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Summary: A Great American Novel
Review: "The Killer Angels" is a moving, accurate, human account of the battle of Gettysburg. But more, it liberates history from the academy and gives all who read it the opportunity to "know" the events and the people who were there. I guess one could call Michael Shaara's work "The Great Gatsby" of American history. Though the film "Gettysburg" has some fine moments, it cannot convey the detail of the book. I have read both follow-on novels by Michael Shaara's son, Jeff, "Gods and Generals" and "The Last Full Measure." However, those efforts, while providing additional background and color to the characters in "The Killer Angels," do not have the divine spark provided by the elder Shaara (I would still recommend them.) The most compelling portraits drawn by M. Shaara are those of Longstreet and Chamberlain. General Longstreet is finally revealed as the victim of R.E.Lee's recklessness. Chamberlain ! is the quintessential citizen soldier; an ordinary academic forced by circumstances to extraordinary acts of courage. I can only praise "The Killer Angels." It is a great pity that it took so many years for Michael Shaara's work to achieve the recognition t deserves.
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Summary: This book really let me feel the horror and greif of war
Review: If you at all are interested in the Civil War read this book. The Battle of Gettysburg has became my favorite battle because of this book.
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Summary: You're likely not an American if this book doesn't move you.
Review: I'm not a particularly emotional person, and no Civil War buff. However, for lack of a better way to put it, Shaara's novel "choked me up", and inspired a trip to Gettysburg to honor the men who fought and died there. Enough said.
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Summary: A real page turner couldnt put it down
Review: This is probably the best most inspiring book about the civil war I ever read. Its combinations of Northern and Southern views blended with the sights and sounds of battles made me think I was really there. This is the most heartfelt inspiring book I have ever read
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Summary: What an insite into to this horrific battle
Review: Until the Civil War, men in war used muskets and musket balls. As stated in "Killer Angels", a man might forget he had powdered his weapon and does it time and again and before you know it, he has blown himself up. In the "Killer Angels", General Longstreet tries valiantly to get General Lee to use defensive tactics, but Lee refuses. This is an incredible pulitzer prize winning novel. If you are a history buff, "Killer Angels" is a must read.
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Summary: "You Are There"
Review: I have always enjoyed the study of the Civil War, more the men and women involved than the statistics or weaponry and such. The Killer Angels explores Gettysburg through the eyes of the men that were there, the tragedies that could have been avoided, the devastation on both sides. I particularly enjoyed the sub-sub plot of the relationship between brothers Joshua and Tom Chamberlain; Colonel chamberlain finds himself wondering why he won't let his brother call him by his first name in front of the others but he will plug a gap in the line with him on Little Round Top. It adds a very human, personal touch to the story, of what it must have felt like wondering what was happening to your family members, some of which were not on the same side you were. My favorite character of all was Buster Kilrain-what a good friend and philosopher. It was hard to imagine Pickett's Charge- all those men being picked off like ducks in a row, and General Longstreet unjustly taking the bl! ame for it. So please, if you want to read this book, and can disregard the "it's so boring" reviews given by several high school students, you won't regret the experience.
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Summary: A masterpiece about life and human nature
Review: Killer Angels is one of the best books I have ever read. It is so much more than just a "war book". It is a book about life, faith, human nature, and the agonizing tensions that we all must face in this life. Everyone in a position of leadership should read this book.
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Summary: The best historical novel. Period.
Review: I don't think that in my entire lifetime I have, or will, find a novel on Gettysbyrg that portrays the turning point of two nations so vivedly as this one does. I would recomend this book to anyone who can read.
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Summary: What Fiction Really Needed
Review: I was one of those non-Civil War buffs until I read Shaara's The Killer Angels and watched the movie Gettysburg in conjunction. Granted it was for school, but Shaara's work opened a whole new element of fiction to me. It made me CARE about the characters (the real people) on BOTH sides of the war. No more of the one-sided "North was good and South was bigoted bastards" history taught in most schools. This piece had an element many fiction I've read up to this point had not presented: truly believable, real people. Granted the people in the book were indeed real, but Shaara absolutely resurrected them from their graves and gave them life. Nothing in fiction or non-fiction, even biographies, come close to the skill and masterpiece Shaara has created in The Killer Angels
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Summary: a delightful surprise
Review: returning from the peace mission of bosnia-herzegovina in april, i was outprocessing in ft. benning when i bought this book. i'd never read a war novel before, but the pickings in a PX are pretty slim; and i needed a novel to pass the time standing in lines.i lucked out. this is one of the best novels i've ever read, period. thanks to shaara, the characters so totally engrossed me that military outprocessing, for once, went by fast. i'll be re-reading it as soon as i finish _gods and generals_, which i hope to do before the end of summer.
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