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How could a nation of eight million fail to subdue a struggling British colony of 300,000? In this remarkable account of the war's first year, Pierre Burton transforms history into an engrossing narrative that reads like a fast-paced novel. Drawing on memoirs, diaries, and official dispatches, the author gets inside the characters who fought the war the common soldiers, the generals, the bureaucrats and the profiteers, the traitors, and the loyalists. This is a gripping account of a show more fascinatingly complex war that shaped the boundaries of America as we know them today. show lessTags
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Pierre Berton is the master of Canadian 'popular history' - non-fiction so smooth and engaging that it's easy to stop absorbing facts and just go along for the ride. He places emphasis on describing the lives of people who lived through the events, humanizing the story. That's not to say he neglects any of the events themselves, and there's always a wealth of information to be had from his carefully researched work. What I like most is his ability to always maintain a clear view of the big picture in pairing with the colourful personal stories. I've read many of his books now and I was caught up by this no less than by his others. One thing he does differently this time is relate the episodes in present tense. It lends a more immediate show more feel, and I think it's a style choice he reserved for this work and its sequel. I'd like to find an old interview explaining why he did that and how he felt it came off, since he never repeated it.
War is not always Berton's topic but he has a knack for writing gripping battle accounts (see his WW1 book, "Vimy"). These were the days of cannon and cavalry, tomahawks and scalping, muskets and grapeshot. Mr. Berton brings not just the play-by-play action to his chronological presentation, but also the atmosphere. Along the way he debunks or casts suspicion on a number of myths and legends, and doesn't shy away from revealing the flaws of even the most honoured figures. There's ample cited evidence provided to support his three point thesis on how Canada successfully resisted the American invasion: the British presence, America's lack of preparedness and experience, and the assistance rendered by alliances with indigineous peoples. This first volume covers only the war's initial six months, since it's all of a piece: bungling false starts by the Americans that were poorly planned and executed (sometimes comically so), of which the British and their allies took full advantage (sometimes horrifically so). It primarily covers events at Tippecanoe, Detroit, Niagara and the Frenchtown massacre. A number of familiar names cross the stage including Tecumseh, Sir Isaac Brock and William Henry Harrison. Ensure you have the second volume ready. show less
War is not always Berton's topic but he has a knack for writing gripping battle accounts (see his WW1 book, "Vimy"). These were the days of cannon and cavalry, tomahawks and scalping, muskets and grapeshot. Mr. Berton brings not just the play-by-play action to his chronological presentation, but also the atmosphere. Along the way he debunks or casts suspicion on a number of myths and legends, and doesn't shy away from revealing the flaws of even the most honoured figures. There's ample cited evidence provided to support his three point thesis on how Canada successfully resisted the American invasion: the British presence, America's lack of preparedness and experience, and the assistance rendered by alliances with indigineous peoples. This first volume covers only the war's initial six months, since it's all of a piece: bungling false starts by the Americans that were poorly planned and executed (sometimes comically so), of which the British and their allies took full advantage (sometimes horrifically so). It primarily covers events at Tippecanoe, Detroit, Niagara and the Frenchtown massacre. A number of familiar names cross the stage including Tecumseh, Sir Isaac Brock and William Henry Harrison. Ensure you have the second volume ready. show less
My mom has been pestering me to read Pierre Berton's books for many years. I can see why he's a favorite among Canadians and history lovers in general. He strung together dozens of sources and put them in a narrative that reads fast, full of character and characters, ground-level perspective that allows for an intimate understanding of the underlying events behind the North American War of 1812, yet weaves in vocabulary lessons.
Unlike my American history classes (I grew up in the U.S.), I'll remember the stories within this book whether it's General Brock's gutsy strategy at Fort Detroit, the living conditions for the poorly prepared American soldiers, General Hull who surrendered to spare lives but was tried for treason because of it, show more or the named individuals who were captured by the Natives.
Much of the book follows the American perspective and all the blunders that came from enthusiasm and no discipline, no planning, and leadership based on popularity (generals reliving their revolutionary glory days) instead of skill. The most horrendous events that year were done to themselves.
The modern Canada exists thanks to the War of 1812. Before this conflict there was no effective border between Upper Canada and the United States. Most Canadians were also Americans, but lived in a more dispersed region. Most Canadians had no interest in war. Americans thought it would be easy to annex Canada and irk back the British for blocking trade with continental Europe. In her interest to be left alone to mostly farm instead of being the neutral battle ground for two powerful nations, Canada had the chance to look at herself and look at her two most associated countries: how was Canada different? What traits from either country did Canada matter? For a Canadian, what was loyalty and patriotism? In the first year of this ill-thought out war, one can see how Canadians always had a more peaceful mindset than their southern cousins, but also had the superior leadership of Isaac Brock (page 313):
"He came to represent Canadian order as opposed to American anarchy - 'peace, order and good government' rather than the more hedonistic 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' Had not Upper Canada been saved from the invader by appointed leaders who ruled autocratically? In America, the politicians became generals; in British North American, the opposite held true." show less
Unlike my American history classes (I grew up in the U.S.), I'll remember the stories within this book whether it's General Brock's gutsy strategy at Fort Detroit, the living conditions for the poorly prepared American soldiers, General Hull who surrendered to spare lives but was tried for treason because of it, show more or the named individuals who were captured by the Natives.
Much of the book follows the American perspective and all the blunders that came from enthusiasm and no discipline, no planning, and leadership based on popularity (generals reliving their revolutionary glory days) instead of skill. The most horrendous events that year were done to themselves.
