. Bigger things were happening in Europe that overwhelmed the War of 1812 in interest.
The nation was expanding rapidly & several states had been admitted to the union west of the Appalachins. The ballance of power in the United States was moving west. Ironically the larger the country grew in size the more united, we became with a real sense of identity. The arrogance of the British in buring down the capitol for no military gain united Americans like no other single act could have.
The British could not have won. They were trying to defeat a continential nation. For what? Wellington, one of the greatest military leaders of all time knew this & said so. The British people were fed up with the taxes used to finance an unwinnable war.
For the United States, The War of 1812 proved the Revoltionary War now 30 years old. Jackson defeated British regulars soundly at New Orleans. The war was already over but they didn't know that. It still was important to note that the United States would have to be reckoned with in the future. Highly Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Everything great about historical fiction
Review: After having devoured this book in a matter of days, I began to research some of the more interesting points made in story. The more research I did the more I realized the drama unfolding on it's pages was not just put there to make the book more enjoyable but is actually true. I walked away with the feeling of contentment of having just read a great fictional piece of literature only to find out that I had actually, unknowingly, learned a great deal about our nation's struggle for independence in this "second revolutionary war". It's like watching and vividly recalling the events of your favorite TV show, except that it's actually real history. I'm counting the days until Mr. Nevin releases his next work.
Rating: 
Summary: A Fine Denouement for a War That Never Had One!
Review: At times absorbing, at times uneven. Nearly always well researched and smacking of authenticity. This novel has a lot of ground to cover. The author divides time, nearly evenly, between private lives, diplomacy, and combat for all the key players of the war. He also divides the time evenly between conflicts in the North and in the South. Nevin treads between history documentary and steamy mini-series innuendo and nearly pulls it off entirely. These two areas are difficult to bring together. Alternately, I would long to return to the combat theater while the author waxes on the domestic trials of Rachael Donnelson Jackson, or wish to read more about Sally McQuirks early femminist character while the author was steeped in documenting Jackson's sweep of the south. Oh well. None the less the novel was engrossing and a pleasure. Its biggest downfall was that the Treaty of Ghent was completely ignored! There was quite a group of personalities involved in that roe. They would would have fit in well with Nevin's saga. Perhaps his next historical novel can examine the picadillios that occurred in that lowlands city.
Rating:
Summary: almost like a textbook
Review: David Nevin does a pretty good job of weaving actual people and events into a fictional story, but I found it difficult to enjoy the story the whole way through. Sometimes, it's like reading a textbook with a fictional, creative twist.
Rating:
Summary: researched historical recount+fictional liberties to boot
Review: grand view of "the second revolution to prove the first", takes you inside contentious
meetings of the Madison administration, plans to undermine the president, battles that were lost and won on US soil, and explains
the frustrations of the British that led to invasions of the 30 year old country that was expanding westward...David Nevin's
research lends historical accuracy to his fictional recount of the time period...lots of fun to find that political games
that seem so shocking today existed then with different stakes...
Rating:
Summary: A terrific read! Well crafted and absorbing!
Review: Highly recommend this book. David Nevin has done an excellent job in providing the reader with the tastes, smells, political machinations and the high drama atmosphere of the struggling American nation in 1812. The reader emerges with a greater appreciation and admiration for James and Dolley Madison, Andrew and Rachel Jackson. Has sent me on the hunt for more books covering the same period. David Phelps
Rating: 
Summary: Good Historical Fiction
Review: I enjoyed reading about our country in it's infancy --- the political trials & turmoil that Madison had to endure trying to cement a union in trying times --- the struggling young democracy. The characters Nevin describes are real people not cardboard cutouts idealized thru time. I also enjoyed descriptions of the battle -- especially the Battle for New Orleans -- & how they progressed.
Rating:
Summary: A good read
Review: I found this book to quite a good read. I wish there had been more complete coverage of the battles and military side of the war, especially the naval side. However, I did find the political side interesting. Mr. Nevin's characterization of the personalities involved in the war really brought the era to life.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: I just finished the audiobook today. I can tell you that I have never looked forward to driving to work these past two weeks as I have listening to these tapes. This is a must if you enjoy history. I knew very little about the War of 1812 prior to listening to this book. But I feel that not only do I understand the history, I understand the people who made the history. Nevin places you at every battle, every crossroad, every critical moment. His description of the Madisons, the Jackson and the Brits give a clear and unforgetful understanding of exactly what had transpired back then. Believe it or not, I found myself trying to find MORE material after I had listened to the tapes during the day. I could still listen to more. I could have listened to another 10 tapes. I strongly recommend this audiobook.
Rating:
Summary: My eyelashes fell trying to stay awake
Review: I loved the concept of this book...a war which is all but forgotten by this country. The author, David Nevin is obviously very well informed on this subject. The problem with this book is that there was too much detail in every passage. The novel was supposed to deal with the war, not the inner thinkings of six characters, which is far too many. It was almost like reading a textbook. If he would have split the book into a trilogy, it would have been quite entertaining, but he bogged me down with so much information that my mind wandered often, most of the time making me very sleepy. I would suggest this book only to people who have an incredible sense of focus when reading. Researchers and paralegals come to mind. It was a good concept but a lousy product
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