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The Civil War Trilogy #3
The Last Full Measure
Librarian's note: An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.
In the Pulitzer prize-winning classic The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara created the finest Civil War novel of our time. In the bestselling Gods and Generals, Shaara's son, Jeff, brilliantly sustained his father's vision, telling the epic story of the events culminating in the Battle of Gettysburg. Now, Jeff Shaara brings this legendary father-son trilogy to its stunning conclusion in a novel that brings to life the final two years of the Civil War.
As The Last Full Measure opens, Gettysburg is past and the war advances to its third brutal year. On the Union side, the gulf between the politicians in Washington and the generals in the field yawns ever wider. Never has the cumbersome Union Army so desperately needed a decisive, hard-nosed leader. It is at this critical moment that Lincoln places Ulysses S. Grant in command--and turns the tide of war.
For Robert E. Lee, Gettysburg was an unspeakable disaster--compounded by the shattering loss of the fiery Stonewall Jackson two months before. Lee knows better than anyone that the South cannot survive a war of attrition. But with the total devotion of his generals--Longstreet, Hill, Stuart--and his unswerving faith in God, Lee is determined to fight to the bitter end.
Here too is Joshua Chamberlain, the college professor who emerged as the Union hero of Gettysburg--and who will rise to become one of the greatest figures of the Civil War.
Battle by staggering battle, Shaara dramatizes the escalating confrontation between Lee and Grant--complicated, heroic, deeply troubled men. From the costly Battle of the Wilderness to the agonizing siege of Petersburg to Lee's epoch-making surrender at Appomattox, Shaara portrays the riveting conclusion of the Civil War through the minds and hearts of the individuals who gave their last full measure.
Full of human passion and the spellbinding truth of history, The Last Full Measure is the fitting capstone to a magnificent literary trilogy.
From the Hardcover edition.
In the Pulitzer prize-winning classic The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara created the finest Civil War novel of our time. In the bestselling Gods and Generals, Shaara's son, Jeff, brilliantly sustained his father's vision, telling the epic story of the events culminating in the Battle of Gettysburg. Now, Jeff Shaara brings this legendary father-son trilogy to its stunning conclusion in a novel that brings to life the final two years of the Civil War.
As The Last Full Measure opens, Gettysburg is past and the war advances to its third brutal year. On the Union side, the gulf between the politicians in Washington and the generals in the field yawns ever wider. Never has the cumbersome Union Army so desperately needed a decisive, hard-nosed leader. It is at this critical moment that Lincoln places Ulysses S. Grant in command--and turns the tide of war.
For Robert E. Lee, Gettysburg was an unspeakable disaster--compounded by the shattering loss of the fiery Stonewall Jackson two months before. Lee knows better than anyone that the South cannot survive a war of attrition. But with the total devotion of his generals--Longstreet, Hill, Stuart--and his unswerving faith in God, Lee is determined to fight to the bitter end.
Here too is Joshua Chamberlain, the college professor who emerged as the Union hero of Gettysburg--and who will rise to become one of the greatest figures of the Civil War.
Battle by staggering battle, Shaara dramatizes the escalating confrontation between Lee and Grant--complicated, heroic, deeply troubled men. From the costly Battle of the Wilderness to the agonizing siege of Petersburg to Lee's epoch-making surrender at Appomattox, Shaara portrays the riveting conclusion of the Civil War through the minds and hearts of the individuals who gave their last full measure.
Full of human passion and the spellbinding truth of history, The Last Full Measure is the fitting capstone to a magnificent literary trilogy.
From the Hardcover edition.
640 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1998
About the author
Jeff Shaara
51 books2,237 followersJEFF SHAARA is the award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of seventeen novels, including Rise to Rebellion and The Rising Tide, as well as Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure—two novels that complete his father's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, The Killer Angels. Shaara was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and lives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 548 reviews
March 26, 2024
“If God is watching us, what judgement does he make now?”
With the completion of “The Last Full Measure”, I have read every novel that Mr. Shaara has written (to date) about the American Civil War. Oddly enough, even though this text was written second out of his six books about the Civil War, the writing might be the best of the group. Less stilted, and ponderous as some of the others could be at times.
Mr. Shaara is at his best when writing about battle. He puts you there in a vivid and very matter of fact manner. He does not comment on what is happening. You can figure that out for yourself. His depiction of the Battle of the Crater during the siege of Petersburg is riveting and heartbreaking.
I plowed through the text at a quick pace, and this text is told mainly from the point of view of Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant and Joshua Chamberlain.
Highlights of the book include chapter 52, which is the fateful meeting between Lee and Grant at Appomattox Court House where Lee surrenders his army. The chapter is told from Grant’s point of view and gives an interesting insight into the mind of the victor when he respects his enemy. Chapter 53 is simply beautiful. It depicts the events of April 12, 1865 the actual surrender ceremony between the two armies. The sentiments in the mind of the Union victors, which we get from the point of view of Josh Chamberlain during the ceremony, are of reconciliation and peace. It is beautiful to read and think on.
If you enjoy historical fiction, especially military historical fiction I would give Mr. Shaara a read. “The Last Full Measure” is one of his better efforts. I did not often want to put it down.
With the completion of “The Last Full Measure”, I have read every novel that Mr. Shaara has written (to date) about the American Civil War. Oddly enough, even though this text was written second out of his six books about the Civil War, the writing might be the best of the group. Less stilted, and ponderous as some of the others could be at times.
Mr. Shaara is at his best when writing about battle. He puts you there in a vivid and very matter of fact manner. He does not comment on what is happening. You can figure that out for yourself. His depiction of the Battle of the Crater during the siege of Petersburg is riveting and heartbreaking.
I plowed through the text at a quick pace, and this text is told mainly from the point of view of Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant and Joshua Chamberlain.
Highlights of the book include chapter 52, which is the fateful meeting between Lee and Grant at Appomattox Court House where Lee surrenders his army. The chapter is told from Grant’s point of view and gives an interesting insight into the mind of the victor when he respects his enemy. Chapter 53 is simply beautiful. It depicts the events of April 12, 1865 the actual surrender ceremony between the two armies. The sentiments in the mind of the Union victors, which we get from the point of view of Josh Chamberlain during the ceremony, are of reconciliation and peace. It is beautiful to read and think on.
If you enjoy historical fiction, especially military historical fiction I would give Mr. Shaara a read. “The Last Full Measure” is one of his better efforts. I did not often want to put it down.
May 5, 2011
Of the three books Gods and Generals, The Killer Angels and The Last Full Measure - The Last Full Measure was, for me, the most painful.
In this book the reader is introduced to Ulysses S. Grant and discovers the metal of the man. General Robert E. Lee continues to be the stalwart leader of the southern army. The reader comes to understand the passion of these men as well as the Union commander Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain who came away from Gettysburg a hero. Chamberlain is the only one of these three that was not a professional military man.
He was an academic, a professor at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.
It is in this volume that the reader is asked to endure the destruction of Lee's Army and the tole in human life that was involved. The reader is also pulled along through the mud and rain, made to understand what winter was like without coat or shoes. As the war drug on and supplies ran out, Lee had to face the terrible truth that the gallant men that had struggled and died for their cause were becoming less able bodied and fit to fight. He watched his army go hungry and practically naked. It was, for Lee the torment he could not get free from.
