Erik Larson has done it again: He’s written a terrific book!

This time, his subject is the Civil War; specifically, the five months leading up to it, beginning with Abraham Lincoln’s 1860 election victory and ending with South Carolina’s attack on Fort Sumter. A product of first-rate research, it’s a very well-told story that presents the historical figures (both famous and not-so-famous), the political issues, the events, and the attitudes and tenor of that time.

Some of the events covered include:

Lincoln’s election (and Southern reaction to it);

The Buchanan administration’s ineffective and/or harmful responses to the mounting crisis;

Efforts to man and supply the federal forts in and around Charleston, including Fort Sumter;

Various state secession conventions and the formation of the Confederacy;

The counting of electoral votes in Congress (having some similarities to the events of 01/06/2021);

Lincoln’s journey from Springfield and his stealthy arrival in DC amidst fears he would be assassinated;

Lincoln’s inauguration and first months in office; and

Preparations for, and the actual battle at, Fort Sumter.

Larson's settings range from Springfield, Ill, to New York City, to Philadelphia, to DC, to Charleston. He explores the parts played by well-known historical figures such as Lincoln, Buchanan, Jefferson Davis, John Brown, General Winfield Scott, William Seward, and Edward Stanton; and by lesser-known men and women such as Fort Sumter’s commander, Major Robert Anderson, and some of his officers (including Abner Doubleday, baseball’s “inventor” and future Union general), secessionists James Henry Hammond and Edmund Ruffin, and Southern loyalist and diarist Mary Boykin Chestnut. His depictions of Lincoln are not unique, but they do paint a very human portrait of the President.

Larson amply covers the politics of the times. In particular, he explains how the South’s insistence on maintaining slavery (rooted in its racism and fear of economic harm) and the North’s demands that it be abolished (arising from the belief that slavery was fundamentally evil) formed the unbridgeable chasm that caused the war. I found his depictions of slavery and the pall that “peculiar institution” must have cast over day-to-day living in the South truly memorable.

A master storyteller, Larsen enlivens his tale with a good deal of suspense as well as occasional humor. Some sections had me on the edge of my seat, even though I knew the outcome. Others had me chuckling.

In short, “The Demon of Unrest” is an excellent book, well-suited for any reader interested in the Civil War.

My thanks to NetGalley, author Erik Larson, and publisher Crown Publishing for providing me with a complimentary ARC. All of the foregoing is my independent opinion.

The Demon of Unrest does not disappoint. Those already familiar with Erik Larson will find all the stuff they love about his work here, and new readers are sure to be enchanted as well.

While the book follows several key players, I found the chapters focused on Major Anderson most compelling, especially because he was not someone that my primary education focused too much on. Larson has a real talent for immersing readers in the atmosphere of the times he is writing about, and while there is A LOT of granular detail here, I feel like most of it added to the narrative rather than detracted from it. But if you’re someone who wants more of a minimalist account when reading history, it is something to note. But this was definitely an interesting and timely read given the parallels with the current political atmosphere.

Overall, I enjoyed it and I learned a lot. I would certainly recommend it to readers of narrative nonfiction and American history.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!*

How human egos and other imperfections led a nation to civil war.

We all learned about the Civil War in history class during our school days, and were taught that the different ways of life in the North vs the South led inevitably to war…agrarian vs industrial societies, slavery vs abolitionism, and so on. And while all of that was accurate, there was so much more at play particularly in the months leading up to the start of the war, the months between the election of Abraham Lincoln as President and the shelling of Fort Sumter. Southern gentlemen of the class known as the chivalry for whom honor was a matter for which they would willingly die (or kill); men in the government and military who had ties to and sympathized with the Southerners, the loyalties of some in concert with those sympathies while for others they were in conflict, and Cabinet members of the newly elected President who would work against the government they had sworn to serve all came in to play. We all know how the story ends, but in this latest book by author Erik Larson we are shown in great detail how, where and why it started.
It has been over twenty years since I first read a book by this author. It was called Isaac’s Storm and was about the deadly 1900 hurricane in Galveston TX, a storm of which I had never heard. I am more a reader of fiction than non=fiction, but the story Mr. Larson told was a compelling and fascinating read. I have enjoyed other books he has subsequently written, in large part because he takes a small piece of history and tells its story in a well-researched but very readable way. Perhaps because this topic can by no means be thought of as a small piece of history, I found The Demon of Unrest a more challenging read. There is a lot of story to tell, and given Mr. Larson’s impeccable research there are a lot of details. A devout fan of military history in general or Civil War history in particular will find a tremendous amount of information to absorb, but for me the level of detail distracted at times from the story he was telling. At close to 600 pages, this is an investment of time, but for those with a strong interest in the subject matter it will provide a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment. Fans of Shelby Foote, Bruce Catton and James McPherson should absolutely add this to their shelves, and readers of other Larson books will likely do so as well. Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for allowing me access to an early copy of this well-researched and meticulously documented look at the inflection point of the Civil War.