The modern Canada exists thanks to the War of 1812. Before this conflict there was no effective border between Upper Canada and the United States. Most Canadians were also Americans, but lived in a more dispersed region. Most Canadians had no interest in war. Americans thought it would be easy to annex Canada and irk back the British for blocking trade with continental Europe. In her interest to be left alone to mostly farm instead of being the neutral battle ground for two powerful nations, Canada had the chance to look at herself and look at her two most associated countries: how was Canada different? What traits from either country did Canada matter? For a Canadian, what was loyalty and patriotism? In the first year of this ill-thought out war, one can see how Canadians always had a more peaceful mindset than their southern cousins, but also had the superior leadership of Isaac Brock (page 313):
"He came to represent Canadian order as opposed to American anarchy - 'peace, order and good government' rather than the more hedonistic 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' Had not Upper Canada been saved from the invader by appointed leaders who ruled autocratically? In America, the politicians became generals; in British North American, the opposite held true." show less
This book recounts the events of the first year of the War of 1812, and the present tense puts the reader at the heart of the action. It was written in 1980, though, and I’m sure more recent scholarship can fill in the (acknowledged by Berton) gaps in history, notably events from the Indigenous perspective.
The second time an invasion of the saint Lawrence valley was attempted by the Americans. This is a lively account by an iconic figure who has had the best sales of a Canadian writer on the topic. It is well written and can be read for profit by Americans, Brits, and Europeans as well.
Impossible to keep track of characters and what side they are on. Fairly good at depicting the horrors of war. The men who signed up must have been drunk or stupid so it's difficult to feel sorry for them.
This book is a popular history which follows the first year of the War of 1812. Berton deals with the complex political situations which led to war and the reluctance with which the commanders went to the front. Initially neither side wanted to fight, and both sought a peaceful resolution. However after a few skirmishes and battles both sides became more active in the war effort. The British resolved to fight a defensive war, but the Americans went on the offensive several times and fought on Canadian soil. Each side had a couple of decent officers, but tended to be run by elderly men from the Revolutionary Era who should not have been in command. Brock and Harrison seemed to be the most dynamic commanders. The Americans lost several show more battles, at Detroit, Niagara, and Frenchtown before the winter freeze set in and made fighting impossible. They didn't manage to sweep through Upper Canada like they planned, and the war dragged on for two more years. show less
The first volume of Pierre Berton's history of the War of 1812. His style was to hire scholars and graduate students to prepare binders he wrote from.
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Pierre Berton was born in 1920 and raised in the Yukon. He worked in Klondike mining camps during his university years, spending four years in the army, rising from private to captain/instructor at the Royal Military College in Kingston. After the military, Berton went to Vancouver where he began his career at a newspaper. At 21, he was the show more youngest city editor on any Canadian daily. He moved to Toronto in 1947, and at the age of 31 was named managing editor of Maclean's. In 1957 he became a key member of the CBC's public affairs flagship program, Close-Up, and a permanent panelist on Front Page Challenge. He joined The Toronto Star as an associate editor and columnist in 1958, leaving 4 years later in '62 to commence The Pierre Berton Show, which ran until 1973. Since then he has appeared as host and writer on My Country, The Great Debate, Heritage Theatre, and The Secret of My Success. He has received numerous honourary degrees and served as the Chancellor of Yukon College. Berton is also a Companion of the Order of Canada, and has received a Stephen Leacock Medal for Humor in 1959, a Govenor's General Award for The Mysterious North in 1956, Klondike in 1958 and The Last Spike in 1972. Berton has also won a Nellie Award for best public broadcaster in radio in 1978, the Canadian Authors Association Literary Award for non fiction in, 1981 and the Canadian Booksellers Award in 1982. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Invasion of Canada: 1812-1813
- Alternate titles
- The American Invasion of Canada: The War of 1812's First Year
- Original publication date
- 1980
- People/Characters
- Isaac Brock; George Prevost; James Madison; Tecumseh
- Important places
- Canada; Upper Canada; Decew Falls, Ontario, Canada; Fort George, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada; Lundy's Lane, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada; Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada (show all 11); Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada; Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada; Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada; Ontario, Canada; Queenston Heights, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
- Important events
- War of 1812
- Epigraph
- "The conquest of Canada is in our power. I trust I shall not be deemed presumptive when I state that I verily believe that the militia of Kentucky are alone competent to place Montreal and Canada at your feet." - Henry Clay, ... (show all)to the United States Senate, February 22, 1810.
- First words
- Michilimackinac Island, Michigan Territory, U.S.A. The small hours of a soft July morning in 1812. The lake is silent, save for the whisper of waves lapping the shoreline.
The invasion of Canada, which began in the early summer of 1812 and petered out in the late fall of 1814, was part of a larger conflict that has come to be known in North America as the War of 1812. - Quotations
- The day was often won not by the most brilliant commander, for there were few brilliant commanders, but by the least incompetent.
- Original language
- English
Classifications
- Genres
- History, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 973.5 — History & geography History of North America United States 1809-1845
- LCC
- E355 .B47 — History of the United States United States Revolution to the Civil War, 1775/1783-1861 By period Early nineteenth century, 1801/1809-1845 Madison's administrations, 1809-1817 War of 1812
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 536
- Popularity
- 55,312
- Reviews
- 11
- Rating
- (3.97)
- Languages
- English, French, German
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 9
- ASINs
- 7
