The Demon of Unrest: Abraham Lincoln & America’s Road to Civil War

In this compelling retelling of a nation in turmoil, Erik Larson explores the five months between Abraham Lincoln's election and the start of the Civil War, focusing on Fort Sumter, a federal fortress in Charleston Harbor. The book delves into the chaotic period marked by tragic errors, miscommunications, and personal tragedies, highlighting the forces that led America to the brink of war.

Format: Hardback
Length: 592 pages
Publication date: 09 May 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

The Splendid and the Vile, a New York Times bestseller by Erik Larson, delves into the crucial five months between Abraham Lincoln's election and the onset of the Civil War. The nation was deeply divided, with Southern extremists threatening to tear the Union apart, one state after another seceding. Slavery played a central role in the conflict, yet the passions of North and South were focused on a solitary federal fortress in Charleston Harbor: Fort Sumter. Larson, a master storyteller, presents a gripping account of this tumultuous period, marked by tragic errors, miscommunications, and personal tragedies. Lincoln himself described the trials of these months as "so great that, could I have anticipated them, I would not have believed it possible to survive them."

At the heart of this suspenseful narrative are Major Robert Anderson, the commander of Fort Sumter and a former slave owner who sympathized with the South but remained loyal to the Union. Edmund Ruffin, a vain and bloodthirsty radical, incites secessionist fervor wherever he goes. Mary Boykin Chesnut, the wife of a prominent planter, grapples with her marriage and slavery, drawing parallels between the two. In the midst of it all, Lincoln battles with his duplicitous Secretary of State, William Seward, as he desperately tries to avert a war he fears is inevitable, one that will claim the lives of 750,000 Americans.

Larson draws on diaries, secret communiques, and other primary sources to provide a detailed and immersive account of this pivotal period in American history. The book offers a fresh perspective on the events leading up to the Civil War, shedding light on the complex web of personalities and ideologies that shaped the nation's destiny. The Splendid and the Vile is a must-read for anyone interested in American history, politics, and the human cost of war.

Weight: 848g
Dimension: 145 x 165 x 48 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780008681753