Jefferson Davis

The Man and His Hour

By: William C. Davis

Narrated by: Jeff Riggenbach

This book paints a vivid picture of Jefferson Davis as a multifaceted, often charismatic man who mirrored the turbulent times in which he lived and who stood solidly for the South that he loved. Ranging over the complete span of his long life, it shows him as a hardworking Mississippi planter, a compassionate slave owner, a hero of the Mexican War, and an able secretary of war under Franklin Pierce. But it is on the years of the Civil War and Davis’s controversial performance as president of the Confederacy that the book naturally focuses.

Loved by many for his eloquence, courage, loyalty, and devotion, he was vilified by many more for his well-known obstinacy and vanity, his feuds with his best commanders, and his unwillingness to delegate responsibility to others. Judicious, balanced, compassionate, Jefferson Davis is an enthralling account of a remarkable man.

©1991 William C. Davis (P)2000 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Good listen about an interesting man.

The best line in the book that also describes the story is “Abraham Lincoln was a great man, Jefferson Davis was a good man”.

The book definitely describes Davis as a man put in a position above his ability. But it also states why nobody in his shoes could have succeeded. I recommend this book because it gives a full life of Jefferson Davis and the reasons the the Confederacy failed. Being from Richmond VA I found this book interesting.

Davis' human quality

I liked the entire book except that the black child he adopted or cared for until Irwinvile Georgia isn't mentioned

Jeff Davis the obstinate moderate

Davis is something of a puzzle. Leader of the state who's foundation was to protect the institution of slavery, while he and his brother Joseph ran their planation along a model developed by Welsh Utopian Socialist Robert Owen. Likewise in his career as a politician, Davis was not at the forefront of secession and the Montgomery Convention, and initially only expected to command Mississippi's armed forces in the field. William C Davis gives an immersive and a mostly fair portrait of Jefferson Davis. This biography is very enlightening if you are interested in the pre-war Democratic landscape, how the Confederacy functioned as a state in its' brief existence, and the feuds and personal ambitions which handicaped the Southern war effort. Contrary to most other reviews, I found after the initial introduction, the narration becomes less rushed and does not diminish the listening experience.

A very good look at a misunderstood man

I've read a ton of Civil War books so I was already very familiar with Davis but wanted something that just focused on him and in particular the post-Civil War period, this book works nicely for that, although I would have liked a more in-depth look at his later life. The first half of the book gets you to the Civil War, then the Civil War takes up probably 2/3rds of the 2nd half of the book. The pacing in the book is quite good and I never found the book to get dull or bogged down on trivial matters. The author does a good job of staying neutral for the most part. Overall this is an excellent addition for Civil War buffs or people that just want to know more about the South or Davis himself. I personally think it would make an excellent counterpart to anyone reading biographies on Lincoln to give a more well balanced view of his Presidency.

As for the reader I have mixed feelings, at the beginning of the book it really seems rushed -- but either I got used to it or he slowed down since about 1/3rd of the way into the book it no longer bothered me. Overall he does a good job, it's a straight read but appropriate for the content.

You want Jefferson Davis? You got him right here.

I’ve read a lot about Jefferson Davis. This book has more about him than I have ever experienced. So many intriguing trivial moments abound.
Unfortunately the narration feels too fast with no emotion at all.

Exhaustive Biography

An exhaustive biography that covers everything you ever wanted to know about President Davis. Impressive in its scope and detail.

The chapters on the Civil War could’ve used a bit more context on certain events, and less of a moment-by-moment recounting of his life. At times, this could slow the narrative down.

In the end, I found the Civil War itself to be the least interesting part of the book, as it sometimes became more of an academic historical record than a clear narrative.

The performance was great, however, there are some weird spacing/timing issues as well as oddly placed edits and breaths. A result of the period it was recorded. These blips are a little distracting at times, but hardly a deal breaker.

Ultimately, your own interest in the man will dictate your enjoyment. I find myself referencing it months after completing it.

You wanna know more about the Civil War?

Jefferson Davis for many years was just a picture, that I didn’t know anything about. This audiobook covers his life before during and after the Civil War.

I would imagine for many the Union Federal side of the Civil War is only read about.

It really begins to complete the picture by reading about what was going on, on the Confederate side of the Civil War.

I would highly recommend this excellent detailed view of the President of the Confederacy.

Long and informative

A lot of really good information you don’t hear about pertaining to the Civil War or pre-war. Example: he was secretary of war under President Pierce and his accomplishments for the United States pre-civil war.

Only downside was hearing about how often Jefferson Davis was sick: under the weather,health issues,possible malaria,blind,nostalgia,etc. Per the stories I wonder how he was able to even function. Especially after they highlight over and over how he may be head of army during the Civil War on the battlefield. He could hardly function during the day.

He’s in bed all the time and/or can barely see-blind. He gets better then awful again & again - becomes ridiculous. Almost as if the there is a reason: looking for attention, reason to be secluded or just an excuse for poor decision-making. He lived to be 81 years old. Almost 20 years more than Lee. The book makes it sound as if he is on his deathbed majority of the time.

Obviously, you can tell I was irritated about the number of times of his health was mentioned in the book but overall it was a great story and with the time. Recommend listening on 1.7 speed. Hope this helps.

Author's bias

The author's predetermined opinions biased his statements on the constitutional arguments raised by Jefferson Davis. The arguments are dismissed as incorrect rather than evaluated objectively.

Great work

It is a fast-paced read. Very thorough and balanced. It's great to get a glimpse at the man he was, not just what he did. Davis has many flaws, as everyone does. I came out of this knowing more about why and how he became the face of the confederacy.