The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, Book Review Example

Introduction

The Killer Angels was written by Michael Shaara.  The book describes the events of the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War between the Union and Confederate’s.  The battle that took place over a three-day period is considered to be one of the most fiercest and bloodiest battles related in American history.  The novel tells the story from two different on the perspectives.  It focuses upon the strategy and decision taken by the  commanders of both armies.  The author places the emphasis on the battle from the viewpoints of Robert E. Lee and James Long Street.  The aim was to provide a graphic account of what it was like to be a battle scene.

Book Report

The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the most famous battles that took place in the American Civil War.  The battle commences with the Confederates [South] army winning,  then in the middle of the battle a  frantic charge by the Southern armies turned it into a slaughter of  the Confederates.  This resulted in the Union soldiers winning a decisive battle.  This was  pivotal in turning the tide of the war in favour of the Union Army.  The book is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize and illustrates the battle over the three days from Weds July 1st 1863 to that of Friday July 3rd 1863. The story commences with the report of a spy to General Longstreet, General Lee’s second in command. He has details of the dispositions of the Union Army.

Evaluation

The book focuses upon the action of the infantrymen and ordinary soldier.  This is often depicted from the military commander viewpoint.  The book illustrates the humanity of the generals and feelings for troops lost in battle.  Shaara is excellent in describing the human qualities of the individuals.  Emotions of the officers is a theme that is continued throughout the course of the battle.  In the first instance, there is a sense of jubilation when the federal’s quick start the battle results in them capturing thousands of Union soldiers before they could rally on Cemetery Hill.  Having captured the town, the Confederates tried to seize the day, but Pickett’s charge and obtain a decisive win.  Instead it turned into a disaster that resulted in the Confederate division being wiped out.  On July 4 Lee’s army was forced into a retreat.

Shaara makes excellent use of empirical research and makes the scenes come alive by graphic description of the events that took place.  The book draws you into the plots and characters that make events happen.  You’re made to feel a part of the events taking place and the impact of the decisions being made.  The views in the book are those primarily expressed by the generals and commanders of the Confederate and Union armies.  The author used original letters and documents that describe the emotions, feelings and actions of the battle.  The author has condensed so the action points in order to improve clarity.  He interpreted the character in the novel himself and left in some of the naivety of the..  It is some of this only language that gives the novel both authenticity and charm.  A superb example of this is in Chapter 2.  Chamberlain where Buster Kilrain address the Colonel

“Colonel darlin, ‘I hate to be a-wakin ye, but there’s a message here ye ought to be seein’ “

“And how are ye feelin’ this mornin’ Colonel, me lad?”

‘Kilrain, a white haired man with the build of an ape, looked up at him with fatherly joy.

Amazing descriptive verse of an Irish/American army sergeant, being an experienced infantryman looking after a younger less experienced army officer.

The Author demonstrates an acute ability to analyse the source data of letters, documents and accounts of the battle and transcribe these into the voices of real people.  An extremely good use of vocabulary is demonstrated such that the written word becomes evocative, thought provoking and extremely sensual.  You can smell the cigar smoke, the stench of battle and gunpowder.  It is all part of the experience of combining graphic detail with a sense of the atmosphere and belonging to the events that took place at Gettysburg.  The author is very lucid in explaining the emotions and fear of man, you gain a sense of the pain of the ordinary infantryman, the frustration of officers and the sense of grief of the Generals as they mourn the loss of men under their command.

Conclusion

The book has been aimed at providing an historical perspective of the epic battle of Gettysburg from letters and eye witness accounts.  A worthy winner of the Pulitzer Prize as it provides the reader with a graphic account of both the folly and courage of warfare in the American Civil War.  It is easy to draw upon some modern day analogies but perhaps the American Civil War may be the last pointer in history to where the concept of total warfare was mercilessly executed.  The book makes a strong personal impact and sits alongside classics like ‘All’s quiet on the Western Front’, describing the horrors of World War 1.  The book does leave you with an admiration for the strong sense of personal commitment and devotion to duty experienced by members of the Confederacy and Union armies.