Erik Larson always knows how to tell a story in a way no one else does. It’s story telling like this that makes me such a fan of history. Even though I have taught the basic history of the Civil War, there are stories here that bring it together like I hope I do for my students. Cannot go wrong with an Erik Larson book.

Erik Larson tells the stories so didn’t know I needed to hear.

Part Paul Harvey with the surprise revelations of an otherwise well known topic, part David McCullough) getting into the nitty gritty at a PHD level. I always learn and am thoroughly entertained by Erik Larson’s storytelling.

By concentrating on a couple people, through letters and diaries, the reader gets a bird’s eye view of the months leading up to The Civil War. The tension and the inevitable catastrophe is palpable on the pages.

If you want to know how a country could allow itself to fall apart, how disinformation, arrogance and denialism can shatter a society this book explains it in a very accessible way

Every time Erik Larson releases a new book, I drop everything I am doing (including reading other books) and pick it up. This time, thanks to Crown Publishing, I was given the opportunity to read The Demon of Unrest as an advance copy.

From the Marconi device to Chicago murder hotels, when Larson picks a subject, he dives in full-sail (as evidenced by the mountain of sources at the end of every book), but somehow manages to weave an interesting story using only the facts and very little bias.

The Demon of Unrest tells the story of the lead-up to the Battle of Fort Sumter and the start of the American Civil War. The title comes from a quote from a West Point professor describing the state of affairs in South Carolina shortly before secession. Larson shifts from various points of view who were important and central to the event, from Union Major Anderson who was in charge of the Fort, to Lincoln, to Seward, to various Confederate voices as well. Additionally, Abner Doubleday plays a far more central role to this story than he did in the invention of baseball (although Larson does dig up some sources that seem to show that the soldiers did play baseball at Fort Sumter which dispels the other myth that he never saw the game).

The boom starts shortly before Lincoln is elected and, outside of the post-war epilogue, ends with the Union surrender. Based on the contemporary sources Larson provides, you are left with little doubt as to the actual cause of the war, but you also learn how little anyone grasped what was really happening. The South thought that Fort Sumter would be the end of the matter, the North thought the South would get over it. Lincoln’s own cabinet (including Seward) were often working against him and each other.

If you like Erik Larson, you’ll like this. It will make you angry at people long dead in places. It will make you realize how much everyone underestimated everyone…and it will kind of make you realize what a terrible President James Buchanan was. But it will also make you want to make a pilgrimage to see this place yourself. It’s fantastic.

"The Demon of Unrest" by Erik Larson sucked me into the history of the time between Lincoln's election and the start of the American Civil War; focusing on this time was so telling how the country was feeling and how on edge people were. We hear about Maj. The U.S. Army commander Robert Anderson was at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. His story doesn't get told enough. He moved defenses between Ft. Moultrie and Sumter like a classic brain teaser. The reader also learns about Edmund Ruffin and Mary Boykin Chesnut.

Larson's voice for bringing history to life is a trademark in this book. If you're into history or love a good deep dive with grand detail and a side of reflection, "The Demon of Unrest" is a solid pick. Since moving away from Charleston, I have not done too many non-academic forced dives into the American Civil War. I may need to read some more. The time was layered with so many options and fears for the country.

Thank you, NetGalley and Crown Publishing, for an ARC. I had been looking forward to this book.

The Demon of Unrest
By Erik Larson

Mr. Larson is known for writing about various true events and subjects using in-depth research. His research allows him to write interesting books, while incorporating only minimal fictional aspects (such as dialog based on historical supposition rather than based on recorded fact) to tie together all the links in his story lines.

This book follows the same pattern. It is basically the story of the events which led up to the American Civil War. While we all know the general outline of what happened, here we learn, from the multiple divergent historical documents, of all the mistakes, misunderstandings – and sadly, all the possible points at which this nightmare might have been avoided.

The tale is told through writings of statesmen, soldiers, and private citizens (both male and female) alike. It even provides works by a British journalist which allows us to see ourselves at that time as we were seen and understood from afar.