The reader also feels the strength of Grant. He, the consummate commander, always moving forward and even when knocked back by the Confederate will to win, Grant regrouped and drove forward or around or through those that opposed his forces. Not once did I feel that Grant doubted his purpose or mission or that it would be accomplished. His field commanders, like Chamberlain, were willing to carry out the orders he issued because they trusted his talent and judgement.
The pain that I felt came from the fact that a proud and dedicated Robert E. Lee could not withstand the punishing force that Grant wielded. There was a dogged desire within the Confederate Army to continue to fight - to perhaps find that one miracle on the field of battle. It was not to be. Lee came to understand that his was the losing cause. Grant, also recognized that the time to stop killing was at hand. Both Armies and the Nation had lost too many of their Husbands, Fathers, Sons and Brothers.It was time to stop.
If you are wanting to read a work that puts you inside the minds and lives of the men and the families of the men that commanded the fields of battle - this is one book you have to read. The entire trilogy is a work I highly recommend.
In this book the reader is introduced to Ulysses S. Grant and discovers the metal of the man. General Robert E. Lee continues to be the stalwart leader of the southern army. The reader comes to understand the passion of these men as well as the Union commander Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain who came away from Gettysburg a hero. Chamberlain is the only one of these three that was not a professional military man.
He was an academic, a professor at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.
It is in this volume that the reader is asked to endure the destruction of Lee's Army and the tole in human life that was involved. The reader is also pulled along through the mud and rain, made to understand what winter was like without coat or shoes. As the war drug on and supplies ran out, Lee had to face the terrible truth that the gallant men that had struggled and died for their cause were becoming less able bodied and fit to fight. He watched his army go hungry and practically naked. It was, for Lee the torment he could not get free from.
The reader also feels the strength of Grant. He, the consummate commander, always moving forward and even when knocked back by the Confederate will to win, Grant regrouped and drove forward or around or through those that opposed his forces. Not once did I feel that Grant doubted his purpose or mission or that it would be accomplished. His field commanders, like Chamberlain, were willing to carry out the orders he issued because they trusted his talent and judgement.
The pain that I felt came from the fact that a proud and dedicated Robert E. Lee could not withstand the punishing force that Grant wielded. There was a dogged desire within the Confederate Army to continue to fight - to perhaps find that one miracle on the field of battle. It was not to be. Lee came to understand that his was the losing cause. Grant, also recognized that the time to stop killing was at hand. Both Armies and the Nation had lost too many of their Husbands, Fathers, Sons and Brothers.It was time to stop.
If you are wanting to read a work that puts you inside the minds and lives of the men and the families of the men that commanded the fields of battle - this is one book you have to read. The entire trilogy is a work I highly recommend.
July 27, 2026
“By July 1863 the Civil War had been fought over the farmlands and sea coasts of the South for better than two years, and is already one of the bloodiest wars in human history.”
And that is the introduction by author Jeff Shaara of The Last Full Measure, the third book in the trilogy following the key characters of the Battle of Gettysburg, through the surrender at Appomattox, and beyond. This story primarily follows three men: Robert E. Lee, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, and Ulysses S. Grant. And this gripping and powerful story is told from the points of view of the characters themselves, through their experiences as they stand apart, each in his own way, rising to a higher level as not only a war hero, but as a man of character, dignity and honor.
This book is divided into four parts, each opening with a beautiful epigraph of key portions of the Gettysburg address given by Abraham Lincoln in November 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, four-and one-half months after the pivotal Civil War battle. It is still revered today because Lincoln connected the soldiers’ sacrifice to the nation’s founding ideals from the Declaration of Independence, arguing that their deaths were not in vain and that the living must continue the fight to preserve the Union and its democratic principles.
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty , and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war. . . .”
This was such an involved conclusion to the Civil War Trilogy by Michael and Jeff Shaara. It was heartbreaking throughout the narrative, but, at the same time, very hopeful as we witnessed the key characters in the conclusion of this dreadful war: Robert E. Lee, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, and Ulysses S. Grant. And we cannot underestimate the power and influence of President Abraham Lincoln as he did everything in his power to keep the nation together and bind its wounds.
And Jeff Shaara portrays such a tableau of the Civil War through the eyes of these three men and how they left their mark on history. My heart broke for Robert E. Lee as he realizes that General Ulysses Grant has outmaneuvered him in battle, as they both negotiate the terms of the surrender at Appomattox. And the brilliance of General Grant and his friendship with President Lincoln was so heartwarming while knowing what the future held.
But I loved the portrayal of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and his arc of service to America from a professor in a Maine college to a prominent leader in the Civil War. I loved his heart and how he was able to recognize the bond of brothers of them all and I think this passage portrays it well:
“They all knew what the order meant, that the killing anger, the hatred, the blind violence of the beast was gone, and the men who stood face-to-face were brothers after all. Now the order was obeyed, and the men in blue held their muskets up to their chests, the quiet salute, the show of respect.”
And I loved how Robert E. Lee would ride a trail that would take him on a pleasant ride past thick green woods, climbing a long trail that would take him to a special place, the extraordinary view of the town, and far beyond, the Shenandoah, the Blue Ridge Mountains.
But it was still Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain who returned to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the spring of 1913. He had come back there more times than he could remember, walking the same ground, the same hills, finding all of the special places where Lee had stood,
“He’d walk through the cemetery, stand in the place where Lincoln had made the speech, read the words or say them quietly from memory. He wished he had met Lincoln. How curious a man, nothing ever to indicate he was a master of language, had the brilliant use of words. It was a subject Chamberlain knew as well as anyone, and he still marveled at the simplicity of this one small speech, the finest piece of oratory he had ever seen.”
June 27, 2018
“Ordinary people caught up in extraordinary times.”When the armies of the North and the South walked away from the Battle of Gettysburg in July of 1863, the victor was clear, but you wouldn't have known by the casualty numbers alone. 50,000 men had been killed, wounded, or captured over those three days, roughly an equal loss for each side. Michael Shaara (Jeff's father) wrote about this battle in his book, The Killer Angels, and I had wondered why he chose that point in time to focus a narrative about our Civil War. Why write a book about one battle, spanning only 3 days during a war that had lasted 4-years? The answer is: it was the turning point. It also marked the first time that General Lee's soldiers had been truly repelled by the Union Army. If the North had lost that battle, the final outcome of the war, and our country could have been very different.
Jeff Shaara separates the individual parts of The Last Full Measure with sentences from the short, yet inspiring and elegant address delivered on the grounds of the Gettysburg battle. ”Four score and seven years ago... And he brings the point of those words home, their meaning in Lincoln's mind, throughout the book. Lincoln believed in those words completely because he believed in our country. That this nation of ours was founded upon something altogether meaningful. That the words liberty and equal written on our Declaration should not be placed in jeopardy by separation. Men had given their lives and for that they should be honored.
