A Long Shadow: Jefferson Davis and the Final Days of the Confederacy, Book Review Example

This is a book review of the book “A Long Shadow: Jefferson Davis and the final days of the Confederacy” which is authored by Michael B. Ballard and published by University of Georgia Press in 1997.

In this review the author Ballard properly elaborates and critically analyzes the life one of the most respected and the greatest martyr in the American history. Jefferson Davis is described by the author as a character whose youth was marred with violence as trouble maker constantly on the wrong side of the arm of the law and also his heavy indulgence in alcohol. In consideration to the perception  many as the writer describes it this is a recipe for disaster and as it the human nature to assume such character only bring forth violence and despair to the parents and the society, this book well redefining such discernment as utter and foolish perception.  This he critically analyzes without favor and not omitting fine details of the occurrences that transpired in the life of this American hero. The irony in this review is that this man who is now a great martyr and is widely studied in most literatures doctrines, is that the author perspective of the leader and the first and only president of the confederated State of America.

Jefferson Davis when he reached the age of eighteen joined the army and raised in rank and merit, this made him a war hero. This gained him admirable respect in the war front and the generals saw leadership portraits in him, this will see later elevate him to high offices in the government of the State of America.

From the battle filed this thin skinned, proud and self centered in terms of thinking as the author described the other entourage would later describe Davis attitude towards matters even as sensitive as the national security. Davis elevation status turned a right turn and he was in the political arena and was in duration of very little time a senator, this was not the horizon for this unsuitable politician as the author narrates that his closest allies and entourage thought of his self center ideologies.

Davis later became secretary of war and from this is when his peak moment as a politician hit home, the author here acclaimed that not even his self centered ego would be asset back to him, not even political analyst description of Davis as been vague in political issues could deter the founding CSA Congress from elevating and vote for him for presidency, this made Jefferson Davis become the first confederated president of the State of America.

Davis unsuitable political stance made him at logger head with every one in the office from the vice president to the generals on the war front over many sensitive matters, that sometimes needed redresses but the president pushed them aside demeaning their urgency. This constant argument with the generals over matters on the battle grounds saw Davis regime loose the war, this gained him loathing and hatred by the southern who did not earn independence and this is evidence as the author narrates the complimentary columns on the Southern papers did not hide any loathing for the Davis regime and outcry for his resignation by many rumor column was evidence in their columns.

This is what the author recalls as the greatest come back of Davis, this weakness caused by the defeat in battle become his strength. At this point many defeated men would despair and call it in, but Davis firm beliefs that the south should gain independence led him to keep on fighting and kept the government with all this circumstances going on. His defeat did not break him but gave him new strength that puzzled those who were his entourage. His flaws and failure as clearly elaborated by the authors turned the greatest and the first president of the confederated government. The stress that this man bared, sacrifices and pressures from his pursuant and his critics are unbearable to any human being and he is greatly respect in this degrees. The fall of the confederacy could not shake him, and his constant retreat maintaining step ahead of the union Army was met with applause from even his critics as they saw the determination in Davis part, his official and family dignity and faith as they juggled government issues and the matters of war constantly under attack from the union army.

This narration by Ballard narrows the life of a reformed self centered egoism president to a most loved and cherished politician of all time. The narration takes the leaders to sad and emotional stages of the life of Davis. The story takes a rather sad twist as because of constant retreats, Davis was captured and arrested and his long imprisonment and hardship that he encountered though this did not break his spirit on the struggle for the long cause. He still mastered strength to be able to later become a true spiritual leader for such a great State. From the narration of Davis life by the renowned author Ballard, the life of this symbolic leader is highly respected by his entourages, family and friends as the author narrates that not even them understood his ideologies about many issues which he had ways of resolving in his own way.

The author takes the reader on a path that is filled with smooth fine details and also outlines of the hardship days faced by Jefferson Davis in his life as a youth and as president. This is the best case of transformational leadership as portrayed by the first confederate president of the united State who served as spiritual leaders for more than twenty years to the south after the war end. Long shadow is the best narration for the civil wars or reconstruction period enthusiast whom main aim is to clearly understand these literatures.

Work Cited

Ballard, Michael. A Long Shadow: Jefferson Davis and the Final Days of the Confederacy. Athens: University of Georgia Press. 1997.