Rating: 
Summary: Useful summary of a little covered era in U.S. history...
Review: As the title suggests, this work covers the WARS fought between the Revolution and the Civil War, giving little regard to the political climate or social climate of these "expansion" times. Still, Robert Leckie presents a well written narrative that is useful to those who's expertise in American history does not cover this area. Not to be used for research and having questionable research documentation, this book is a good introduction to this era and the general reader as well as the amateur historian (again those not well-versed in this area) would do well to use this as a starting point.
Starting with the end of the Revolution, Leckie's narrative takes the reader to the beginnings of the War of 1812. Correctly assessing that conflict as one where the fledgling U.S. government exercises it's newly gained independence by confronting Great Britan over illegal naval impressments, Leckie covers this conflict in a largley episodic nature. Choosing to discuss the battles that were of prime importance only, we get little to no political or diplomatic perspective...indeed the Treaty of Ghent signaling the end of the War is largely forced upon the reader with little diplomatic buildup and the Louisiana Purchase is given relatively short shrift.
Leckie's success with this work is his ability to give short, concise but entirely comprehensive biographies of the major characters of the era. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Andrew Jackson, Tecumseh, James Monroe, Winfield Scott and Jean Laffite take center stage throughout the chapters that cover the War of 1812 and beyond. This portion of the book makes for good reading and further enforces Leckie's reputation as a historian/storyteller. Post war expansion and frontier fighting capably sets up the last half of the book, Texas Independence and the Mexican-American War.
Blaming the Texas Revolution on the absurd Mexican government policy of unabated immigration, Leckie discusses the causes and personalities that led to the famous struggles at the Alamo, Goliad and San Jacinto. The treacherous and manipulating Santa Anna leads the Mexican forces against the famous trio of William Travis, James Bowie and Davey Crockett at the Alamo and Leckie's narrative really stands out at this point. Converging the Texas Inedependence conflict succinctly into the larger Mexican-American War, Leckie brings to life such personalities as Zachary Taylor, James Knox Polk and a host of future Civil War leaders such as Robert E. Lee, Ulysses "Sam" Grant, and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. These chapters finally succeed in being comprehensive as the political as well as the military actions are well integrated as we follow the broad struggles from Texas to California culminating with the Mexican surrender outside Mexico City.
Robert Leckie's reputation as a broad-sweeping historian is further enhanced with "From Sea to Shining Sea". Notably lacking some important aspects that would make this work more cohesive, Leckie nontheless succeeds in bringing this little covered era in U.S. history to light. Well written and pleasing to read, the reader gains some remarkable insight into this period and should use this as the starting point for further study.
Rating: 
Summary: Another very readable book by Mr Leckie.
Review: I began reading this book in an almost obligatory way, feeling that while the period it encompassed might be rather dull, it must nonetheless be understood. Of course, the period was not dull at all, and Leckie brings the sequence of events and the cast of characters together in a book that is tightly knit without for a moment becoming tedious.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting but not epic./
Review: I found the book interesting especially the naval war segment with the Tripolians. However, when the writer described the Mexican Was and how the deserters were lured away by the young Mexcian girls bathing in the river, he repeated that same description several time. Overall i enjoyed it and learned much about the acquisition of Texas.