For the North, victory on the battlefields did not come immediately after Gettysburg. General Lee was too smart, and the men of the South fought with heart for their way of life. The Union army continued to hamper themselves with mistakes that cost lives. But the style of battle forever changed after July 1863. Trench warfare replaces mass frontal assault. Generals would be slow to adapt to this, but it's the soldier in the field that faces the musket. Their bravery is astounding to me. Picturing the thoughts of Lee, Grant and Chamberlain (and through them, the many individuals who fought this war) are what make these books special to read. Men may have stood on opposing sides but often their thoughts said, "he is no different from me". I came to adore these books for the truth in words like that. At one point, long after the war had ended, Chamberlain walks where he and his men fought at Gettysburg, on a hill called Little Round Top. He remembers his men:
”...But he knew better than any that it was not the generals, not some singular work of genius or valor. If the men, the privates, the men with the muskets, did not want to go forward, there would be no great fights, no chapter in the history books, no generals to wear the medals.”
March 25, 2026
Powerful and Human Ending to an Epic Trilogy
The Last Full Measure by Jeff Shaara
Jeff Shaara’s The Last Full Measure is a fitting and deeply moving conclusion to his Civil War trilogy. Covering the final two years of the war, the novel picks up after Gettysburg and carries us through to Appomattox, bringing the conflict—and the lives within it—to a powerful close.
I’ve come to really value Shaara’s approach to historical fiction, especially when paired with traditional Civil War history. For me, that combination works best. The factual backbone gives structure, but Shaara breathes life into it. He helps you feel the war—not just understand it. Reading his work alongside biographies and battle histories has given me a broader, more human understanding of the conflict.
What stands out most in this final installment is the emotional weight. Shaara doesn’t just recount events—he immerses you in them. His portrayal of General Robert E. Lee is especially compelling. You see the war through Lee’s internal struggles—his growing awareness, his burdens, and his quiet endurance. There’s a haunting quality to it, especially as the Confederacy begins to crumble.
One of the most rewarding threads for me was the continued development of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Watching his growth from a thoughtful academic into a hardened and capable military commander is one of the great arcs in the trilogy. Shaara captures not just his courage, but his evolution—how experience, loss, and responsibility shape him into a leader of real substance.
What makes Chamberlain’s story even more powerful is where it leads. His selection by Ulysses S. Grant to oversee the formal surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox is one of those quietly profound historical moments. Chamberlain understood the significance of the occasion, and his decision to have his men salute the surrendering Confederates speaks volumes. It wasn’t about victory—it was about respect, reconciliation, and the hope of healing a fractured nation. That moment has always stayed with me, and Shaara does a beautiful job honoring it.
I also appreciated how Shaara shifts perspectives between leaders, giving us a multi-dimensional view of the war. However, I’ll admit that at times I had a little difficulty keeping track of the many battles and shifting settings. This book covers a wide stretch of campaigns, and the pace can feel dense. Still, that’s a minor critique in an otherwise rich and rewarding read.
One of the highlights for me was the afterword—an unexpected gem. Seeing how Shaara connects Ulysses S. Grant with Mark Twain later in life added a fascinating layer. It reminded me that these figures didn’t just exist in war—they carried its weight long after.
If I had one small critique, it’s that Grant’s perspective sometimes felt a bit underdeveloped compared to Lee’s. Given how central Grant is to the Union’s final push, I found myself wanting just a bit more depth there.
But overall, this is historical fiction at its best—engaging, thoughtful, and deeply human. Shaara doesn’t glorify war; he reveals its cost. Through his characters, you see the exhaustion, the sacrifice, and the quiet dignity of those who endured it.
For anyone interested in the Civil War—especially those who enjoy blending narrative storytelling with historical study—this is a must-read.
Highly recommended.!
The Last Full Measure by Jeff Shaara
Jeff Shaara’s The Last Full Measure is a fitting and deeply moving conclusion to his Civil War trilogy. Covering the final two years of the war, the novel picks up after Gettysburg and carries us through to Appomattox, bringing the conflict—and the lives within it—to a powerful close.
I’ve come to really value Shaara’s approach to historical fiction, especially when paired with traditional Civil War history. For me, that combination works best. The factual backbone gives structure, but Shaara breathes life into it. He helps you feel the war—not just understand it. Reading his work alongside biographies and battle histories has given me a broader, more human understanding of the conflict.
What stands out most in this final installment is the emotional weight. Shaara doesn’t just recount events—he immerses you in them. His portrayal of General Robert E. Lee is especially compelling. You see the war through Lee’s internal struggles—his growing awareness, his burdens, and his quiet endurance. There’s a haunting quality to it, especially as the Confederacy begins to crumble.
One of the most rewarding threads for me was the continued development of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Watching his growth from a thoughtful academic into a hardened and capable military commander is one of the great arcs in the trilogy. Shaara captures not just his courage, but his evolution—how experience, loss, and responsibility shape him into a leader of real substance.
What makes Chamberlain’s story even more powerful is where it leads. His selection by Ulysses S. Grant to oversee the formal surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox is one of those quietly profound historical moments. Chamberlain understood the significance of the occasion, and his decision to have his men salute the surrendering Confederates speaks volumes. It wasn’t about victory—it was about respect, reconciliation, and the hope of healing a fractured nation. That moment has always stayed with me, and Shaara does a beautiful job honoring it.
I also appreciated how Shaara shifts perspectives between leaders, giving us a multi-dimensional view of the war. However, I’ll admit that at times I had a little difficulty keeping track of the many battles and shifting settings. This book covers a wide stretch of campaigns, and the pace can feel dense. Still, that’s a minor critique in an otherwise rich and rewarding read.
One of the highlights for me was the afterword—an unexpected gem. Seeing how Shaara connects Ulysses S. Grant with Mark Twain later in life added a fascinating layer. It reminded me that these figures didn’t just exist in war—they carried its weight long after.
If I had one small critique, it’s that Grant’s perspective sometimes felt a bit underdeveloped compared to Lee’s. Given how central Grant is to the Union’s final push, I found myself wanting just a bit more depth there.
But overall, this is historical fiction at its best—engaging, thoughtful, and deeply human. Shaara doesn’t glorify war; he reveals its cost. Through his characters, you see the exhaustion, the sacrifice, and the quiet dignity of those who endured it.
For anyone interested in the Civil War—especially those who enjoy blending narrative storytelling with historical study—this is a must-read.
Highly recommended.!
January 2, 2013
The Last Full Measure takes its title from words in Lincoln’ indescribable Gettysburg Address:
TLFM is in many ways a tragic book and can be emotionally exhausting at times—as was the draining of the nation’s lifeblood which occurred at the end of the war tearing our nation apart yet as it yet cemented it together again. But if we are weary spectators of the carnage as we read, we at least didn’t have to live through it.
To read Shaara’s well-documented and yet fascinating and unforgettable novel is to walk beside our national ancestors and share (in a very small way) in their sufferings. It wasn’t much, but it was a worthwhile journey for me.
Most highly recommended!
“It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us-that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion-that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain...”It also concludes the trilogy begun by Shaara’s father (in The Killer Angels about the Battle of Gettysburg) although sequentially Gods and Generals tells the story of the beginning of the Civil War.
