This book was filled with more information about the War of 1812 than I knew, but, I still believe that could have been related about actual battles. The fight between the Federalists and Republicans about the war was very well portrayed. What seems to be lacking is the involvement of regular people in the conflict and how it influenced them. Instead the statistical counts of injury and loss of life in various skirmishes is enumerated. The book doesn't seem to run chronologically but jumps from topic to topic. In spite of this drawback, it is enlightening about this last conflict with Great Britain. ( )

This book presented me with far more information about the War of 1812 than I'd previously known, but in spite of its depth, I felt there was more that could have been told regarding actual battles. The author does a fairly good job portraying the division between the Federalists and Republicans over the war. He does a pretty good job telling of outcomes of the war, but the part that seems to be lacking is the involvement of regular people in the conflict and how it influenced them. For example, I have an ancestor who lived in southwestern Ohio who is said to have died in 1814 in Detroit during the War. (Incidentally he'd had a son born earlier in that year.) I'd hoped to gain more information about the skirmish or battle in which he lost his life. Instead I was presented with statistical counts of injury and loss of life in various skirmishes, but not necessarily that one. The topical arrangement of the book tended to make it difficult to put together a timeline of what was happening at the same time on the different fronts or political scene. A timeline or chronology would have been helpful. In spite of its weaknesses, the author does a good job of enlightening his readers about this last (and hopefully final) conflict with Great Britain. ( )