Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
24 used & new from £7.79
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside another edition of this book

Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation (Paperback)

by Brian Holden Reid (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
RRP: £12.99
Price: £11.69 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £1.30 (10%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 3 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Wednesday, July 15? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
17 new from £7.79 7 used from £9.47
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover Order it used

Frequently Bought Together

Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation + Sherman's March: The First Full-Length Narrative of General William T. Sherman's Devastating March Through Georgia and the Carolinas (Vintage Civil War Library.) + Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S.Grant (Penguin Classics)
Price For All Three: £30.78

Show availability and shipping details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Sherman's March: The First Full-Length Narrative of General William T. Sherman's Devastating March Through Georgia and the Carolinas (Vintage Civil War Library.)

Sherman's March: The First Full-Length Narrative of General William T. Sherman's Devastating March Through Georgia and the Carolinas (Vintage Civil War Library.)

by Burke Davis
4.5 out of 5 stars (2)  £9.10
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S.Grant (Penguin Classics)

Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S.Grant (Penguin Classics)

by Ulysses Grant
4.4 out of 5 stars (7)  £9.99
The Passing of Armies: An Account of the Final Campaign of the Army of the Potomac

The Passing of Armies: An Account of the Final Campaign of the Army of the Potomac

by Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
4.8 out of 5 stars (6)  £4.87
General James Longstreet

General James Longstreet

by Jeffrey D. Wert
5.0 out of 5 stars (3)  £9.99
Stonewall - A Biography of General Thomas J Jackson

Stonewall - A Biography of General Thomas J Jackson

by B Farwell
5.0 out of 5 stars (2)  £13.40
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 271 pages
  • Publisher: Prometheus Books; illustrated edition edition (30 Sep 2007)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1591025850
  • ISBN-13: 978-1591025856
  • Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 13.5 x 2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 106,723 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #4 in  Books > History > North America > American Civil War > Biographies & Memoirs
    #4 in  Books > History > North America > American Civil War > Confederate States
    #6 in  Books > Biography > Historical > United States > Civil War

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

  • See Complete Table of Contents

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

  (What is this?)
Card Making Supplies UK
   www.MadAboutCards.com    Huge Range of Card Making Goodies Plus our Enormous Craft Pound Shop 
The icon
   search.knightfrank.com    Knight Frank - Rental Specialists Find Your Ideal Home 
A Robert Lee
   www.Ask.com    Find the Best Results for A Robert Lee! 
  
 

Product Description

Review
'Reid tells Lee's story fairly and sympathetically. This is a well-judged and useful book.' -- Paul Johnson LITERARY REVIEW 'Holden Reid has produced a fine and readable study in the best traditions of British writing on the American Civil War.' TLS 'this is a very balanced and honest account... arguably the best and most accessible single volume biography of Robert E. Lee yet produced. Highly recommended.' BRITISH ARMY REVIEW --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Paul Johnson, LITERARY REVIEW
'Reid tells Lee's story fairly and sympathetically. This is a well-judged and useful book.' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Product Description
Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
Check a corresponding box or enter your own tags in the field below
robert e lee
civil war
biography
american history

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation
79% buy the item featured on this page:
Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation 5.0 out of 5 stars (1)
£11.69
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S.Grant (Penguin Classics)
7% buy
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S.Grant (Penguin Classics) 4.4 out of 5 stars (7)
£9.99
Gettysburg (Double sided DVD) [1994]
6% buy
Gettysburg (Double sided DVD) [1994] 4.3 out of 5 stars (21)
£4.98
The Passing of Armies: An Account of the Final Campaign of the Army of the Potomac
4% buy
The Passing of Armies: An Account of the Final Campaign of the Army of the Potomac 4.8 out of 5 stars (6)
£4.87
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

1 Review
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A British Scholar Looks at Robert E. Lee, 13 April 2006
By Robin Friedman (Washington, D.C. United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Robert E.Lee: Icon for a Nation (Great Commanders) (Hardcover)
It is easy to overlook the many contributions that non-Americans have made to the study of the American Civil War. Brian Holden Reid's outstanding study "Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation" brings an informed, fresh and balanced perspective to bear upon the Confederacy's greatest general. Reid is Professor of American History and Military Institutions and Head of the Department of War Studies at Kings College, London. He has taught military strategy and tactics and written extensively about America's Civil War.

