Crucible of Command

Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee - the War They Fought, the Peace They Forged

By: William C. Davis

Narrated by: Traber Burns

A dual biography of two iconic leaders: how they fought a bloody, brutal war then forged a lasting peace that fundamentally changed our nation.

They met in person only four times, yet these two men determined the outcome of the Civil War and cast competing styles for the reunited nation. Each the subject of innumerable biographies, Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee have never before been paired as they are here.

Exploring their personalities, their character, and their ethical, moral, political, and military worlds, William C. Davis finds surprising similarities between the two men as well as new perspectives on how their lives prepared them for the war they fought and influenced how they fought it. Davis reveals Lee's sense of failure before the war, Grant's optimism during disaster, and the sophisticated social and political instincts that each had when waging a war between democracies.

©2015 William C. Davis (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

long but great historical listen

an amazing contrast between two of our countries preeminent generals. the chronological order of events along with characterizations of experiences that show how each band evolved and ultimately have been remembered as was encapsulating.

m My thoughts

I liked how it talked a little more about their private lives.

A good comparative history of 2 great generals.

This is a good history of these 2 great generals but not a great history of the civil war. It can be hard to follow at times as the author shifts from Grant to Lee and back and I found myself backing up to see who he was talking about at times. It does provide an interesting comparison of these 2 men and how similar and different they were. I think Grant was the better general, but history doesn't seem to portray it that way. Listen to the book and make your own decision.

Good retelling

I enjoyed the retelling of the stories of Grant and Lee and their leadership during the Civil War. I particularly enjoyed Davis' focus on how they stragetized their campaigns and how they handled their staffs. Davis' use of their correspondence gave us an intimate look at their personal struggles. A familiar story well told.

Superb

I've done extensive reading on the American Civil War and rank this book as a must read for anyone interested in learning about these prime movers of that war. The author has reached deep into the historical record with masterful discrimination, judgment and insight to bring the reader perspectives and understandings that are fresh, informative and instructive. This biographical and analytic narrative presents material in chronological order allowing one to appreciate the remarkable transformation each man underwent as he entered the crucible of command during the greatest crisis in American history.

Worth the time and the dime...

Excellent read! Great insights to the two major Civil War generals and the history of the most tragic war on American soil.

Great comparison of great Generals

Excellent read for both the learned and novice historical reader. Well worth the time. Great narration.

Great book!

Very interesting study in the dichotomy of the Civil War's two most famous generals. Focuses less on the battles and tactics than on the respective personalities.

Overall, an excellent review of their lives

Would you listen to Crucible of Command again? Why?

Probably not, as I'm not one for rereading, and especially not of biographies.

What about Traber Burns’s performance did you like?

He does a good job of indicating when the words are meant to be a quote vs summary text. Occasionally his voice changes (likely due to a break in recording) which can break the mood, but otherwise he does a good job.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Nope. Too long for that, and fairly 'dry' though not in a bad way.

Any additional comments?

The first chapter was the hardest to get through while the author discussed their childhoods. It for the most part felt irrelevant, and the important points could have been summed up in almost a quarter of the time. Looking back now, I probably could have skipped it and not felt the loss.

Fascinating comparison of 2 great men

Any additional comments?

A very long book, with more battle details than most readers will want, but worth working your way through to the insights on what made each successful. Both were, of course, outstanding leaders, able to inspire their armies and their countries. But Grant was the better manager, and the distinction was important to the results of the war.