In volume one of his America in the King Years; Pulitzer Prize winner Taylor Branch gives a masterly account of the American civil rights movement.Hailed as the most masterful story ever told of the American civil rights movement; Parting the Waters is destined to endure for generations. Moving from the fiery political baptism of Martin Luther King; Jr.; to the corridors of Camelot where the Kennedy brothers weighed demands for justice against the deceptions of J. Edgar Hoover; here is a vivid tapestry of America; torn and finally transformed by a revolutionary struggle unequaled since the Civil War. Taylor Branch provides an unsurpassed portrait of King's rise to greatness and illuminates the stunning courage and private conflict; the deals; maneuvers; betrayals; and rivalries that determined history behind closed doors; at boycotts and sit-ins; on bloody freedom rides; and through siege and murder. Epic in scope and impact; Branch's chronicle definitively captures one of the nation's most crucial passages.
#2719736 in Books Viking Adult 2005-11-03 2005-11-03Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.32 x .78 x 5.28l; #File Name: 0670034517176 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This Book is Both Confounding and RewardingBy Jim SchmidtJames McIvor's God Rest Ye Merry; Soldiers: A True Civil War Christmas Story (Plume; 2006) is one of the most rewarding and one of the most confounding books I've read in some time.The cons: it's hard to say what the author was going for as it seems to be three books-in-one...the subtitle ("A True...Story") seemingly refers to an episode on the eve of Battle of Stone's River (a full week after Christmas) in which soldiers from both sides sang "Home Sweet Home;" yet he spends less than three pages on the episode and offers but a single firsthand account; the book does include a bibliography but no endnotes nor an index; which makes it hard to adequately trace some of the truly good primary source material in the book (see below); look; I love Shelby Foote's The Civil War: A Narrative; but I get gas when I see it used a source; finally; the author tends to exaggerate and hold to well-worn myths on certain points of tactics; technology; etc.Now; for the pros; and there are a lot of them:It's a short book; very affordable; and available in a variety of formats; and the actual book size makes it a great "stocking stuffer."The first chapter (especially) of the book describes the increasing importance of Christmas celebrations in AMerica in the mid-19th-century and does an even better job of pointing to differences between a still-"Merry" Christmas of 1861 to a significantly changed atmosphere in late 1862; especially in the SouthThe book does include a great number of meaningful and relevant excerpts of soldier correspondence during Christmastime; many fittingly drawn from the Stone's River Battlefield archives and other archival/unpublished sources.The book actually serves as an estimable summary of the Battle of Stone's River.The human interest stories within are terrific; including a few tragic coincidences and premonitions; and I find myself wanting to learn more about a few people in the book; especially Col. Julius P. Garresche.The inclusion and interpretation of wartime Christmas poetry was a real value; some of it was obscure; but even the well-known poems like Longfellow's "I Heard the Bells" are provided in their entirety and it's often the less-quoted lines that are the most poetic.The writing and storytelling is done with grace and sensitivity befitting the holiday; the tragic nature of war; and the hope of the first peacetime Christmas in 1865.The book is admittedly something of a "mash-up;" but everyone should find that it is more than the sum of its parts. Recommended.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Quick and entertaining take on Christmas in the Civil WarBy USAF VeteranThis book revolves around the people who participated in the 1862 Civil War battle "The Battle of Stones River"; fought near Murfreeboro; Tennessee just after Christmas. It is not at all an account of the battle itself.The author uses mostly excerpts from letters and autobiographies from participants to illustrate how Christmas 1862 felt to the people involved in this particular battle. There are Christmas poems from papers of the day; popular song lyrics; letters to and from home; and biographical information about various people involved.There are no complete accounts of the battle but only descriptions of part of the battle that allow the reader to develop a context in which to place these events; so if you are looking for a military account on the Battle of Stones River; this is not the book to read.The story of the Generals and Privates that are covered here are poignant. There are several accounts of participants who foresaw their death. There are a number of accounts of merciful treatment from enemy combatants. I found these accounts the most intriguing. The story of the 2 opposing armies singing together "Home; Sweet Home" on the eve of battle is probably the climax of the book.The author also includes material on the nature of Christmas in 1862 and gives an excellent history of the evolution of this holiday and explanations of why it is the way it is. This was excellent material and fascinating.Overall; a very enjoyable account of the juxtaposition of religious observances and the horror of war. Definitely worth a read.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A must read for the Civil War enthusiastBy Richard GreenleafOk; I admit it. I very nearly didn't add this treasure to my personal Civil War library. I was looking for a copy of Kevin Rawling's "We were Marching on Christmas Day;" hoping beyond hope of finding it in stores after having read an article in my local paper about him being the Civil War Santa. An article which; I might add; mentioned his book and had me turning my attention to the Christmas season during the war for the first time. When I saw this book in stores for the first time I was at first intrested and then quickly turned off by it. It just seemed like it was a novel to me. I was looking for non-fiction; not a fictional story set at Christmastime during the war. But for whatever reason I decided to pick it up even though I really didn't want a novel on Christmas during the war.Well let's just say I was far from disappointed about being wrong about the book. It is a fascinating look into Christmas and how the war affected it for soldier and civilian alike. Even more fascinating; for me; was to learn that one of the sources McIvor used was the very book I'd been looking for in the first place.James McIvor brings together both research and individuals' letters to paint a picture of what life was like for soldier and civilian; North and South; alike. One can learn much about life at this time and how the war affected it. But even more than that; McIvor brings out how the feelings towards the war had changed from the early days when people on both sides expected all it would take was one big battle to get the other side to capitualate to the growing realization that the war was going to be a long one. And this was even more noticeable at Christmas; a time when most of the soldiers were so used to being at home with friends and loved ones. And at home the holiday season just reminded those who the soldiers left behind that their sons; grandsons; fathers; husbands; brothers; etc. were away fighting the war. Or worse; they were never coming home again."God Rest Ye Merry; Soldiers;" along with "We were Marching on Christmas Day;" is an absolute must for any Civil War enthusiasts library as it gives us a look into a too often overlooked element of the war. Holidays. We spend too much time paying attention only to the generals; politicians; dates and the events that occured on those dates that we overlook the the fact that the war was fought by living; breathing individuals. But when a book takes the time to remind us of those individuals and the lives they led during the war; then that book is absolutely worth reading. That is exactly what this book does. It reminds us of those individuals and also gives us an understanding of how they must have felt during the holiday season.Now if only someone would provide a book that looks at some of the other holidays of the year and how they were affected by the war.
