Freedom
by William Safire
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Description
On cover: A novel of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. A historical novel exploring the first two years of the Civil War.Tags
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Member Reviews
Mr. Safire is a competent novelist. But he's not greatly given to "fine Writing" , not a great surprize, given his background in journalism. As a person researching the Antietam campaign, I found this a very useful book (and added a half-star for that reason.) But the tale of Washington and the Army of the Potomac, was decently told, and the events were handled with good pacing and intelligence. This book is thick, but its matter was important.
Meticulously researched and dramatized, this is the missing link for anyone who would like to commemorate 150 years since the end of the Civil War. Do you recognize the names Anna Ella Carroll, John C. Breckinridge, Matthew Brady, or John Hay? Perhaps you should. These and others are people who shaped the times of the Civil War era, with their intelligence and fortitude. This novel lends view to the complex political times, as opposed to focusing mainly on military strategy or those left behind in wartime. If you have read "Gone with the Wind" as well as "Killer Angels," this novel is a nice complement and an enjoyable read.
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Best Historical Fiction
620 works; 261 members
Author Information
39+ Works 5,061 Members
William Safire was born on Dec. 17, 1929. He attended Syracuse University, but dropped out after two years. He began his career as a reporter for The New York Herald Tribune. He had also been a radio and television producer and a U.S. Army correspondent. From 1955 to 1960, Safire was vice president of a public relations firm in New York City, and show more then became president of his own firm. He was responsible for bringing Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev together in 1959. In 1968, he joined the campaign of Richard Nixon as a senior White House speechwriter for Nixon. Safire joined The New York Times in 1973 as a political columnist. He also writes a Sunday column, On Language, which has appeared in The New York Times Magazine since 1979. This column on grammar, usage, and etymology has led to the publication of 10 books and made him the most widely read writer on the English language. William Safire was the winner of the 1978 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary. He is a trustee for Syracuse University. Since 1995 he has served as a member of the Pulitzer Board. He is the author of Freedom (1987), a novel of Lincoln and the Civil War. His other novels include Full Disclosure (1977), Sleeper Spy (1995) and Scandalmonger (2000). His other titles include a dictionary, a history, anthologies and commentaries. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Awards
Distinctions
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1987
- People/Characters
- Abraham Lincoln; Roger Brooke Taney (Chief Justice); John Cabell Breckinridge; John Hay; Edwin M. Stanton; Ulysses S. Grant (show all 10); Mary Todd Lincoln; Elizabeth Keckly (Elizabeth "Lizzie" Hobbs Keckly); Rose O'Neal Greenhow (as Rose Greenhow); Robert E. Lee
- Important places
- Washington, D.C., USA; USA
- Important events
- American Civil War (1861 | 1865)
- Dedication
- To the memory of my father, Oliver C. Safir
- First words
- Prologue: "When will they come?"
Chapter 1: Getting up the steps to the bench was a problem. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"That will do."
- Blurbers
- Kissinger, Henry; Walters, Barbara; Schlesinger, Arthur, Jr.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 497
- Popularity
- 60,404
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (4.24)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook
- ISBNs
- 6
- ASINs
- 4