TLFM is in many ways a tragic book and can be emotionally exhausting at times—as was the draining of the nation’s lifeblood which occurred at the end of the war tearing our nation apart yet as it yet cemented it together again. But if we are weary spectators of the carnage as we read, we at least didn’t have to live through it.
To read Shaara’s well-documented and yet fascinating and unforgettable novel is to walk beside our national ancestors and share (in a very small way) in their sufferings. It wasn’t much, but it was a worthwhile journey for me.
Most highly recommended!
February 9, 2016
Even though this book made me sad I really enjoyed it. I finally understand the final battles of the American Civil War leading up to Appomattox. Since this is a novel I was hesitant to rely on it as an accurate account of some historical details, ie. Grant was once almost shot by his own Union sentries when he was in a spot he shouldn't have been. But I am reassured after reading reviewers who say the author thoroughly researched this book.
January 14, 2009
This is how the majority of the characters talk in this book: "There are.... a lot...... of periods...... in between..... words...."
I read the first 150-200 pages or so of this with such gusto! It wasn't as good as "The Killer Angels," obviously, but it was perfectly readable and exciting. Then things got sluggish. Chapter after chapter where absolutely nothing of importance or interest happenned. A battle was fought. Generals muse on death and destruction. Chamberlain is non-existent; there is absolutely no purpose or point to him being in this story, other than to please TKA fans.
Things I would edit about this book to make it better:
- Yunior should have just picked 2-3 battles: the Battle of the Wilderness, Cold Harbor/Petersburg, and the surrender at Appotomax. There, you have your 3-part book instead of your 500-something borefest. Maybe he was afraid of following in his father's footsteps too much, but there's a reason why "The Killer Angels" was so good: it was thematically condensed as opposed to sprawling and messy.
- IT IS OKAY TO MAKE YOUR NARRATORS UNSYMPATHETIC CHARACTERS. I have a *big* problem with how U.S. Grant was portrayed here. His narative voice is bland and uninteresting. If I were asked "what kind of character is Grant?" I would have no idea how to answer. Boring, maybe.
I couldn't get through the last 70 pages, so I just skimmed them. *SPOILER* Lincoln dies. The South loses the war. *SPOILER*
You should read the first part of the book until you get bored, the Petersburg chapter, and the chapter where Lee freaks out about being sent gunpowder from Richmond instead of food for his starving soldiers.
Maybe I'm being too hard on this book--I feel like I definitely learned a lot about the final days of the Civil War and why the South ultimately lost, but I have to be honest: it became torturous for me to get to the end. I dreaded having to pick this book up and try to read another chapter. Now what's the sense in that?
I read the first 150-200 pages or so of this with such gusto! It wasn't as good as "The Killer Angels," obviously, but it was perfectly readable and exciting. Then things got sluggish. Chapter after chapter where absolutely nothing of importance or interest happenned. A battle was fought. Generals muse on death and destruction. Chamberlain is non-existent; there is absolutely no purpose or point to him being in this story, other than to please TKA fans.
Things I would edit about this book to make it better:
- Yunior should have just picked 2-3 battles: the Battle of the Wilderness, Cold Harbor/Petersburg, and the surrender at Appotomax. There, you have your 3-part book instead of your 500-something borefest. Maybe he was afraid of following in his father's footsteps too much, but there's a reason why "The Killer Angels" was so good: it was thematically condensed as opposed to sprawling and messy.
- IT IS OKAY TO MAKE YOUR NARRATORS UNSYMPATHETIC CHARACTERS. I have a *big* problem with how U.S. Grant was portrayed here. His narative voice is bland and uninteresting. If I were asked "what kind of character is Grant?" I would have no idea how to answer. Boring, maybe.
I couldn't get through the last 70 pages, so I just skimmed them. *SPOILER* Lincoln dies. The South loses the war. *SPOILER*
You should read the first part of the book until you get bored, the Petersburg chapter, and the chapter where Lee freaks out about being sent gunpowder from Richmond instead of food for his starving soldiers.
Maybe I'm being too hard on this book--I feel like I definitely learned a lot about the final days of the Civil War and why the South ultimately lost, but I have to be honest: it became torturous for me to get to the end. I dreaded having to pick this book up and try to read another chapter. Now what's the sense in that?
October 25, 2015
Picking up shortly after the events of Gettysburg depicted in The Killer Angels, this novel takes us all the way through the rest of the Civil War, concentrating mostly on the battles in the East, the grand struggle between the newly promoted and positioned US Grant and the steady Robert E. Lee. Indeed, most of the book alters perspectives between the two leaders as well as presenting the viewpoint of Joshua Chamberlain, unlikely hero of Gettysburg and a man who had a Forest Gump-like ability to be in the right place at the right time, culminating in his being the man to whom the South first attempts to surrender at Appomattox at the end of the war.
There is an awful lot of history to cover here and even though this book weighs in at over 600 pages, the author had to choose his scenes carefully to be able to present the larger story. For example, we spend a lot of time in the Battle of the Wilderness because it is relevant to the three main characters, Grant, Lee, and Chamberlain. But we only hear about Sherman and his march across Georgia as well as important battles such as at Chickamauga and Chattanooga. Similarly, we don’t see much at all on the political scene; Lincoln makes a few appearances but only when riding out to meet Grant in the field. Jefferson Davis is only on stage one time. No, this book strives to bring us into the action, and show us the brutality of the battles, the hopes and frustrations of the men. Parts of it were very difficult to work through, particularly those from the South’s perspective in the final third of the book when the outcome of the war becomes all but inevitable and the armies are in desperate straits. At times I felt as drug through the mud, worn out and starving as the soldiers did. We do get a lot of personal musings on the nature of man and war from all three main POV figures and while insightful, I felt the story dragged a little too much in some areas and it is for this reason that I took off one star on my rating. But the final scenes of the surrender between Lee and Grant were so well done that I was on the edge of my seat, despite knowing the outcome. I also enjoyed gaining some insight on several of the lesser known historical leaders on the battlefield and just what a huge impact the sudden loss of one man could be.
This is the concluding volume in an unusually developed Civil War trilogy. The middle book, The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara, was the first book written, won the Pulitzer Prize and is generally regarded as among the finest novels on any aspect of the Civil War ever written. After Michael’s death, his son, Jeff Shaara picked up the mantle and wrote the prequel, Gods and Generals, as well as this sequel, forming a complete trilogy. Many readers can’t seem to get past the fact that although they are father and son, Jeff and Michael are two different authors. Many say that Jeff doesn’t fill his father’s shoes and some seem to go so far as to say “how dare he try to capitalize on his father’s accomplishments!” Well, to each his own I suppose. I will say that 'The Killer Angels' was a great read but I believe that Jeff also writes a damn fine war novel and has gone on to a great career as an historical fiction author. I’ve read most of his books and am never disappointed.
As an armchair historian and one who is especially interested in the Civil War, I highly recommend all three books in this trilogy, no matter the author.
