The Killer Angels

Great book - Must read!

The Killer Angels written by Michael Shaara, is a very interesting book that describes the Civil War in vivid detail, specifically the Battle of Gettysburg. If you are an individual who is enthusiastic about learning about our nation's history and past, then it will be a great choice to purchase this book. In addition, this book is, for the most part, historically accurate, and will create an image in your mind of the landscape and the various skirmishes it details. Ever since I visited Gettysburg myself, I have had a passion for understanding and learning more about the battle itself, and I feel that this book has enhanced my knowledge of it and given me a new perspective on the events leading up to, and after, the battle.
I really enjoyed the way in which Shaara used the point of view of multiple characters throughout the story, on both sides of the war, to truly involve the reader in the feeling and emotions of both the Union and the Confederacy, and allow the reader to view their perspectives in terms of the reasoning behind their judgments and reasons for being involved in such a war. When detailing a major historical event such as the Battle of Gettysburg, numbers and statistics are not always the best way to involve a reader, which is why Shaara presented the story from the perspective of a single soldier or general on either side of the war, to allow the reader to experience what the individual had felt and thought. When a reader becomes emotionally involved in a book, they are more apt to have a greater understanding of the material within, and have a much better overall experience in reading the story. I enjoyed the book because I became somewhat emotionally involved, and I greatly enjoyed the presentation of the Battle of Gettysburg through several different perspectives and points of view.
In the case of any historically significant book that has conflicting points of interest, there is bound to be some sort of bias or historical inaccuracy, and the latter of which is present in this book. One major historical inaccuracy in the book is that Shaara detailed that the 20th Maine brigade of the Union army was present to defend General Pickett's charge. According to several historians, the 20th Maine brigade was defending the Union's left flank, and could not have defended against Pickett's charge, which brings forth the presence of a historical discrepancy. I believe that Shaara portrayed the 20th Maine defending against Pickett's charge to add appeal and zest to the story. The presence of a historical discrepancy did not detract from the overall detail and meaning of the book, however it did slightly detract from the point in the plot detailing Pickett's charge.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone who has a desire to learn about the Civil War, The Battle of Gettysburg, or any of the significant military leaders. The way in which Shaara presented the information about the logistics of the Battle of Gettysburg through various viewpoints and perspectives greatly interested me, and allowed me to become very involved with the book, which is why I finished it in two days.
I would recommend this book to an audience of individuals who are mature enough to handle the violence and loss of life that the story entails, and are conscious enough to keep up with the multiple story lines.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Not just for war lovers.

I'm not a war strategy enthusiast, but when I read this for school I loved it for its ability to make you rethink the Civil War from a new perspective, an idea this book focuses on.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Must read

Killer angels is a must read 4 anyone who likes the civil war. I knew the basics of the civil war but I didn't know that Pickett's Charge George Pickett wasn't supposed to do much this is a great read but it os a little bit confusing at first. ( you will not like this grandma)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

We tried reading this for a group that was making high A's in my history class and all I can say is, "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH THIS MAKES MY HEAD WANT TO EXPLODE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I guess if I was older I would underatand it more. I am just giving my personal opinion. As an American I have the freedom of speech to say what I feel (so long as it is not demeaning or bad...). Don't get me wrong at first it was okay, then, well AHHHHHHHHHHHH again.

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Excellent!

Great book. The author brought you into the battle. I couldn't put the book down. You got to know the generals, the officers and what they were thinking behind the scences of the most important battle of the civil war. Can't wait to read books from this author.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

What an amazing book!

I didn't know what to expect from this book- probably got it for my nook based on the overall rating given by others. I have been to Gettysburg, but it has been years, and I was tired and hot when I went, so didn't get much of a feel for it.
This book changed all that. The unique approach of looking at the war from the different soldiers/generals perspective was refreshing and thought-provoking. The conflicting emotions of the southern leaders of wanting to fight for their homes and lifestyle vs. the guilt of fighting against dear friends from earlier times was presented in a striking way.
I found myself looking for times I could read this book over lunch at work, while waiting for my next appointment, etc. It kept me up late, and gave me things to think about throughout the day.
All in all, I'd love to read this book again just before going to visit Gettysburg. I think it would be a profound experience.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

be prepared for an unusual writing style

While the topic is highly interesting, I found Mr Shaara's writing style a bit disjointed and hard to follow. There are many characters to follow and the author seems to think the reader knows them as well as he does. I read about half of the book and moved on to something else due to the frustration I was experiencing. I still may go back and try to finish because the topic is very interesting.

Very Good Read

This book got you involved with the greatest Generals of the past.

