An impeccably researched exploration of the beginnings of the Civil War. Larson particularly incorporates the personal viewpoints of more than a dozen people on both sides, using historical materials and diaries and journals.

This is not a neutral account. The view that comes across is that the South, with its lifestyle charade of being a continuation of the old chivalrous era of Sir Walter Scott, was in denial about the sustainability or morality of their slavery-based existence. And while many apologists claim still that the Civil War was not about slavery but about states' rights, Larson's careful examination of the actual documents involved makes it clear that the prime factor was the South's total reliance on slaves, their justification being that the slaves were not quite human.

The arrogance of (in particular) South Carolina is still disturbing -- their hatred of the North, their feelings of superiority, their belief in their own invincibility -- reading it now makes those views sound delusional. There was a complete disconnect with reality and they were stunned by the destruction that the war caused. They absolutely believed their cause was just and so they would be victorious.

Various political incompetencies are delved into. Buchanan and Seward are presented in a very unfavorable light. This was an infuriating book to read -- because you can't help but make a few connections to modern day hubris and look at divisions which rely on misinformation and arrogance. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Eric Larson is in rarefied air as a nonfiction writer who writes in gripping narrative form. 'The Demon of Unrest' does not disappoint as it covers the time period from when Abraham Lincoln is elected until he is sworn into office. Unbeknownst to President Buchanan, who is trying to avoid dealing with the growing secession crisis, two of his Cabinet are already aiding the South in their plans.

To tell this historical story is which many readers may only be familiar with the attack on Ft. Sumter, Larson's narrative travels between Washington City (i.e. later D.C.), Charleston, S.C., and Ft. Sumpter. He skillfully introduces us to the key people in each location. From there, he tells an enthralling historical narrative that will leave the reader unable to put down this nonfiction work.

Thank you NetGalley and Crown Publishers for allowing me to read this arc in return for an honest review.

Full disclosure, I almost never read non fiction, but I’ve loved Erik Larson’s Devil in the White City and In the Garden of Beasts, so was excited to give this a try.

While a novel about the Civil War, the war itself and Lincoln are both somewhat in the background. The majority of the book centers on the months leading up to the Civil War and the heightened state of tension between the northern and southern states, that comes to a head at Fort Sumter. The plot is more focused on state level politics and decisions, with a focus on Robert Andersen, the officer in charge of Fort Sumter, and the massive weight on his shoulders.

This is a dense, slow read, but also fascinating and relevant. Larson makes an introductory tie in to the Jan 6th insurrection current state of politics to Lincoln’s own electoral count. It’s a 160 year old story feels timely and relevant, and one that hasn’t been commonly told.

Special thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

The Demon of Unrest is a well-researched, highly disturbing read about the time between President Lincoln's election and the beginning of the Civil War at Fort Sumpter.

Questions are raised such as "Is it possible to truly foresee what is coming" and "could it have been avoided.

Told through a variety of characters that offer a wide spread lens into this tumultuous period

Larson is a master of making nonfiction compelling and as much like fiction as you can. In this book, he outlines the lead in to the Civil War and the beginning of Lincoln's tenure as our 16th president.

It was very interesting hearing about the back story of some of these major players in the Civil War and runup to it, including the Senator who had "consensual" relationships with his nieces and later his slaves; and how many of the Southerners were at the same time saying that slaves were "not human" and "built to work in the fields" but they were also afraid these slaves would attack them as they slept? Clearly the Southerners wanted to be American royalty, dressing up their slaves in livery and having them serve at parties. Interesting, considering the royalty and those concepts are major reasons we left England to start a new country.

The book does really get into the weeds, as it were, and might be most interesting to real Civil War aficionados, but there were parts that I really was interested in, mostly the gossip about the characters that were involved rather than the battles or politics of trying to keep us out of a war.

While this was not my favorite Larson book, even though I am interested in the Civil War time period in that area, I highly recommend Larson's books as an engaging way to learn about history and hear about some lesser known stories.

I received a promotional copy and am giving an honest review.

Erik Larson's The Demon of Unrest is an intriguing deep dive into the months between Abraham Lincoln's election and the attack on Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April of 1861. Details about the actions and decisions of politicians and activists on both sides of the slavery issue were wide reaching in this book; there are names you will recognize and some you may not (unless you are a Civil War history buff). The Demon of Unrest illuminates the underlying pride and chivalry that drove decisions in the South and the mistakes made in the North in dealing with that code that dominated life in the South and in the general management of assets for military maneuvers. This is not an overview of the Civil War itself but a very focused narrative on the steps and missteps that led the United States to the Civil War and a study of the culture differences within the United States - and maybe even still today in some ways.