There is an awful lot of history to cover here and even though this book weighs in at over 600 pages, the author had to choose his scenes carefully to be able to present the larger story. For example, we spend a lot of time in the Battle of the Wilderness because it is relevant to the three main characters, Grant, Lee, and Chamberlain. But we only hear about Sherman and his march across Georgia as well as important battles such as at Chickamauga and Chattanooga. Similarly, we don’t see much at all on the political scene; Lincoln makes a few appearances but only when riding out to meet Grant in the field. Jefferson Davis is only on stage one time. No, this book strives to bring us into the action, and show us the brutality of the battles, the hopes and frustrations of the men. Parts of it were very difficult to work through, particularly those from the South’s perspective in the final third of the book when the outcome of the war becomes all but inevitable and the armies are in desperate straits. At times I felt as drug through the mud, worn out and starving as the soldiers did. We do get a lot of personal musings on the nature of man and war from all three main POV figures and while insightful, I felt the story dragged a little too much in some areas and it is for this reason that I took off one star on my rating. But the final scenes of the surrender between Lee and Grant were so well done that I was on the edge of my seat, despite knowing the outcome. I also enjoyed gaining some insight on several of the lesser known historical leaders on the battlefield and just what a huge impact the sudden loss of one man could be.
This is the concluding volume in an unusually developed Civil War trilogy. The middle book, The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara, was the first book written, won the Pulitzer Prize and is generally regarded as among the finest novels on any aspect of the Civil War ever written. After Michael’s death, his son, Jeff Shaara picked up the mantle and wrote the prequel, Gods and Generals, as well as this sequel, forming a complete trilogy. Many readers can’t seem to get past the fact that although they are father and son, Jeff and Michael are two different authors. Many say that Jeff doesn’t fill his father’s shoes and some seem to go so far as to say “how dare he try to capitalize on his father’s accomplishments!” Well, to each his own I suppose. I will say that 'The Killer Angels' was a great read but I believe that Jeff also writes a damn fine war novel and has gone on to a great career as an historical fiction author. I’ve read most of his books and am never disappointed.
As an armchair historian and one who is especially interested in the Civil War, I highly recommend all three books in this trilogy, no matter the author.
October 10, 2012
"The Last Full Measure" is the final book in the Civil War trilogy by the Shaaras. Michael Shaara, the father, started it all when he wrote wrote the Pulitzer-Prize winning "The Killer Angels" about the battle at Gettysburg. He passed away before he could write more. His son Jeff then wrote about events leading up to Gettysburg and next what followed after Gettysburg. Is "The Last Full Measure" as good as "The Killer Angels"? Not quite, but perhaps that's not even a fair question.
"The Killer Angels" covers a four-day battle, with the focus on two days. "The Last Full Measure" covers the two years following Gettysburg to Lee's surrender at Appomattox. As did his father, Jeff Shaara writes about these war years by focusing on a few key characters. The history is meticulously researched; the inner thoughts of these characters and their conversations are imagined, but very plausible.
Several key battles are brought to life: the second Battle of the Wilderness, the disastrous plan of the earthworks, the slaughter at Cold Harbor and Grant's enormous regret, the rush to Spotsylvania, and the siege of Petersburg. (Not a comprehensive listing) Throughout these battles, we see Lee's weary but indomitable spirit and the devotion of his army, although they were badly outnumbered; and we see Grant's dogged determination to prevail and the gradual realization of his army that this General would not retreat, as had so many of their leaders before him.
We also see a gratified Lincoln: he had finally found a General who was not overly cautious, who would press forward unafraid. Lincoln, in turn, gave Grant his full support and confidence. By contrast, we see a rather ungrateful, unrealistic and perhaps self-centered Jefferson Davis, who believed the war was to save HIS capital, and who refused to see that the rag-tag, starving Confederate Army could no longer hold out.
I found the depictions of both Lee and Grant fascinating. Lee is deeply religious; he is stubborn in his belief that God is on the side of the South and he finds that belief hard to reconcile with the loss of many of his best generals - Jackson, Stuart, A.P. Hill and others - and with his ultimate need to admit defeat. But only with the greatest dignity. Grant is a rougher-hewn character; but he is a humble, unpretentious man of great courage, determination, and honor. His generous terms for the South when they suffer defeat by his hand and Lee's dignified surrender are told movingly. They and their armies indeed gave their last full measure. Reading this account, we do believe that this government must not perish from the earth.
There are several more characters worthy of mention (Chamberlain, for example), but you will have to read the book yourself. A glimpse into the home life of Lee, Grant, and Chamberlain is very interesting. Hint: Grant had the happiest marriage of the three. My only criticisms are that the book is too long (600 pages), we are inside the generals' heads too much and too often. The pace becomes slow, even a bit sluggish at times, and the emotions portrayed quite repetitious. How often do I need to read about the "hot anger," "the gut churning," and the "red face"? I think nothing would have been lost by editing out about 100 pages and the writing could be crisper. Yet, this telling of the final two years of the Civil War is an enormous accomplishment.
"The Killer Angels" covers a four-day battle, with the focus on two days. "The Last Full Measure" covers the two years following Gettysburg to Lee's surrender at Appomattox. As did his father, Jeff Shaara writes about these war years by focusing on a few key characters. The history is meticulously researched; the inner thoughts of these characters and their conversations are imagined, but very plausible.
Several key battles are brought to life: the second Battle of the Wilderness, the disastrous plan of the earthworks, the slaughter at Cold Harbor and Grant's enormous regret, the rush to Spotsylvania, and the siege of Petersburg. (Not a comprehensive listing) Throughout these battles, we see Lee's weary but indomitable spirit and the devotion of his army, although they were badly outnumbered; and we see Grant's dogged determination to prevail and the gradual realization of his army that this General would not retreat, as had so many of their leaders before him.
We also see a gratified Lincoln: he had finally found a General who was not overly cautious, who would press forward unafraid. Lincoln, in turn, gave Grant his full support and confidence. By contrast, we see a rather ungrateful, unrealistic and perhaps self-centered Jefferson Davis, who believed the war was to save HIS capital, and who refused to see that the rag-tag, starving Confederate Army could no longer hold out.
I found the depictions of both Lee and Grant fascinating. Lee is deeply religious; he is stubborn in his belief that God is on the side of the South and he finds that belief hard to reconcile with the loss of many of his best generals - Jackson, Stuart, A.P. Hill and others - and with his ultimate need to admit defeat. But only with the greatest dignity. Grant is a rougher-hewn character; but he is a humble, unpretentious man of great courage, determination, and honor. His generous terms for the South when they suffer defeat by his hand and Lee's dignified surrender are told movingly. They and their armies indeed gave their last full measure. Reading this account, we do believe that this government must not perish from the earth.
There are several more characters worthy of mention (Chamberlain, for example), but you will have to read the book yourself. A glimpse into the home life of Lee, Grant, and Chamberlain is very interesting. Hint: Grant had the happiest marriage of the three. My only criticisms are that the book is too long (600 pages), we are inside the generals' heads too much and too often. The pace becomes slow, even a bit sluggish at times, and the emotions portrayed quite repetitious. How often do I need to read about the "hot anger," "the gut churning," and the "red face"? I think nothing would have been lost by editing out about 100 pages and the writing could be crisper. Yet, this telling of the final two years of the Civil War is an enormous accomplishment.
