After the Thunder: Fourteen Men Who Shaped Post-Civil War America

Rating:
Summary: Interesting theme, but...
Review: After the Thunder tells of fourteen men who shaped post-Civil War American life, showing how these major figures on both sides of the battle got together to form a new system. From Lee's championship of reconciliation to Grant's poor judgment as president, this tells of the post-war careers of major leaders.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting theme, but...
Review: As a Civil War buff, I thought the concept of focusing on the lives of fourteen major figures in the war would be original and a unique addition to my library. Unfortunately, the cursory writing and loose editing reminded me of the Classic Comics of my youth...flashy but not to be kept on the bookshelf. The lives of the "fourteen" and their impact on the post-Civil War era are given only a once-over-lightly, and little is included in the book that has not been reported by other authors in more substantive and definitive texts.

Rating:
Summary: A superb piece of the large civil war picture
Review: As an avid Civil War reader, I was very impressed with this book. While there are an endless number of books that specifically deal with the civil war or reconstruction, Jones eloquently tied the two together by focusing on 14 diverse leaders. It was particularly interesting to see how some of the central characters of the war turned out when the fighting was over; some for the best & others for the worst. It is a very readable and fascinating book!

Rating:
Summary: A superb piece of the large civil war picture
Review: As an avid Civil War reader, I was very impressed with this book. While there are an endless number of books that specifically deal with the civil war or reconstruction, Jones eloquently tied the two together by focusing on 14 diverse leaders. It was particularly interesting to see how some of the central characters of the war turned out when the fighting was over; some for the best & others for the worst. It is a very readable and fascinating book!

Rating:
Summary: Great for Civil War Buffs, but overall a Disappointment
Review: This book has a very interesting premise, how fourteen men helped to shape the Post Civil War era.But ultimately the author fails to establish just how men like George McClellan, John Bell Hood and JohnS. Mosby helped to shape the postwar era.As for those of His subjects who genuinely did help to shape the era Dr. Jones has nothing new to say and what He does say is pedestrian and superficial.The role of Robert E. Lee is overrated and that of U.S. Grant is underrrated.At the conclusion of His chapter on Andrew Johnson Dr. Jones concludes''Johnson may have been a racist.'' This is rather like saying that Calvin Coolidge may have been a Republican.The book is supposed to be about those who shaped the postwar era but their are no chapters on Frederick Douglass, Thaddeus Stevens or Charles Sumner.The book just does''nt live up to the premise of it's title. If Paul Harvey had written this book it would be titled something like''The Civil War;The Rest of the Story''Also if Paul Harvey were the author it would have been much better written.If you are a Civil War Buff you will find this book pasably interesting but certainly not to be ranked along side the works of Shelby Foote, Bruce Catton and James McPherson.If you are not a Civil War Buff this book is a waste of time and money.

Rating:
Summary: Great for Civil War Buffs, but overall a Disappointment
Review: This book has a very interesting premise, how fourteen men helped to shape the Post Civil War era.But ultimately the author fails to establish just how men like George McClellan, John Bell Hood and JohnS. Mosby helped to shape the postwar era.As for those of His subjects who genuinely did help to shape the era Dr. Jones has nothing new to say and what He does say is pedestrian and superficial.The role of Robert E. Lee is overrated and that of U.S. Grant is underrrated.At the conclusion of His chapter on Andrew Johnson Dr. Jones concludes''Johnson may have been a racist.'' This is rather like saying that Calvin Coolidge may have been a Republican.The book is supposed to be about those who shaped the postwar era but their are no chapters on Frederick Douglass, Thaddeus Stevens or Charles Sumner.The book just does''nt live up to the premise of it's title. If Paul Harvey had written this book it would be titled something like''The Civil War;The Rest of the Story''Also if Paul Harvey were the author it would have been much better written.If you are a Civil War Buff you will find this book pasably interesting but certainly not to be ranked along side the works of Shelby Foote, Bruce Catton and James McPherson.If you are not a Civil War Buff this book is a waste of time and money.