AP World History Review: An Excellant Insight into the Civil War

At first, when I decided to read Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, I was not extremely enthusiastic, thinking it would be just another history book concerning only the Battle of Gettysburg in the Civil War. Yet I sincerely enjoyed reading this novel, and it definately helped expand my grasp of the perspectives and justifications of individuals in both the Union and the Confederacy. Shaara states that this novel's purpose was to help readers actually experience what it would be like to be at the Battle of Gettysburg (xiii). He completely accomplishes this goal. I actually felt like I was a part of the story, experiencing the victories and defeats along with each of the characters. This book made these characters, famous individuals like Robert E. Lee and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, feel like real human beings with varying personalities and morals, unlike pieces in a chess game as most history books or lessons make them out to be. I genuinely loved this book because it read more like a novel then a textbook or the listing of facts. It became personal, making the novel more enjoyable and educational. I highly recommend anyone to read Killer Angels by Michael Shaara if they are in search of a novel that provides insight into the Civil War, makes historical figures seem more like people you could meet today, and just gives readers an entertaining and educational story.

Read this for school

I didnt really understand most of it but the parts i understood were pretty interesting

Truely amazing. What courage.

Highly recommend Killer Angels to all civil war buffs. To get a better flavor of the intensity of what these brave soldiers endured one must take the time to visit Gettysburg. Truely an amazing sight. Sent chills up my back to envision the thousands of men walking into death for what they believed in. No stronger convictions.

This is a great book

I loved this book and it was a geat book i just couldnt put it down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)

A Civil War Must

A very good Michael Shaarah book that everyone should read to get a perspective on the Civil War.

Best book for the battle of gettysburg

I read this with no prior knowledge of the battle and it truly was a great experience. The way the author made the characters come to life was just amazing. It was no longer a story about men fighting a war but they became real people in my mind.Wonderful read!!

The best novel on the American Civil War

I don't think five stars are enough for The Killer Angels. The book is a work of art. Despite a few inaccuracies (such as a newly imported slave), and a bad characterization (Lee comes off as borderline senile when seen from Longstreet's POV), The Killer Angels is a modern Epic. Everything from Buford's Cavalry making its historic stand, to Chamberlain's charge on Little Round Top, and Pickett's Charge, the entirety of the Battle of Gettysburg is depicted here.

For History Buffs

I recomend this book to all who, like me, are history buffs. It is a tale of the Battle of Gettesburg as told by the generals who fought it. It is in naritive form that is very readble

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very boring

I had to read this book for school... it took me the whole summer because it was so boring.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great book & movie too

No text was provided for this review.

Superbly Realistic Historical Fiction

"Killer Angels" is built upon a foundation of intense and realistic characterizations. While angling his point of view from the perspective of different players in this Civil War drama, Shaara focuses on General James Longstreet from the South and Corporal James Lawrence Chamberlain from the North. As the story of this battle is meticulously exposed, the reader is deftly introduced to the landscape (both physical and cultural) and perspectives that drove the war, as well as the raw emotional mindsets of its' participants.

Much of Shaara's dialogue is brief with the exception of cases where he utilizes his characters to convey a particular theme. Motivations for the war are explored numerous times and from a number of viewpoints.

Shaara's writing is fluid and natural. The now famous Battle of Little Roundtop is told from the perspective of Lawrence Chamberlain who led a relatively small division of Union soldiers from Maine who were asked to hold the extreme flank of the Union battle line. Like much of Chamberlain's monologue throughout, he describes the action in short, staccato, but fluid language. The words pop like gunfire from a rifle. His descriptive monologues flow like soldiers over the Pennsylvania countryside.

Shaara describes the opening volleys in this key battle from Chamberlain's perspective: "Gray-Green-Yellow uniforms, rolling up in a mass...more and more. At least a hundred men. More. Coming up out of the green, out of the dark. They seemed to be rising out of the ground. Suddenly the terrible scream, the ripply crawly sound in your skull. A whole regiment. Dissolving in smoke and thunder. They came on. Chamberlain could see nothing but smoke, the blue mounds bobbing in front of him, clang of ramrods, grunts, a high gaunt wail. A bullet thunked into a tree near him. Chamberlain turned, saw white splintered wood. He ducked suddenly, then stood up, moved forward, crouched behind a boulder, looking."

For those enmeshed in the throes of battle, be it hand-to-hand combat or finding cover to duck and shoot, there is no honor or glory, just THE moment. The only thought is survival and trained instinct. The only sounds within the chaos are the din of battle and the voices and instruments of order.

General Longstreet discuss the concept of honor with a visiting British envoy: "I appreciate honor and bravery and courage...but the point of the war is not to show how brave you are and how you can die in a manly fashion, face to the enemy. God knows it's easy to die. Anybody can die."

Honor and form are represented by soldiers on both sides of the battle, but Shaara's subtle and poignant characterizations strip down to the core of what made these larger than life people. General Lee, for example, is not the seemingly untouchable piece of military and gentlemanly perfection that history mostly honors. He's portrayed as an aging strategist, full of warmth and as much human emotion as we can each see in ourselves. He's error prone, filled with the weight of one who feels he must carry a nation's hope entirely on his shoulders. And he's a man very aware of his own age and mortality, and potential for error.

What makes "The Killer Angels" so good and deeply affecting is the realism of the very human behaviors of these very extraordinary men.

"The Killer Angels" is a book about war. But it's much more than that. It's a character study dropped into an intensely fasci

Best book I have ever read.

This book was so good that I finished it in ome week amd usally takes me three weeks for me to read a regular 300 page book.

0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.