August 3, 2012
I still enjoyed the historical information but I did not care for his writing style--it lacks the flair for writing in comparison to his father's book. He overuses phrases of his own making that often confuse the reader left not knowing who he is talking about or who is doing the talking. Sometimes the pace flows and keeps the reader interested, and other times it lags on and on to the point of frustration. He tries to describe the feelings of the characters when he couldn't possibly know what was going in their minds. I appreciate that he was trying to create a picture for us of what it would have been like, but much of it was unbelievable. And I am only referring to the parts that we don't already know as facts from other memoirs and letters. This could be a very good book if those run-on parts were edited from the book. The historical facts are laid out in a well-conceived format that helps us understand the timeline in which the war unfolded. It is this part of the book that will probably persuade me to keep it on my shelf and possibly read it again.
Did Not Finish
May 4, 2019*sighs* honestly, I just...don’t like this book. It’s great, and I love the Killer Angels, the one written by Michael Shaara. But something about his son, who wrote this book, just manages to drive me crazy, and I’m not sure why. This book is too long to scream through. XD
July 1, 2019
The third and last book of this trilogy and the one I liked less. There are, of course, some of the good elements of the other two books, the descriptions of the battles are good enough and there is a lot of effort from the author to show the human side of the protagonists, but it also has several weaknesses. The author chooses to deal more with these battles of the last year of the American Civil War and because there are so many there is not so much room for the characters and their feelings, opposed to what happens in the other two books, but even when he has that room the writer does not manage to deepen enough to them. Something similar, however, is also the case with the battles, the writer has such anxiety to squeeze as much as possible of them that in the end their description is rather hurried. So it's a book that definitely has some positive things but it suffers a lot compared to the other books of this trilogy.
Το τρίτο και τελευταίο βιβλίο αυτής της τριλογίας και αυτό που μου άρεσε λιγότερο. Έχει, βέβαια, κάποια από τα καλά στοιχεία των άλλων δύο βιβλίων, οι περιγραφές των μαχών είναι αρκετά καλές ενώ υπάρχει και αρκετή προσπάθεια από το συγγραφέα για να δείξει την ανθρώπινη πλευρά των πρωταγωνιστών, έχει, όμως, και αρκετές αδυναμίες. Ο συγγραφέας επιλέγει να ασχοληθεί περισσότερο με αυτές τις μάχες του τελευταίου χρόνου του αμερικανικού εμφυλίου πολέμου και επειδή είναι τόσες πολλές δεν μένει πολύς χώρος για τους χαρακτήρες και τα συναισθήματά τους, σε αντίθεση με ότι συμβαίνει στα άλλα δύο βιβλία., αλλά ακόμα και όταν αυτός ο χώρος υπάρχει ο συγγραφέας δεν καταφέρνει να εμβαθύνει αρκετά σε αυτούς. Κάτι ανάλογο, όμως, συμβαίνει και με τις μάχες, ο συγγραφέας έχει τέτοια αγωνία να στριμώξει όσο το δυνατόν περισσότερες από αυτές που στο τέλος η περιγραφή τους γίνεται μάλλον βιαστικά. Οπότε πρόκειται για ένα βιβλίο που έχει σίγουρα κάποια θετικά στοιχεία αλλά πάσχει πολύ σε σύγκριση με τα άλλα βιβλία αυτής της τριλογίας.
Το τρίτο και τελευταίο βιβλίο αυτής της τριλογίας και αυτό που μου άρεσε λιγότερο. Έχει, βέβαια, κάποια από τα καλά στοιχεία των άλλων δύο βιβλίων, οι περιγραφές των μαχών είναι αρκετά καλές ενώ υπάρχει και αρκετή προσπάθεια από το συγγραφέα για να δείξει την ανθρώπινη πλευρά των πρωταγωνιστών, έχει, όμως, και αρκετές αδυναμίες. Ο συγγραφέας επιλέγει να ασχοληθεί περισσότερο με αυτές τις μάχες του τελευταίου χρόνου του αμερικανικού εμφυλίου πολέμου και επειδή είναι τόσες πολλές δεν μένει πολύς χώρος για τους χαρακτήρες και τα συναισθήματά τους, σε αντίθεση με ότι συμβαίνει στα άλλα δύο βιβλία., αλλά ακόμα και όταν αυτός ο χώρος υπάρχει ο συγγραφέας δεν καταφέρνει να εμβαθύνει αρκετά σε αυτούς. Κάτι ανάλογο, όμως, συμβαίνει και με τις μάχες, ο συγγραφέας έχει τέτοια αγωνία να στριμώξει όσο το δυνατόν περισσότερες από αυτές που στο τέλος η περιγραφή τους γίνεται μάλλον βιαστικά. Οπότε πρόκειται για ένα βιβλίο που έχει σίγουρα κάποια θετικά στοιχεία αλλά πάσχει πολύ σε σύγκριση με τα άλλα βιβλία αυτής της τριλογίας.
January 26, 2026
There’s plenty to criticize about Jeff Shaara’s work. But what’s worth commending are the small moments where he really captures the “feel” of a historic moment. And he in many ways paved the way for other Civil War novelists by not letting the legacy of *Killer Angels* die. I don’t know of this is as good as Gods and Generals, but it’s still a great read, especially the last part on the race to Appomattox.
May 4, 2016
A fitting conclusion to an excellent Civil War trilogy. While Jeff Shaara isn't quite as good a writer as his father Michael ("Killer Angels"), he still does a great job of capturing the look and feel of the scenes and characters. Shaara's portrayal of General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is particularly compelling. Few moments in American history are as tragic or as poignant as the surrender at Appomattox Court House and the events leading up to it, and Shaara tells that story masterfully. Great book!
February 9, 2023
Five enthusiastic stars. Once again through extensive research, Shaara gets you into the minds of Grant, Lee and Chamberlain and their pivotal roles in the Civil War. Dialogue so crisp that you feel you are eavesdropping. Shaara own style on page 35 on his take for fighting hard is because " cursed discipline that keeps the panic away." Lee's fury that his plans are leaked to the press, the horrible death of the wounded as they lay helpless and cannot move away from the fires started by all the muskets firing. Grant's constant pounding with his superior number of troops that Lee recognizes will win the war.
September 19, 2023
A masterpiece of historical fiction following the final months of the Civil War. Shaara's brilliant narrative mixed with historical accuracy makes for a hard book to put down. Wish they made the movie!!
August 1, 2021
At last! I finished it!
These books are....really not my cup of tea, as far as the writing style goes, but I've enjoyed spending time with all the commanders as imagined by the Shaaras. And there are aspects of this novel that I'm rather impressed with, such as the trend of the War getting more personal all the time. One of the biggest beefs I have with the writing style IS that it feels so impersonal (...which is ironic, considering the goal is to get the reader inside the commander's head); there are relationships ("TOM!" to quote Chamberlain in the movie Gettysburg; also Armistead and Hancock, Grant and Longstreet, etc.), but for the most part the guys try not to think about that, and for the most part they do a pretty good job. Only in this one, as the war drags on and more men die, they can't ignore the personal nature of the killing any longer. It's significant that when Stuart dies, he sees the man pointing a gun at him and everything else fades away into swirling black mist like in some super dramatic movie scene. Y'know? "They are coming for me," "We have to focus on LEE now," etc., etc.; and then towards the very end of the book, Lee before Appomattox has this vision of Jackson and Stuart and thinks "those were my sons" and it's...yeah. It's sad. And it's personal now.
