Main Selection of the History Book Club The Battle of Gettysburg; the Civil War’s turning point; produced over 57;000 casualties; the largest number from the entire war that was itself America’s bloodiest conflict. On the third day of fierce fighting; Robert E. Lee’s attempt to invade the North came to a head in Pickett’s Charge. The infantry assault; consisting of nine brigades of soldiers in a line that stretched for over a mile; resulted in casualties of over 50 percent for the Confederates and a huge psychological blow to Southern morale. Pickett’s Charge is a detailed analysis of one of the most iconic and defining events in American history. This book presents a much-needed fresh look; including the unvarnished truths and ugly realities; about the unforgettable story. With the luxury of hindsight; historians have long denounced the folly of Lee’s attack; but this work reveals the tactical brilliance of a master plan that went awry. Special emphasis is placed on the common soldiers on both sides; especially the non-Virginia attackers outside of Pickett’s Virginia Division. These fighters’ moments of cowardice; failure; and triumph are explored using their own words from primary and unpublished sources. Without romance and glorification; the complexities and contradictions of the dramatic story of Pickett's Charge have been revealed in full to reveal this most pivotal moment in the nation’s life. Skyhorse Publishing; as well as our Arcade imprint; are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II; the Third Reich; Hitler and his henchmen; the JFK assassination; conspiracies; the American Civil War; the American Revolution; gladiators; Vikings; ancient Rome; medieval times; the old West; and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller; we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
#2404865 in Books 2015-03-18Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .69 x 5.51l; .0 #File Name: 1628461985246 pages
Review
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful. Highly Recommend!By Kate LarsonThis book is a must for any colonialist and others fascinated by the roots of evangelism in our nation's history! Highly readable; with fresh research; and eerily timely - our current political dramas are playing out in ways that would be familiar to Whitefield and his contemporaries. Conflicts between various conservative religious ideologies; their influence on culture and society; radical challenges to the status quo; and the remarkable use of media; are all playing out in our political and cultural wars today. Parr deftly uses her sources to vividly build and reveal the complex character of Whitefield the man; placing him within the context of great social; cultural; and economic change and upheaval. Students of American slavery; religion; colonial community development; evangelical Christianity; and family relations will find much to ponder in this book! Highly recommend.8 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Well written; original study of WhitefieldBy John D. WilseyParr's work is an expansive; carefully researched; and groundbreaking study of Whitefield as he is situated in eighteenth century colonial America; as a key figure in the Great Awakening; and as a powerful symbol after his death. Perhaps the most important contribution Parr makes in the book is that she takes a careful look at Whitefield's views on slavery; which is a remarkable example of historical complexity. Parr's work notably advances the field of Whitefield studies; particularly as it relates to race and slavery.The book is helpful; not just as a biography of Whitefield; but also as a history of the Great Awakening; the colonial South; and the mythmaking that occurred after Whitefield's death in 1770; just before the Revolution got underway.4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Excellently Researched and WrittenBy drsmithParr's study of George Whitefield is a much needed corrective to the bulk of extant literature on the "Grand Itinerant's" life and career as a major figure in the First Great Awakening; which tends to exaggerate his stature as a theologian and his influence upon the course of the history of Christianity in colonial America. Parr; in contrast to studies by Arnold Dallimore; Harry S. Stout; and--most recently--Thomas Kidd; convincingly proves that Whitefield was much more a creation of post-revolutionary America; especially in the nineteenth century. This parallels the assessment of the First Great Awakening offered by Jon Butler; who similarly thought the Awakening to be an invention of nineteenth-century evangelicals and evangelical historians. Parr's research is top-notch; making abundant use of primary source materials as well as the most recent and relevant scholarship on Whitefield; the Awakening; and the American Revolution to support her thesis. This is a formidable work; and future scholars of early American religion will have to reckon with Parr's work for many years to come.