Rating: 
Summary: Well written, but not something you'd use for research
Review: I read this book under recommendation from a friend. Though the book is well written and riveting, the author has no inclination on the truth. Upon examining the book, it has a complete lack of historical research to back it up. Leckie uses several quotations of famous figures which are not based on direct evidence. He also ignores a large and substantial portion of American Antebellum history in his protrayal. The advancement of American military and political power before the Civil War is not confined to the major military conflicts of the time. Other, more significant events have to be considered such as the Nullification Crisis and it's impact on federal power or the slavery crisis that went along with the Annexation of Texas. Overall, this book is not reliable source if you want to educate yourself on the rise of American continental dominance. As a professional historian, I can't recommend this book, but if you are just looking for some half-than-true antedotes about the wars America fought in during the early 19th Century, than this is the book for you. If not, then don't waste your time.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable But Not Filling
Review: This book is a good introduction to the Wars Between the Revolution and the Civil War. Unfortunatly, it does not cover much of the rest of the "Expansion" story of the US as the title suggests. The book is breezy, with interesting facts and stories. The author likes describing the personalities of those who make his history, but one suspects he takes a lot of "writer's license" with personality traits / reactions he probably does not have any sources for. The book is best when shedding light on little known conflicts such as the Barbary War and the War of 1812. Also interesting, are the "early" indian wars of the south and midwest. These conflicts have long receeded into American Memory and it is difficult to find much describing what were at their times major influences on our policy and history. The book is interesting the way a long magazine article is. You keep reading because it is an interesting story, but realize that there are gaps that if filled, would more completely tell the tale. The author probably makes a good deal of inference about motives and states of mind with many of the sagas. Ok, not great. Quick Read.
Rating:
Summary: Mistitled, but don't let that bother you
Review: This book is readable, intelligent and intellectual without being incomprehensible, and doesn't get bogged down in theory. In other words, not a book for professional historians, but for laypeople with a keen interest in American history. The main (really, only) flaw is that the book is badly mistitled. It does NOT tell the story of America's expansion, it narrates the US's three main conflicts betwen the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. This is minor, but irritating.
Rating:
Summary: Good work for the history Buff
Review: This is a good work of history dealing with the conflicts in America between The War of 1812 and he Civil War. It is not intended to be a History Text book and does not cover all aspects of American History from 1812 to 1865. It covers good topics on pretty much a topic by topic basis. Basically, it appears that Mr. Leckie picked like the top 10 topics he liked about American History from 1812 to the civil war and wrote about those. And since it is written for the general reader, it does not have a lot of footnotes. That all being said, I still love this book. Mainly because it deals with a lot of things that get short shrift inAmerican History classes in high schools and colleges. Things like the Indian Wars with Tecumseh (which most Americans would just think of as William T. Shermans middle name if American History classes were anything to go by.) and the war with Mexico and how this lead up to some aspects of the Civil War. In other words, it is geared for somebody who knows something about American history but is looking to fill some key gaps that were never met by the Educational system (which pretty much seemsAmerican history and the Revolution, Civil War and Two World Wars followed by a Cold War with a little extra thrown in for color and mood.) Don't come here thinking you will learn all there is to know. But then, never go to any book thinking you will learn everything.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, very readable survey of the period
Review: This is the first book I bought by Mr. Leckie. I bought it because there were a number of books on the American Revolutionand even more on the Civil War, but little in between! This book more than fulfilled my expectations of getting a better understanding of the period from 1783 to 1848. He includes a number of little-known facts and ancedotes which I told to my children. When they related them in History class in school (7th grade), they were the "experts"!! Especially valuable is that he digresses from the telling of events to devote a chapter to the life of a person who will play a major role in upcoming events. This leaves you with the impression that American History is about *people* even more than about dates. Anyone interested in American History should order it today.
Rating:
Summary: excitingly concise
Review: this is the most excellent 628 page book i have read. not a word was wasted in the content. it is consistantly exciting reading throughout the book, whether you're interested in the time period or not. if all Leckie's books are this wonderful he's found a new reader.
Rating:
Summary: Remarkable Accomplishment!
Review: Very few books cover our nation's Manifest Destiny as well as this one does. Robert Leckie is at his absolute best. Starting at the end of the American Revolution and continuing through the close of the Mexican War, Leckie covers every aspect of our nation's territorial expansion. War with the Barbary Pirates, the War of 1812, the Louisiana Purchase, the impact of Texas Independence and its subsequent annexation are all covered in complete detail. Written in Leckie's straight forward, hurried, rushing style, this is a book that definitely will not disappoint. It is a pleasure to read and, if you are like me, it is a book you will enjoy more than once.
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