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Rating: 
Summary: Fantastically interesting
Review: Daniel E. Sickles was born in New York City 20 Oct 1819, served three terms in the House of Representatives, and died May 3, 1914. This account of his life, tho it has no footnotes and no bibliography, is written in a breezy style that easily captivates. I was tremendously caught up by the story. It begins with the account of how Sickles killed Francis Scott Key's son on Feb 27, 1859, then goes back to the beginning and tells the whole fantastic, incredible story of his life, with lots of attention to his Civil War career, including his role at Gettysburg. As Horatio King wrote in Sickles' old age:
"I see him on that famous field,/ The bravest of the brave,/ Where Longstreet's legions strive to drive/ The Third Corps to its grave./ The fight was bloody, fierce and long,/ And Sickles' name shall stay/ Forever in the Hall of Fame/ As he who saved the day."
Sickles was a despicable character and yet his life is a fantastic saga. An excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: Sickles master politician!!
Review: If Daniel Sickles doesn't represent the master politician in this outstanding book about him, I don't know what would. This book definately gets to the details about the man's polictical and military careers. Swanberg writes about Sickle's early polictical organizing in Washington, his affairs with women, family, constructing a New York brigade and leading it to battle. If that is not intriguing enough, Sickle's story is also covered when it came to killing the man who was having an affair with his wife and how Sickle's polictical clout sets him free from prosecution. As much as his personal and polictical career is covered, his military career is as well. Swanberg's coverage how he organized, fought and defended his positions regarding his III Corp movement at Gettysburg is excellent which seemed to only cloud this already controversial character. As I read this very informative book, I couldn't believe the amount of lies, deception and self-importance this man had. His master plundering of others and fouled attempts to mask his true character is wrenching yet fascinating at the same time. Swanberg captured me in this book and I couldn't let it down. I feel it is probably the best book on Daniel Sickles out there.
Rating:
Summary: Human Rights Activist & Flagwaving Patriot!
Review: Just wanted to note some of oft-ignored qualities of Daniel E.
Sickles.... Most folks want to focus on his alleged military
ineptitude in the Civil War (and at Gettysburg in particular) or
"The Trial of the Century," when Sickles was tried for murdering
his wife's lover. Sickles spoke in favor of the cause of freeing
Cuba from the yoke of Spanish colonial oppression in the years
after the Civil War, and he was always a patriot - at least he
favored the U.S. government instead of secession in the great crisis!
Rating:
Summary: Human Rights Activist & Flagwaving Patriot!
Review: There are few characters in history, let alone American Civil War Generals, as controversial as Daniel Sickles. That his story remains so obscure defies explanation.W.A. Swanberg???s book opens with perhaps the most notorious chapter in Sickles???s long life, the killing of his wife???s paramour in the shadow of the White House and the first use of the temporary insanity defense in American jurisprudence. I expected the remainder of this book to be anticlimactic and was gratefully disappointed. Swanberg is admittedly an exuberant fan of Sickles, perchance affording him more credit than his due, but the amazing facts of his life seem to deserve more attention than other historians have provided. A man of obvious contrasts, Sickles was a Tammany Hall politician who made it his duty to bring down Jay Gould and his cohorts because he loathed their corruption. The confidant of many presidents who presented his prostitute/mistress to the court of Queen Victoria and the Civil War General who is given equal credit for winning and losing the battle of Gettysburg. Though somewhat dated, especially in it???s respectful treatment of someone who doesn???t always deserve it, there simply isn???t a more entertaining or complete depiction of Sickles incredible life.
Rating: 
Summary: An Incredible Life
Review: There are few characters in history, let alone American Civil War Generals, as controversial as Daniel Sickles. That his story remains so obscure defies explanation. W.A. Swanberg's book opens with perhaps the most notorious chapter in Sickles's long life, the killing of his wife's paramour in the shadow of the White House and the first use of the temporary insanity defense in American jurisprudence. I expected the remainder of this book to be anticlimactic and was gratefully disappointed. Swanberg is admittedly an exuberant fan of Sickles, perchance affording him more credit than his due, but the amazing facts of his life seem to deserve more attention than other historians have provided. A man of obvious contrasts, Sickles was a Tammany Hall politician who made it his duty to bring down Jay Gould and his cohorts because he loathed their corruption. The confidant of many presidents who presented his prostitute/mistress to the court of Queen Victoria and the Civil War General who is given equal credit for winning and losing the battle of Gettysburg. Though somewhat dated, especially in it's respectful treatment of someone who doesn't always deserve it, there simply isn't a more entertaining or complete depiction of Sickles incredible life.
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