And gosh, the Civil War is so LONG. This happened to me when I listened to Across Five Aprils a long time ago, too, and also, I think, when I watched the Ken Burns documentary: at first the history is so fascinating, but at a certain point after Gettysburg the narrative stops being interesting and just DRAGS. You can just feel the exhaustion of the nation. It weighs you down and makes you feel kind of nauseous. And if it's like that for a reader, how much worse must it have been for the people actually living through it?
Also. I finally know what becomes of Tom Chamberlain. Which is...90% of the reason I bought this book when I found it at Goodwill several years ago.
These books are....really not my cup of tea, as far as the writing style goes, but I've enjoyed spending time with all the commanders as imagined by the Shaaras. And there are aspects of this novel that I'm rather impressed with, such as the trend of the War getting more personal all the time. One of the biggest beefs I have with the writing style IS that it feels so impersonal (...which is ironic, considering the goal is to get the reader inside the commander's head); there are relationships ("TOM!" to quote Chamberlain in the movie Gettysburg; also Armistead and Hancock, Grant and Longstreet, etc.), but for the most part the guys try not to think about that, and for the most part they do a pretty good job. Only in this one, as the war drags on and more men die, they can't ignore the personal nature of the killing any longer. It's significant that when Stuart dies, he sees the man pointing a gun at him and everything else fades away into swirling black mist like in some super dramatic movie scene. Y'know? "They are coming for me," "We have to focus on LEE now," etc., etc.; and then towards the very end of the book, Lee before Appomattox has this vision of Jackson and Stuart and thinks "those were my sons" and it's...yeah. It's sad. And it's personal now.
And gosh, the Civil War is so LONG. This happened to me when I listened to Across Five Aprils a long time ago, too, and also, I think, when I watched the Ken Burns documentary: at first the history is so fascinating, but at a certain point after Gettysburg the narrative stops being interesting and just DRAGS. You can just feel the exhaustion of the nation. It weighs you down and makes you feel kind of nauseous. And if it's like that for a reader, how much worse must it have been for the people actually living through it?
Also. I finally know what becomes of Tom Chamberlain. Which is...90% of the reason I bought this book when I found it at Goodwill several years ago.
February 14, 2016
The predecessor of this book (The Killer Angels) far surpasses The Last Full Measure in most ways - tightness of storyline, style, prose, illustration and delivery of key facts - but, nevertheless, I enjoyed Jeff Shaara's game attempt to conclude the Civil War story in his father's image.
As a "foreigner", I don't have the inculcated knowledge of the War that US students undoubtedly absorb from their earliest school years, so I found the book very helpful in establishing the timeline of events, and geographical juxtaposition of the major locations, of the second half of the unfathomable conflict. I read the book ahead of an imminent holiday to include visits to some of the battlefields. I will find the information provided and animation of the principal players excellent background to my visit.
I do think that the author did draw out the book a little, and relied on " the hand of God" theme overly much, but I'm probably looking for a reason to rate the book a little less than its excellent antecedent.
I recommend the book to Civil War buffs, but make sure you read The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara first.
As a "foreigner", I don't have the inculcated knowledge of the War that US students undoubtedly absorb from their earliest school years, so I found the book very helpful in establishing the timeline of events, and geographical juxtaposition of the major locations, of the second half of the unfathomable conflict. I read the book ahead of an imminent holiday to include visits to some of the battlefields. I will find the information provided and animation of the principal players excellent background to my visit.
I do think that the author did draw out the book a little, and relied on " the hand of God" theme overly much, but I'm probably looking for a reason to rate the book a little less than its excellent antecedent.
I recommend the book to Civil War buffs, but make sure you read The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara first.
June 6, 2020
this three piece series on the civil war was the best books I have ever read on the subject especially the last one . It was so good I did not want to put it down not like reading a history book but a good story. By the end of the book you felt as if you knew each man personally. I highly recommend this to anyone who has a love of history.
December 16, 2009
This work suffers from the same flaws as God and Generals. Shaara simply fails to reproduce the genius of his father. The only book in this trilogy that needs to be read is Michael Shaara's original "The Killer Angels."
July 2, 2021
Shaara does a good job again of bringing the characters of Robert E. Lee and Joshua Chamberlain to life while introducing the awe-inspiring General Ulysses S. Grant. A lot of action is packed into this final installment of the trilogy, but Shaara manages to handle it all pretty well. It begins with the aftermath of the catastrophic Gettysburg campaign and goes all the way through to Lee's surrender at Appomattox. In between, the slow but sure destruction of Lee's army under the boot of General Grant's force is well-narrated.
The return of the stateliness of Robert E. Lee and of the idealistic scholarliness of Joshua Chamberlain are welcome bits of continuity that follow in the footsteps of the first two books. However, having General Grant as a new face was what I enjoyed in particular about this piece of the trilogy. His dealings with many selfish and competing generals within his own army on the road to victory was commendable. In addition to that, his close relationship to President Lincoln during the final year of the Civil War was critical to his success and was given special attention in this book.
As an avid military history buff, I appreciate the attention to detail Shaara gave to most of the major conflicts that fell within the timeline of this book. The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Petersburg, Five Forks, and Appomattox are of particular focus. I wish a little more mention would've been given to the Battle of Cold Harbor in order to give a more comprehensive picture of Grant's Overland Campaign (for only the aftermath of that battle is really included in this book). However, I cannot complain much as this final piece of the trilogy measures up closely to the previous two installments.
The return of the stateliness of Robert E. Lee and of the idealistic scholarliness of Joshua Chamberlain are welcome bits of continuity that follow in the footsteps of the first two books. However, having General Grant as a new face was what I enjoyed in particular about this piece of the trilogy. His dealings with many selfish and competing generals within his own army on the road to victory was commendable. In addition to that, his close relationship to President Lincoln during the final year of the Civil War was critical to his success and was given special attention in this book.
As an avid military history buff, I appreciate the attention to detail Shaara gave to most of the major conflicts that fell within the timeline of this book. The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Petersburg, Five Forks, and Appomattox are of particular focus. I wish a little more mention would've been given to the Battle of Cold Harbor in order to give a more comprehensive picture of Grant's Overland Campaign (for only the aftermath of that battle is really included in this book). However, I cannot complain much as this final piece of the trilogy measures up closely to the previous two installments.
June 8, 2017
Enjoyed rereading this one to prepare for our trip to Virginia and Washington DC in October
October 24, 2022
This series was recommended to me years ago and it's been on my tbr since 2017. This year I finally decided to knock out that tbr so I started with Gods & Generals, which was a struggle because of Jeff Shaara's writing style. Still I persevered and made it through. I went ahead and read The Killer Angels at that point because it was by a different author (his dad Michael Shaara) and I'm interested in the historical time period. That one was a much better book - more concise and easy to read and less bogged down in guessing about what each of the major players is thinking. So, I picked up this book with a little trepidation.