This is another fine effort by Mr. Larson. Anyone with an eye to history will find this a source of knowledge to which the average person had not previously been exposed.

Thank You to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC.

Erik Larson comes through again with an eye opening book about an unspeakable part of the history of the United States.

The run up to Ft. Sumter is one of the most harrowing parts of our history. The ignition of 4 years of brutal war was a long time coming, but the months between Lincoln's election and the first shots, were a time when the deaths & freedom of so many hung in the balance. This detailed exploration of that time is stunning.

I was a little taken aback to realize how many of the key players of the US Army were actually southern sympathizers. A strong sense of duty was sometimes the only thing standing between Union and Confederacy. Shocking to say the least.

I love Larson's writing style. He takes you there. You know these people. You witness these historical events as you were actually there. From fussy Buchanan, who wanted nothing more than to go home to Major Anderson and his cunning moves to keep possession of Sumter....you are along for the ride. It makes it accessible to all instead of a stuffy historical retelling.

This story takes you from where we were then to where we are now. And leaves you with questions of where we are going. Thank You, Mr. Larson for you stunning retelling!

5 stars!

This fascinating book takes the reader through the months leading up to the start of the Civil War. It was a time of miscommunication, hubris, and leadership weakness/incompetence. It was also a time when honor was highly valued. It’s fascinating to see the communications back and forth - what was deemed expected protocol.
Larson uses actual documents to show that the Southern States’ secessions were totally about slavery, not “states rights” as so many later would argue. Mississippi’s declaration clearly stated:
“Our position is thoroughly identified with slavery- the greatest material interest of the world…its labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth.”
The book shows that war was inevitable, although Lincoln tried hard to prevent it. Compromise was never going to work when one side viewed the other’s position as evil, which impugned their honor.
It was perfect timing for me to read this book as we just visited Charleston and saw many of the locations detailed here, especially Fort Sumter.
As always, Larson has written a nonfiction that reads as easily as fiction. He keeps the focus on the individuals involved, giving us a real feel for who they were. I never had a feel for President Buchanan and now I’m embarrassed that he lived in my current home region. It took 160 years for another president to give him a run for worst President ever. I also had no idea that so many government officials, including a Supreme Court judge, held southern sympathies.
Filled with fascinating facts, Larson has once again found a niche part of a well known time in history to delve into.
My thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for an advance copy of this book.

Erik Larson writes another great book about a key time in America's history - this time focusing on the time between Lincoln being elected as president and the first shots being fired on Fort Sumter. This book is great if you've ever wondered how the Civil War really started. Larson's deep research brings this point of history to life and makes the different characters, conflicts, and challenges easy to understand.

I am generally not a nonfiction reader; however, after reading (and loving) Larson’s “The Splendid and the Vile” in 2020 I was looking forward to reading his next book! My fiancé also enjoys reading Civil War history, so I had extra motivation to learn more about this time period and chat with him about it.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this one! I learned so much history without it feeling like a chore. Larson writes in a narrative style that flows extremely well with intrigue, suspense, and emotional connections to the historical people he writes about. I was so invested at some points I got “mad” at my fiancé for telling me “spoilers” when discussing the book (as if almost 200 year old history could be a spoiler 😂). I did think the first half dragged just a bit- some of the background on the ancillary characters was interesting but maybe not essential to the central storyline. However, once Larson reached Lincoln’s inauguration the book really took off- I was racing through the pages to find out what happened next.

Much to my fiancés excitement, I’m now inspired to read more about the Civil War and maybe even visit some of the places described! And at the end of the day, that’s all I really want from a nonfiction/history book- to keep me engaged, teach me something I didn’t know, and inspire me to learn more.

THE DEMON OF UNREST
BY: ERIK LARSON

About 4.5 Stars!

I met non-fiction author Erik Larson more than two decades ago at an Author event at a popular Independent Bookstore outside of Boston where the bookstore hosts him whenever he publishes a new book. He has a way of building suspense to his subject of history that he endeavors to illuminate. My first impression was that he is down to earth. This was when he published, The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America, which remains my favorite. It seemed to be well received by the many booksellers where I met him. It additionally is considered the number one favorite out of all of his books. Then I met him again for his book, Thunderstruck. That one ranks number two of readers favorites of his books. Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History, was published before his two that I mentioned that I attended his Author book reading and signing events, ranks number three of readers favorite Erik Larson's books. The ranking number four of reader favorites is called, In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin However, the most recommended to my amazement ranks number five of readers favorite Erik Larson books is called, Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania. That one happens to be my second favorite of this illustrious author. He has written many more non-fiction and fiction books, but those are the top five that rank as readers favorites in order of popularity.

I have the one published before this one which was also a bestseller about Winston Churchill and the London Blitz called, The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz, but I haven't read it yet. In this one which chronicles in minutia every detail of the five months between Abraham Lincoln who won the Presidential election in November of 1860, through April of 1861 when the Confederacy fired on Fort Sumter which started the Civil War. All of these details included, I thought making for a much more denser reading experience is called, The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War These fraught five months draw on numerous sources such as diary entries and extensive meticulous research make for a riveting reading experience.

At the same time, going back and forth within the timeline takes concentration and paying close attention and still was almost impossible for me to remember all of the dates when too many details and dates of when things occurred. Basically, my most memorable moments were about Major Anderson's actions who was the United States commander in charge of Fort Sumter and his decisions. Another memorable thread was the dates of Abraham Lincoln's certification of the electoral votes on February 13, 1861, his Inauguration on March 4, 1861 and all of his quoted eloquent responses to what was taking place within those five months which he couldn't act since President Buchanan was still in charge. President Buchanan was a Democrat who seemed to take a passive role wanting to get through the rest of his administration in peace. President-Elect Lincoln had a yard sale in Springfield, Illinois to fund him and his family's journey to Washington on February 9, 1861. He sold furniture from his home which this book listed one eager buyer who was Samuel H. Melvin, a Springfield dealer in medicinal drugs and supplies. According to a receipt signed by Lincoln on the same date Melvin spent $82.25 on the following items:
6 chairs
1 Spring Mattress
1 Wardrobe
1 Whatnot (a cabinet with open shelves, equivalent to a French etagere)
1 Stand
4 Comforters
The Lincolns stayed in a hotel, Chenery House, for their final days in Springfield. On February 11, 1861 was Lincoln's last day. This is just one example of the thousands of factual information presented.

In a former chapter there was a woman named Dorothea Dix who reported that there was a coup-like group who were planning on assassinating Lincoln on the last leg of his train journey in Baltimore. Pinkerton and his detective agency were warned which allowed Lincoln to get off his train and switch schedules of traveling the last leg of his journey to Washington City incognito in disguise. He thwarted those who wanted to bring him harm. At Lincoln's arrival to the hotel in Washington he attended a Peace Convention where at the time the seventh State of Texas had also Seceded from the Union. Among the delegates at the convention was a man named William Rives who represented Virginia. He received a request from Lincoln as well as other Southern delegates to return to the Willard Hotel for a second meeting where he vowed to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act and protect slavery in the states where it already existed. One of the guests ominously named Charles Slaughter Morehead, a former Senator of Kentucky, earnestly asked Lincoln to remove all Federal troops from Fort Sumter "lest violence break out and a fratricidal war." At this Rives warned Lincoln that if he attempted coercion, his own home border State would not hesitate to secede. Lincoln told Rives if Virginia stayed in the Union he would withdraw the troops from Fort Sumter. There would be much miscommunication and duplicitous actions to follow by Lincoln's Secretary of State William Seward that would transpire along with the Southern instigator Edmund Ruffin whose infamous first shot was fired at Fort Sumter. Major Anderson's men were outnumbered twenty five to one.

It is worth noting that the Senate received the amendment proposed by the Peace Convention and promptly voted it into oblivion, 28 to 7. It never went to the House of Representatives. "But a vestige survived in the form of a parallel constitutional amendment proposed in the House by a Representative Thomas Corwin of Ohio and in the Senate by William Seward that guaranteed Congress would not interfere with slavery where it existed. This vestigial stub fared better. The House approved it by a vote of 133 to 65; the Senate did likewise, 24 to 12. Lincoln later forwarded the proposed amendment, the original thirteenth, to all state governors, including those in the Confederacy, for ratification by their legislatures. He neither endorsed it nor denounced it. As he saw it, the amendment merely made explicit--'express and irrevocable'--a principle already embodied in the Constitution and one he himself had espoused many times."

"Only a few states would ultimately ratify the amendment before events made it irrelevant. Known to future centuries as the Shadow or Ghost Amendment, it remained an active congressionally (Sic) approved but unratified (Sic) amendment into the twenty-first century, theoretically still open to a final vote by the states."