Using official memos, historical documents and personal diaries and letters, Erik Larson has again given us a factual, accurate look into the time and events while creating an accessible and readable history which even those who are not fans of historical books can enjoy.

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson is a gripping historical account that looks into the five months between Abraham Lincoln’s election in November 1860 and the outbreak of the American Civil War. Larson skillfully examines the crisis that finally divided the nation.

He includes a wealth of historical detail from mining archives, personal diaries, plantation records , etc. Also, Larson points out the terrible mistakes, missed opportunities and sheer pettiness of egos and ambition in the shelling of Fort Sumter and the beginning of the darkest period in the history of the United States.

Because of Larson’s expertise at weaving a story , this book is an outstanding addition to Civil War era narratives.

Gripping, thoroughly researched nonfiction that read like a novel. So many parallels to today's political landscape but the author lets the reader make those connections, if they choose.

"The Demon of Unrest" is another interesting, elucidating, and easy-to-recommend work by Erik Larson. Any fan of his previous books will likely also enjoy this one, and I will not hesitate to encourage patrons of my library to check it out. The author does a good job of laying out how individual actions (or inaction) led to one of the most momentous and devastating chapters in American history. In this way, this book also serves as a warning relevant for current times. Larson's narrative style is enjoyable to read -- informative without being dull or overbearing. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Larson gives us another remarkable book inviting the reader to feel present in the past. Whether it be a British journalist or the formal of a wife of a confederate politician, Larson finds and uses resources one may not be accustomed to in historical storytelling. We get an acute account of events from the election of Lincoln through the fall of Fort Sumter and a larger frame to understand these crucial days. While I may have preferred a little less focus on the Sumter battle and more understanding of the political decisions made by the Union at the time, the storytelling remains engaging and clear. This is a powerful narrative of the “unrest” that led to civil hell told through a lens of understanding of a Union that remains restless after all these years.

An extremely well researched account of the months leading up to the attack on Ft. Sumter and the beginning of America’s Civil Wall. This saga is filled with intense depictions of the spiral into a devastating time in our history and the effects on the actual characters involved in the war of secession. This narrative reads like a novel and I came away feeling like our present circumstances draws a parallel to this important, dangerous time when emotions ruled logic and overruled the Constitution.

Highly recommended!

Another triumph by Erik Larson who, again, has produced an imposing history that is amazing, informative, and always entertaining. THE DEMON OF UNREST is an engrossing preamble to the Civil War and fully meets Larson’s stated objective to choose a topic that is “inherently suspenseful.” Unfortunately, the book’s title may be too obscure to properly convey any sense of how riveting this book actually is. Of course, this will matter little to confirmed Larson fans, but, hopefully, the casual browser will not “judge this book by its cover!”

Erik Larson proves again that he is a master of telling little known historical stories in an exciting and engaging way! The Dem0n of Unrest tells the story of the five month span between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the firing on Fort Sumpter which marked the beginning of the American Civil War. Many historians, when discussing the Civil War, mention the major battles of the war, Lincoln's assassination, and the end of the war but they do not mention the time period between the presidential election and the first battle of the war. Erik Larson gives the reader a captivating look into the beginnings of the deadliest war of American history,

I am a huge fan of Erik Larson and I think his new book, The Demon Of Unrest, just may be his best work yet. An enthralling account of the five month from Lincoln’s election to the attack on Fort Sumter and the beginning of the civil war. The research, attention to small details and the writing style all contribute to this intense account of a subject most would say they are fairly informed about. Through personal letters and journals as well as official records, this historical nonfiction narrative gives an informative picture of the months leading up to one of the most (if not THE most) turbulent periods in U.S. history.

The Civil War is not a topic I would normally chose but I was totally engrossed in this book. Larson presents the facts in such a way you can feel the rage, the frustration, the inner turmoil many had to face. You always hear about brother fighting against brother, neighbor fighting against neighbor, but many had to struggle within themselves to determine which way their loyalty would go, country or personal beliefs. I can’t say enough good things about this book.
It was simply fantastic . If you only read one book this year, this is the one.

Before reading this title, I was roughly aware of the facts about the time between Lincoln's election and the shelling of Fort Sumter. To whit, the South didn't like the results. of the election and there was so much anger in the slave states that Lincoln had to disguise himself to complete his train journey to Washington to take the oath of office. Then, within a few months, Sumter was shelled, and the Union forces left quietly. There are mountains of gaps in this story, and Erik Larson is just the author to fill them in. Along with Candice Millard, he is someone who can write about history that is fairly well known and turn it into a page-turning adventure.

Larson paints Lincoln as someone who needed to grow quite a bit to cope with unimaginable levels of danger at this juncture of American history. Fortunately he did. Along the way, there is a rich cast of characters - Mary Chesnut, whose diaries painted a detailed view of the Southern perspective, The others include, the rich and handsome planter, politician and rogue Richard Manning, Edmund Ruffin a secessionist firebrand who was given the "honor" of firing the first cannon shot against the fort, and Frances Pickens, South Carolina governor, who tried to honorably work with the Union commander Anderson to broker out a bloodless solution to the confrontation.

I had always imagined that the battle was over in a matter of hours, but the truth is that the Union troops fired back bravely for more than a day. This book should be a regular for book discussion groups because it contains considerable information about why the southerners were so angry. Slavery was the bedrock of their economy and they were afraid that Lincoln would free the slaves. Many people today seem confused on this point, and Larson's book will set the record straight for those capable of learning the truth. Larson has turned in another great and illuminating read.

Erik Larson's Devil in the White City was a perfect storm for me - as a Chicago area native and tour guide for a 1870s mansion, I devoured the tale of the highs and lows of Chicago's Columbian Exposition. DitWC is still one of my favorite historical narrative books. So, unsurprisingly, I came into this book with high expectations.

Though Demon of Unrest won't unseat DitWC as my favorite, it is a solid offering nonetheless. The events at Fort Sumter and the months leading up to the American Civil War are chapters of America's history that even advanced history classes gloss over.

Larson uses diaries, letters, and telegrams to reconstruct not only the events surrounding the secession crisis but the personalities that found themselves swept up in it's tide. It's a mark of Larson's efficacy that his characters become real presences on the paper, and a number of times I found myself longing to take someone by the shoulders and shake them to stop them from acting so foolishly.

My only frustration was that at times I felt the narrative slowed down to a crawl, which accurately reflected the endless tension of the first months of 1861. In our modern world of instant gratification and 60 second tik toks, it is a welcome reminder that to understand the past we must be willing to take time to reflect and slow down.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crown for the chance to read this advanced copy in exchange for my review.

Always a huge fan of Erik Larson, his style of writing and how he weaves history in a narrative way, Larson teaches and presents facts in an interesting and informative way and this book on how the civil war started is amazing.

Huge fan of Larson's previous works. This one falls a little flat compared to others in the way of weaving a narrative but as someone who isn't remotely interested in civil war, I was able to make my way through and learn a great lot on the way.

A really fascinating bit of insight into the build up to the Civil War, with personal diary entries from both "sides". What really struck me was the whole chivalry aspect of the confederate contingency, and how it was approached through the lens of the dueling playbook. It also emphasized the fact that Lincoln's intent was never to eliminate slavery as it existed, something for which he is best remembered.
What, to me, makes it timeless is the fact that I think that anyone who's been in military service would identify with the frustration of dealing with government bureaucracy, the lack of support for soldiers in the thick of battle, and, afterwards, dealing what we now know as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Well done, although I felt like it ended too soon.

Thank you to Net Galley and Crown Publishing for an early copy of The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson

James Henry Hammond - Edmund Ruffin - William Russell - Mary Chestnut

The above names may not draw up images of the Civil War, but the speeches and writings of the these men and women along with the better known Major Robert Anderson, Edwin Stanton and many others lend volumes to Erik Larson's clear and engaging attempt to bring a detailed understanding of the events that led the Confederate States
of America to drive the North out of Fort Sumter as the symbolic beginning of America's Civil War.

Told through chapter headings which focus on the rules of dueling, Larson has drawn a comparison between this age-old practice in settling differences and what the United States faced in battles over slavery and states' rights. A challenge - a response - a "winner".

Erik Larson never falters in helping the reader understand the black, the white and the gray areas in this era of American history that resulted in the deaths of over 600,000 of its citizens. Some of the characters exhibit truly honorable intentions; others see only their own false belief system. The author does not rush or omit the details which help place a multitude of points of view into the debacle of Fort Sumter.

Abraham Lincoln's impending inauguration, his round-about travels to Washington to avoid assassination and his attempts to settle the fate of Fort Sumpter (Lincoln's spelling!) all play a role in the type of President he will become.

An Erik Larson endeavor is not to be missed. His sources of material are vast and are provided at the end of the book. Readers can take advantage of reading more, especially the diaries of those who lived this terrible time.