Ugh. I'm one of those weird readers who has a hard time giving up on a book once I start it. (I've been working on this!) The story is compelling, but the prose is plodding and it drove me crazy to keep reading the same "God is with us so it's all going to turn out somehow" drivel from Lee. Honestly, what Lee was thinking is all guess work anyway since he never wrote his memoirs, and I think Shaara gives him WAY too much credit. In the end, while yes, the southerners were fighting for a cause they believed in, they were still traitors to their country and privileged "gentlemen" who fought to preserve a way of life that depended on the enslavement and ultimate exploitation of others. So, yes, by all means, try to give a little grace and judge them through 1860s eyes instead of 2022 eyes, but good heavens, let's not glorify them! They were brave, yes, but they were not heroes to be emulated and revered. I felt like Shaara was trying so hard to give a "balanced" view of the two sides that he ended up deifying men on both sides, but especially Lee. There was so much inner dialog that it made the book incredibly difficult to get through.
The battle scenes had some good action, but there were just too many of them: the book would have been much better had it focused on 3 or 4 major battles and left the rest out. The afterword where Shaara talks about what happened to most of the major players was interesting, but by then I was so ready to be done that, despite my interest, I still had a hard time concentrating.
This book would have been a thousand times better with a good editor eliminating about 300 pages and keeping the focus on the action of what happened and adding in only the occasional thoughts that could actually be verified by confirmed historical record. 2 stars
Ugh. I'm one of those weird readers who has a hard time giving up on a book once I start it. (I've been working on this!) The story is compelling, but the prose is plodding and it drove me crazy to keep reading the same "God is with us so it's all going to turn out somehow" drivel from Lee. Honestly, what Lee was thinking is all guess work anyway since he never wrote his memoirs, and I think Shaara gives him WAY too much credit. In the end, while yes, the southerners were fighting for a cause they believed in, they were still traitors to their country and privileged "gentlemen" who fought to preserve a way of life that depended on the enslavement and ultimate exploitation of others. So, yes, by all means, try to give a little grace and judge them through 1860s eyes instead of 2022 eyes, but good heavens, let's not glorify them! They were brave, yes, but they were not heroes to be emulated and revered. I felt like Shaara was trying so hard to give a "balanced" view of the two sides that he ended up deifying men on both sides, but especially Lee. There was so much inner dialog that it made the book incredibly difficult to get through.
The battle scenes had some good action, but there were just too many of them: the book would have been much better had it focused on 3 or 4 major battles and left the rest out. The afterword where Shaara talks about what happened to most of the major players was interesting, but by then I was so ready to be done that, despite my interest, I still had a hard time concentrating.
This book would have been a thousand times better with a good editor eliminating about 300 pages and keeping the focus on the action of what happened and adding in only the occasional thoughts that could actually be verified by confirmed historical record. 2 stars
July 22, 2023
This was the final book in Jeff Shaara 's Civil War Trilogy. I read it slowly and thoughtfully and came away from the experience actually feeling heartbreak and sadness for Robert E. Lee and his men.
This is what makes Shaara's storytelling so unique: Through the entire series he never "took a side", he told the story of the Civil War through the eyes of the men that lived it, introduced you to their family and friends and made each soldier a human being that you felt you knew. I was sorry to turn the last page and now this journey was at end. Then, while on vacation last week, my husband commented that I had been reading this series since our first camping trip in May. Was it that good? And now, my husband-the non-reader(*English as a second language is hard for him*) has picked up Gods and Generals to begin the series, that makes me happy!
Shaara has written another series dubbed "The Western Front" (who knew that anything west of Virginia was called that?) of the Civil War. I look forward to starting it and learning more about Sherman and some others barely mentioned in this first series.
This is what makes Shaara's storytelling so unique: Through the entire series he never "took a side", he told the story of the Civil War through the eyes of the men that lived it, introduced you to their family and friends and made each soldier a human being that you felt you knew. I was sorry to turn the last page and now this journey was at end. Then, while on vacation last week, my husband commented that I had been reading this series since our first camping trip in May. Was it that good? And now, my husband-the non-reader(*English as a second language is hard for him*) has picked up Gods and Generals to begin the series, that makes me happy!
Shaara has written another series dubbed "The Western Front" (who knew that anything west of Virginia was called that?) of the Civil War. I look forward to starting it and learning more about Sherman and some others barely mentioned in this first series.
December 30, 2009
I loved Michael Shaara's book about Gettysburg, The Killer Angels, and so it was with a lot of anticipation (and a bit of anxiety) that I started reading his son Jeff's companion volumes. Overall, I don't like them. I wish I did. I want to, very much. But I keep finding them overwritten, too much telling, not enough showing, and sometimes so sprawling and incoherent that I, someone who has studied the Civil War in detail and knows a fair amount about it, have trouble keeping track of who is doing what where. I should not have that problem.
What is Jeff Shaara good at, though? His Civil War travel book. It shows evidence of a storytelling gene that his novels lack, and lots of useful information besides.
What is Jeff Shaara good at, though? His Civil War travel book. It shows evidence of a storytelling gene that his novels lack, and lots of useful information besides.
April 10, 2018
Shaara does a great job in pulling the reader into the conflict as each battle plays out. The growing desperation of the South, as its supplies give out and its numbers dwindle, the growing confidence of the North, which iswell supplied and with an almost unending supply of men. Each is vividly drawn.
The same descriptions could be used for its leaders. Lee has to watch while his men go hungry, dressed practically in rags, and wonder when enough will be enough. Grant has the full force of the North’s riches, in both supplies and men, and knows how to use them. Gradually it comes to both how inevitable the North’s win is.
The book is a wonderful conclusion to this magnificent trilogy.
The same descriptions could be used for its leaders. Lee has to watch while his men go hungry, dressed practically in rags, and wonder when enough will be enough. Grant has the full force of the North’s riches, in both supplies and men, and knows how to use them. Gradually it comes to both how inevitable the North’s win is.
The book is a wonderful conclusion to this magnificent trilogy.
August 19, 2017
Excellent finish to a remarkable trilogy. Anyone who has a passing knowledge of the Civil War needs to read this set of books. It is an exciting and well told story which will certainly lead me to reading more about this period in US history. Start with Killer Angels. Gods and Generals was good and The Last Full Measure was an amazing way to bring it to the end.
May 23, 2021
3.5 stars.
Well-written, well-researched, just too long for this non-Civil War buff. I enjoyed the passages that explored Lee's, Chamberlain's, Grant's thoughts more than the action, although I did read through the battle scenes as well. The last quarter was the best for me as the war draws to its inevitable surrender. I found those pages quite moving.
Well-written, well-researched, just too long for this non-Civil War buff. I enjoyed the passages that explored Lee's, Chamberlain's, Grant's thoughts more than the action, although I did read through the battle scenes as well. The last quarter was the best for me as the war draws to its inevitable surrender. I found those pages quite moving.
August 23, 2021
That was a great wrap to the civil war. I need to think on this before reviewing.
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