The above is a fascinating point, that in my humble opinion might have averted what was to come tragically and heartbreaking for the United States as the Civil War. I think that many things contributed to the war and Erik Larson has woven a fine tapestry of them in his newest offering. Since the South was so worried about the abolitionist North and thinking one of my favorite President's Abraham Lincoln, would interfere with their enslaved populations. Since this book documents that South Carolina's decision to secede and they were the first to do so; all because of Lincoln's election. Furthering Charleston's claim on the Forts and land where Federal troops were ordered by the armed forces in charge to remain. Major Anderson's sympathies were towards the South, but his duty to remain on Fort Sumter by the government unless him and his men were in danger he ended up honoring his duties to the U.S. military. He sent the women and children away as he witnessed the increasing Confederacy arm themselves with every passing day. He was so understaffed compared to the South's gaining more armed rebels surrounding his recent post at Fort Sumter. Inadvertently, Lincoln sent the same reinforcements to two different places in error. With the food sources depleted it's not surprising that the outcome was how Civil War transpired. The Confederate South seemed determined to wage war even though it was empathized throughout this book they held themselves with a heightened sense of chivalry and honor.

As Erik Larson was beginning to work on this extremely detailed window of history he relays he was watching the January 6, 2021 insurrection that took place. He refers to the word insurrection many times when describing events taking place during this five month period with documented facts backing up this time during history. He uses quotation marks to encompass the words spoken by a multitude of the people when they say something to further the narrative. Diaries, journals, planters records,letters, books, etc., are drawn from which give this non-fiction work called, The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War authenticity.

I should back up and say that when Lincoln who was a Republican won the election in November of 1860, South Carolina was the first State to Secede from the nation in response to it. Charleston, South Carolina was the area where there were many people who when the State Seceded wanted the Forts inhabited back. Major Anderson was the person who decided to leave Fort Moultrie and moved to Fort Sumter which was not yet finished. Fort Sumter was better strategically located should there be an attack from the increasingly armed Charleston and the rebel seizure of Fort Moultrie and Castle Pinckney. When Fort Sumter was fired upon by the Confederate South is what would eventually be the start of the Civil War, with a loss of 750,000, American lives.

After South Carolina Seceded first, next was Mississippi, third was Florida spurred on by an agitator named Edmund Ruffin, from Virginia. Next to Secede were Alabama and Georgia followed by Louisiana. Jefferson Davis from Mississippi was elected President of the South who at first reluctantly took the position. He was a graduate from West Point and he fought in the Mexican War. Montgomery was named the Capital of the South. There are many, many sources drawn from an immense bibliography that Erik Larson has taken quotations to recreate what is said by the massive amount of individuals that populate the pages of this tumultuous five months. The author often cites different statistics; for example in terms of money, he translates the monetary value of the costs then, and converts the amounts in today's worth. There are too many people to name in a book review that encompass this masterfully written work. As I said, the minutia of every detail, dates, and people involved has no doubt been a monumental undertaking by this author. He gives a telephoto lens into everything that happened from what is an impressive amount of diverse points of views from the full gamete of acting participants within these five months time. Recommended to readers interested in history. Definitely an eye opening account to Civil War fans. This is another well written book by Erik Larson that I really enjoyed.

Publication Date: April 30, 2024

Thank you to Net Galley, Erik Larson and Crown Publishing for generously providing me with my fantastic eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheDemonofUnrest #ErikLarson #CrownPublishing #NetGalley

Larsen provides a microscopic and thorough portrayal of the period leading up to the outbreak of the Civil War. Of particular interest are the rather shocking profile of cotton-is-king Hammond and the speculative fiction of secessionist Ruffin.

Larsen's writing benefits from the lively use of letters and other primary sources, with, of course, Mary Chestnut's diary. Despite the meticulous research, though, the storytelling bogs down under detail. I wish the book had been edited for more narrative punch. Yet Civil War buffs won't mind a bit.

Of course the parallels to today are obvious, and I imagine readers will be very awake to these comparisons and their lessons.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishers for the Advanced Reader Copy.

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley and Crown publishing for early access to this eARC title.
Erik Larson weaves the tales of history like no other. By combining and comparing many poignant first-hand accounts, Larson weaves a tapestry that lends the reader a view of historical events with three-dimensional people, thoughts, and actions. As a Charleston native, I was particularly interested in Larson’s research regarding the shelling of Fort Sumter and the beginning of the Civil War. Larson eloquently examines both sides of the war and how debates and politicking lead up to the bloody stain upon American history. Larson’s tomes can be dense at times, but he leads you by the hand throughout the tale and reminds you of the humanity and hubris of those involved in key events. I cannot recommend this book enough, especially if you are a history buff looking for a lively and engaging story.