Any new study of Lee must work on two levels. First, of course, it must examine Lee himself, his life, his career, and his generalship. Second, any study must come to terms with the extensive writing and radically shifting perspectives about Lee over the years. Following the Civil War, Lee quickly became an icon to Southern partisans in the "Lost Cause" tradition. His character and success, for a time, against long military odds soon elevated Lee into a figure respected and revered by many Americans, north and south. Then, in mid-20th Century a reaction set in against Lee, questioning some of the mythology that had grown around him and challenging his agressive conduct of the War, his focus on the Eastern theater, his alleged lack of broad strategic vision, and the high casualty rate to which he subjected the Army of Northern Virginia, among other things. The reasons underlying the reassessment were complex. They included correcting an overly iconic and uncritical account, the changing perspective with which Americans viewed the Civil War, and a general and, I think, unhappy tendency to debunk and to criticise important historical figures.

In clear, elegant prose, Reid examines Lee and Lee historiography. Although Reid avoids hero worship, he clearly admires greatly Robert E. Lee as a person and as a general. He finds that much, but not all, of the traditional picture of Lee has merit: he was an imaginative, agressive, savvy, and gifted commander who, importantly, inspired the love and the trust of his men. He fought and won many battles against long odds and prolonged the life of the Confederacy, giving it its best chance to achieve independence. Reid is far from uncritical as he points to flaws in, among other things, the command structure of Lee's army, the commander's frequent over-confidence, his tendency to overdelegate to subordinates, his conduct of the Battle of Gettysburg, and the failure to make the most of his opportunites in battles such as Seven Days, Second Manassas, Fredricksburg, and Chancellorsville. For all these faults, Lee emerges in this study as a remarkable, charismatic commander whom Reid believes is properly regarded as one of the greatest in history.

The book opens with a chapter on Lee the icon with a summary of how historians of the "Lost Cause" school have viewed him, under the influence of the writings of Confederate General Jubal Early. The book then discusses Lee's pre-Civil War career, focusing on his service in Mexico, but gathers force in its consideration of Lee's three-year career as the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee's assumption of command in June, 1862, and the battles for which he is famous -- Seven Days, Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness Campaign, Petersburg, and Appatomatox, are discussed clearly and with sufficient detail. Reid keeps his and the reader's focus on the main themes of his study: showing Lee's greatness as a leader but his shortcomings as well.

In common with most books about Lee, his military exploits are discussed in detail but we see little of his inmost thoughts and feelings. Lee was a highly reserved individual. I would have also liked more emphasis on Lee's pre-Civil War career and, particularly, a fuller discussion of Lee's life and career as President of Washington University following the Civil War. The book includes some basic maps of the key theatres of Lee's operations -- placed at the beginning of the book to avoid cluttering the text -- a good, basic bibliography, and no footnotes.

Reid has written an excellent study of a great commander which argues convincingly that Lee deserves most of the esteem that he has traditionally received. This book will appeal to serious students of the Civil War.

Robin Friedman


Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Health & Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

Elemis Resurface and Renew Skin Care Gift Set of 4 Products
From soap to shavers, massagers to mascara, stock up on your daily essentials or truly pamper yourself.

›Discover Health & Beauty

  

More From Brian Holden Reid

America's Civil War...

America's Civil War: The Operational...

"Within the vast range of Civil War literature, relatively few major... Read more
£23.50 £19.98

 

Up to 50% off Dental Care

Braun Oral-B Professional Care 6000 Rechargeable Toothbrush - Pack of 2
Put a sparkle in your smile with up to 50% off selected Oral-B and Philips rechargeable toothbrushes.

›Up to 50% off power toothbrushes

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
4.5 out of 5 stars (72)£3.86
 Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer
4.1 out of 5 stars (460)£6.49
 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4.1 out of 5 stars (162)£3.99
 The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
4.2 out of 5 stars (80)£3.86

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates