Incredible research makes this very dense reading. There is so much detail and so many characters that I often lost track. This is definitely meant for a history buff. I did appreciate how the author managed to create tension in this chronological story. There were also interesting stories about Abraham Lincoln that revealed his personality.

Although he had begun his research during the pandemic, it was the similarities with January 6 that spurred Erik Larson to complete his investigation into the Civil War and most particularly the role that the attack on Fort Sumter played. Once again, he examines a large piece of history by examining the lives of the players behind it, and here the proponents of the Southern secession are given motivations and personalities of their own. Utilizing diaries and correspondence, he casts his historian's eye on those events, delineating ironies and making history come to life.

Erik Larson has such an amazing way of weaving history into an intriguing story. There are moments I forgot I was reading history as I felt so immersed. I find it is rare to read history, especially civil war history, and for it not to be too dry or feel as though it has been told over and over again.
As with so many of his books, he is able to blend suspense into a narrative we feel like we should know. There are individuals I was unfamiliar with who I was intrigued by their role and you can feel the level of research and dedication he put onto the pages as he did his best to stay true to source material such as letters, arguments, and conversations.
I want to give a heartfelt thank you to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I dabble in non-fiction, but when it comes to individuals like Erik Larson and David Grann, I am rarely disappointed in their ability to make history even more fascinating.

This was another great read from Erik Larson. I often struggle to read non-fiction, but the way he writes about historical events always makes me feel like I'm reading a fictional story. I read 'The Wager" by David Grann a few months ago, and this is reminiscent of that. If you enjoyed that, or have enjoyed Larson's other books, I think you'll really enjoy this. I so appreciate when an author can teach me about history in a way that really engages my brain.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Erik Larson knows how to make history fun and interesting and this one is no different. This time focusing of evens month before the start of the civil war. His attention to detail is amazing. Really enjoyed this already ordered a physical copy .

I’m a big fan of Erik Larson - Devil in the White City is one of my favorites and I really enjoyed Dead Wake - so I was very excited for this book. But this felt different from his other work. This book is meticulously researched — it is incredibly impressive how thoroughly he explores this time from every angle. The downside is I think that the book gets weighed down by the excessive detail. I learned a LOT, but I’m also not sure I’ll retain the information as it wasn’t packaged in a as memorable a narrative in the way his past books have been. The story is not quite as captivating and readable as his other books.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 due to the impressive feat of research.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Erik Larson does a masterful job of transporting you back in time. This well researched work makes you feel like your in the room of both the north and south as they battle the issues that will eventually lead to a civil war. I really enjoyed the in depth diary entries that made you really see the the conflict both sides faced. This book is a must read for all American history buffs.

Erik Larson is a master at turning words into a time machine that transports you to the exact moment being described. I felt like I was running through the Bates Hotel with Lincoln in search of his inaugural speech. Larson also uses countless sources to weave a story that feels like fiction, but is in fact real. Mary Chestnut's diary entries in particular were interesting and gave a entirely different perspective of these events. The book overall was well-crafted and extremely fascinating. I look forward to seeing what Larson decides to put under his microscope next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for this ARC.

This is a riveting nonfiction account of the 5 months between the election of Abraham Lincoln in November, 1860, and the start of the Civil War in April, 1861. The author's research is impeccable and accurate, with appropriate notes included. At times I could almost feel the frustration of those remaining in Fort Sumter, SC, awaiting word from someone of authority. The writing is smooth and the choice of characters wide-ranging and fascinating. Thanks to NetGalley, Crown Publishing, and Crown for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Let me start by saying, that, yes, this books can be a hard read as it is talking about a different time in history. To read about entitled, land owning white guys whine that they have a god given right to own another human and do anything they want with their "property" is disgusting, to say the least. That being said, no matter what the white southerners were trying to spin it as, this was never a state's rights issue. The lead up to and the actually civil war were always about slavery. A lot of people like to say that Abraham Lincoln was a hero; in other worldly martyr that gave his live so others maybe free. This book tells it how it really was and how Lincoln wasn't what most people think he was. Still, the book is still a good, even paced read that kept me reading it.

Although the book was very well researched, something you expect from Larson, this was not my favourite book of his. I liked the section of the book that dealt with Lincoln's election and the Dynasty of the civil.war. However, I found the siege of Fort Sumter to be rather plodding and not that interesting.

Erik Larson does a deep dive into precursors of the Civil War.

His look at primary sources and historical documents provides a fresh account of all the forces in America as secession becomes a political movement, Lincoln makes his way to the Presidential office, and the Union and the fledgling Confederate States battle for Fort Sumter.

Relying on many diaries at the time, we follow a leading secessionist, a cotton plantation owner’s wife, Lincoln, and the Major tasked with making a stand for federal property in Charleston.

Larson’s strengths remain his ability to craft history into a compelling narrative and his use of historic details.

Even if you are not a Civil War buff, you will enjoy this look at the split of the North and South over a state’s right to enslave other people. Larson gives primary documentation that proves the attempt to rebrand the Civil War as a conflict over state’s rights rather than slavery was a clumsy attempt and not based in political forces at the time.

Thank you NetGalley and Crown Publishing for providing this ARC for a review.

Erik Larson always writes incredibly well-done popular history, and his newest book, about Fort Sumter and the start of the Civil War, is no different. Like always, The Demon of Unrest is contains firsthand accounts from all sides of the conflict, using letters, diaries, official reports, and other primary sources.

The book does an incredible job of explaining the differing attitudes and viewpoints between the North and the South surrounding the war, especially regarding the South. Larson takes great pains to describes how the South's love affair with chivalry and honor, its seething hatred of Northern interference, and it's obsession with states' rights all combined to a boiling point surrounding slavery (because yes, the Civil War was in fact about slavery!). He also points out exactly how much the North underestimated the strength of these views and how this impacted their response to Southern aggression initially.

Fascinating.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

I’ve read several novels by Erik Larson now and again, his research that went into The Demon of Unrest did not disappoint. As a Canadian, we learned the basics of the Civil War so most of the information in this book was new to me. This book in a very in depth look at the lead up to the Civil War. I found the use of personal diary entries from both sides really help to build the story and bring everything together. This book is a must read for anyone who has an interest in American history, especially the politics that led to the Civil War.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC of this book.

I give up!! I am a big fan of Erik Larson but this book was just plain tedious. I quit about 55% into the book when the author took an over a Kindle page to describe the physical appearance of Secretary of State Seward. This is just the last straw of many tedious passages in the book. I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but this was worse than reading a history textbook in school. The minutiae of the lead up to the Civil War should be fascinating, but Larson has gone overboard. I appreciate the opportunity to review the ARC of this novel from Crown Books and NetGalley.

NONFICTION, historic-buildings, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, due-diligence, greed, cruelty, slavery, human-trafficking, human-rights, entitled-attitude, politics, politicians, manipulation, lies, literacy, American Civil War*****

Talk about impressive diligence in research and turning it into far more than an educational tome! This intense study brings us from basic politics to the brink of the US Civil War, complete with the black mold on each side and the blind ignorance as well. Larson always makes us think and extrapolate from history to today. Of course I have bought the audio!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected ebook file from Crown Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you.

There’s nobody who can get me more engaged for a nonfiction book like Erik Larson. The way he weaves all of these historical documents and references into a linear narrative is wild! This reads like buildup to a war in a fictional realm. Not THE Civil War. Kudos to Larson and team for putting out another fantastic book. This is a must read for all!

What I like most about The Demon of Unrest are the choices the author makes to bring his narrative to life. For instance, I'd never heard of Edmund Ruffin, whose enmity towards Washington politicians and Northern abolitionists reminds me of some of the vitriolic members of our current Congress. Larson's meticulous research shows that while the Civil War would likely have started without Ruffin, his fervor certainly fanned the flames. His use of the writings of Russell, the British journalist, was another delight. Russell brought the setting of this story to life in a way that only an outsider to the crisis could have.
This is not Abraham Lincoln's story, but I would like to have heard more from the incoming president. I was a little confused as to why it took so long to decide what to do about Fort Sumter, a decision that Lincoln seemed to make hastily.
I learned so much reading this book, but it was by no means a dry textbook. The book is full of great writing, a fair amount of humor, and terrific insights into the times the led up to the Civil War.
Thanks to the publisher for furnishing a pre-publication copy of this book.

Eric Lawson did what he usually does in his books and that is retells history in a most interesting way. This story is about how Lincons presidency effects the north and south and the beginning of the Civil War.

I always enjoy how he focuses on individuals to humanize events during history.

I want to thank Netgalley for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

In his newest book, The Demon Of Unrest, Erik Larson focuses on the six months between the contentious election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States in November 1860 and the attack on Fort Sumter, SC in April 1861 which was the opening battle of the Civil War. Though the country was already deeply divided (far worse than our division of today) the fact is the seeds of secession had been sown well before Lincoln's election. And while the conflict was centered around slavery, the divisions between North and South were far deeper and tragically misunderstood by both sides. By focusing on a handful of the key personalities, Larson reveals the conflicting visions between the two sides and how they collided with tragic results. Larson once again reveals an ability to both introduce us to figures from history that have been largely forgotten while at the same time revealing aspects of individuals such as Lincoln who may be more familiar but still uncovering aspects of his character that had not been well-illuminated in past biographies. Larson is the preeminent writer of narrative non-fiction writing today. The Demon of Unrest is another outstanding volume and well worth the read.