In this stellar new popular history of the months leading up to the confrontation at Fort Sumter, Erik Larson has achieved that most difficult feat of history writing: keeping the reader thoroughly enthralled despite knowing, in the end, how "the story" is fated to turn out. Through a day by day narrative that shifts in perspective from the military men, to the halls of power, to proponents on both sides of what was to become the ultimate atonement for the American original sin of the "peculiar institution," Larson constructs a narrative wherein the suspense, as it were, is real.

History is contingency, and through his skillful relation of events, we come to appreciate the tenuousness of Union, the uncertainty that plagued the time, and the deeply ingrained hatred of each side on the part of the other. Here we sit in the Willard Hotel, the White House, the homes of "the chivalry," on Lincoln's Inaugural train, in Sumter itself, listening, absorbing, communicating through the centuries.

In a time of significant political division of our own, we would be wise to consider that the past has much to tell us, if we care to listen.

Recommended for general readership, for the usual undergraduate pre-1865 American history survey course, or for upper-level courses on antebellum history.

I have read all of Erik Larson's books, and he is one of my favorite authors (along with David Grann) in this genre. Meticulous research, along with the ability to capture the reader's interest make his books a pleasure to read. "The Demon of Unrest" is a fascinating look at the period leading up to the Civil War, and reading it, makes me even more afraid for the state our country is in these days.

I learned so much from this book: how James Buchanan was basically a milquetoast, Abraham Lincoln at first was for keeping the peace with slave states by letting them continue their despicable justifications for owning and basically abusing innocent black men, women and children. Thank god Lincoln came to his senses. Other characters I wasn't as familiar with, including Major Robert Anderson, in charge of Fort Sumpter, who had to make tough decisions without help from his superiors in Washington -- imagine what might have happened if there were telephones and internet then! The secessionist Edmund Ruffin, who was determined to get as many southern states as possible to leave the Union; his desires to be famous and admired were paramount in his quest. William Seward, who wanted power and would love to have been president instead of Lincoln. So many more characters who deserve mention: Mary Boykin Chesnut, Howard Russell, SC governor Frances Pickens, and Mary Todd Lincoln (who was a much stronger person than I ever gave her credit for). And many more.

As a North Carolinian, I have been to Charleston and Fort Sumter and these places are as much characters in Larson's book as the people are. While some might argue that "The Demon of Unrest" is more factual like a textbook, I enjoyed the writing style and appreciate Larson's thoroughness.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishers for the digital ARC.

Larsen never disappoints. This Civil War is the best aspect I’ve ever read. You will see the true strategy and fully understand the struggle to be the victor of battle. Enjoy his writing, then read it again for his masterful story you will fully understand the history that built this country.

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson is a highly recommended in-depth look at the months between Lincoln’s November 1860 election and the surrender of Fort Sumter which lead up to the Civil War.

Larson brings to bear his penchant for presenting extensive historical research in a vivid, compelling manner in the telling the story of a deeply divided nation and the events leading up to the start of the Civil War. "At the heart of this suspense-filled narrative are Major Robert Anderson, Sumter’s commander and a former slave owner sympathetic to the South but loyal to the Union; Edmund Ruffin, a vain and bloodthirsty radical who stirs secessionist ardor at every opportunity; and Mary Boykin Chesnut, wife of a prominent planter, conflicted over both marriage and slavery and seeing parallels between them. In the middle of it all is the overwhelmed Lincoln, battling with his duplicitous secretary of state, William Seward, as he tries desperately to avert a war that he fears is inevitable—one that will eventually kill 750,000 Americans."

For those who enjoy any and all historical accounts surrounding the Civil War, The Demon of Unrest will be a welcomed addition to your library. This has been hailed as one of the most anticipated books of the year. Personally, ever since I read Isaac's Storm, still a favorite, reading any new Eric Larson book is a necessity. The presentation was compelling and the research is extensive, but I'll sheepishly admit I wanted the narrative to move along just a little bit faster. However, I know several Civil War buffs who will revel in the details.

In the opening Larson does write, “I was well into my research on the saga of Fort Sumter and the advent of the American Civil War when the events of January 6, 2021, took place.” Rather than be so specific and pinning the current ideological divisions on one day, it might have behooved him to simply say that turmoil and division between Americans is present again. Thanks to Crown Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, BookBrowse, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

I doubt that there has ever been a more detailed account of this time in US history as this one. While I found much of it fascinating, there were times when I wanted to skim over some of the minute details and get back to the meat of the story. But overall, this is very well done. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.