General Meade: A Novel of the Civil War

by Robert Kofman

As the Civil War rages on, President Lincoln desperately seeks a commander to defeat the seemingly invincible Confederate general, Robert E. Lee, whose army has invaded Pennsylvania. Lincoln turns to the Old Snapping Turtle, General George Meade—a courageous man with remarkable integrity and a fiery temper—to save the Union during its greatest time of need. Just three days later, Meade confronts Lee’s troops at Gettysburg, resulting in the bloodiest and most dramatic battle of the war. Delivering a glorious victory, General Meade vanquishes the Confederate Army, forcing a retreat south. But for Meade, the battle is far from over. At first heralded as a hero who turned the tide of the war, he falls victim to a nefarious smear campaign that threatens to ruin his reputation and his career. The general is forced to muster all his strength to persevere against an onslaught of political attacks, all while leading the Army of the Potomac and serving his General Ulysses S. Grant and President Lincoln. A compelling work of historical fiction, General A Novel of the Civil War paints an engrossing picture of an unsung American hero. Filled with primary sources, including letters written by Meade himself, the narrative uses firsthand accounts to reveal fascinating details of life in a nation dangerously divided.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

539 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2019

About the author

My first book GENERAL MEADE, A NOVEL OF THE CIVIL WAR won a Ben Franklin book award for historical fiction. I’m a graduate of Penn State with degrees in history and political science and of Duke Law School. I practiced law in Washington, Philadelphia and Miami before retiring. I’m a member of the Historical Novel Society.

Reviews

[Chaplain Stanley Chapin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A extremely well detail of the Civil War

I have always had an interest in the war between the states. I found it truly interesting the details of many of the major actions and learned of several new ones.I had no idea there were so many Generals and that some had NO military experience.

[abdulia ortiz-perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Smith Publicity for honest review.
I ready don't read books like this but I found this book enjoyable.
More like if my son had to do report in school for history, I would have him do this book.
I highly recommend to read.

[Rebecca Alcantara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally an accurate presentation of General Meade

I loved that the author covered every salient issue regarding Meade’s generalship and the controversy surrounding his tenure as Commander of the Army of the Potomac. The author highlights his intelligence and skill, his personal integrity, his devotion to God, to the nation, and to his beloved Army. He captures his tender love for his wife and children. His legacy unexpectedly finds a voice in this surprisingly accurate fictional account of George Gordon Meade. I am too familiar with the subject matter to gauge whether it has the requisite literary tension to make it as popular as Killer Angels but I hope so, as it is certainly more accurate when it comes to the victor of the great battle of Gettysburg.

[Pat Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first received this book in the mail after having won it on goodreads, I mistakenly didn't realize that it was historical fiction and not non-fiction. Despite its over 500 page length, it was a fast read. It's hard for me to review it since I'm not a Civil War buff. The only officer I really remember from the Civil War was Joshua Chamberlain because I had previously read The Killer Angels years ago and this book only gives Joshua Chamberlain a couple of sentences. This book covers from May of 1862 until May of 1865 so it does not get into a lot of depth. In order to do that the author would have had to write several volumes. It was fascinating reading Meade's letters to his wife Margaret throughout the book and they fit nicely into the narrative. My only complaint is that I would have preferred non-fiction because it would have given me more background information.

[Ron Baumer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book I have recently finished by this author. All of the books have been great reads.

An excellent novel on a little-known historical figure of the Civil war. It was sad to see how badly he was treated by the press following his successful battle at Gettysburg. It seems that many of the reported information was simply due to being smeared by a jealous officer. Meade was a man of principles and fought not for glory but to end the civil war.

The narrator for this book was excellent. His use of voice brought you into the story and was easy to follow the various changes in characters. I would definitely listen to more books done by the narrator.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[David Mc · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Kofman certainly covered nearly every minute detail of Meade’s actions in the civil war, I would have preferred a shorter version of this 589-page tome. That being said…I felt the author did a good job of capturing the powerful personalities (i.e., Lincoln, Grant, Stanton, etc.) that Meade encountered during the conflict, as well as describing his actions under some very trying circumstances. In any event, as George Meade never fully received the recognition that he deserved for Gettysburg and helping to bring the war to a successful end, I’m pleased that this novel provides a more accurate picture of the man

[Vicuña · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an amazing story; one that really brings Meade and the realities of the war to life. As a UK listener, I confess to only limited knowledge if the Civil War, so I found this gave remarkable insight into the progress and some of the issues. It was such an unthinkable situation and no one could really do right for doing wrong. I believe the research must have been extensive and the narrative is cohesive, with Meade’s letters home adding a real human touch to this exceptional man, it’s put a lot of events into context for me and provided an excellent overview of events. Superb narration throughout.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.

[Abby Fraxedas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read for fans of historical fiction.  It tells the story from the perspective of Meade who is not particularly well known despite his significant role in helping win the Civil War.  The book transports you to the battlefield and makes you feel as if you are there.  It also gives you a front row seat to the political soap opera that is surprisingly not that different from current events. The well written story is complimented with detailed maps and letters written by Meade to his wife. It is an exciting and informative read - I highly recommend it!

[Jkl · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking a for a well written and thoroughly researched novel on the Civil War, look no further then this book written by Robert Kofman. "General Meade" examines the life and legacy of General George Meade, through his own personal letters to his wife and from intricate battle field descriptions (the book includes many maps which helps the reader visualize each battle). I learned so much about the Civil War and have a deeper understanding of Meade's contribution to American history.

[Rosa Bembassat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, and now understand why General George Meade is known as the victor of Gettysburg. The book gave me a glimpse of Meade’s heroic actions during the Civil War, often in unfavorable conditions. Kofman shows us the many sides of Meade: a simple man with very clear religious beliefs, completely devoted to his family and his beloved wife Margaret. Meade proves to be a professional, courageous general who endured poor relations with the press and made difficult decisions in leading the Union army. I highly recommend this book.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful book for Civil War enthusiasts. The book follows the career of General Meade as the Civil War progresses on the Eastern Front. We experience the campaign from Meade's point of view as politics, factions, personalities and relationships all impact the progress of the war. Military maps and exerts from Meade's letters to his wife provide a clear picture of the events. A surprisingly easy read given the subject, this book is good for those interested in the Civil War and military strategy.

[Daniel L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable Perspective of a Many-Faceted War

Having listened to podcasts, read a variety of different accounts of the Civil War, and visited the battlefield numerous times, Kofman's book sparked a renewed interest in the history of this dreadful conflict.

There was perhaps some poetic license taken in rendering conversations, but such liberties don't diminish the story line.

I expect that the hard-bit history buff might take exception with some things, but for the reader who's looking for an easy read that provides an insider's look at the highs and lows of the Civil War.

[Francis X DuFour · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect too much from this book as I hadn’t seen any mention of it in reviews of Civil War books. I found it a great novel, built around actual letters that Gen. Meade wrote to his wife. I’m not sure if his relationship with Grant was quite as levelheaded as depicted, but his hatred of Phil Sheridan comes through loud and clear! It portrays Meade as a very human and loving man as compared to the common picture many hold of Meade as an eternally grumpy, irascible hot-head.

[Tom Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unusual but effective and compelling story of Meade during the Civil War

Very interesting book on George Meade who did not receive accolades in accordance with his accomplishments during the war. Each chapter contains letters written by Meade to his wife Margaret with the story written around those letters. I found the book an excellent read, compelling in many ways. A good story about a good man in the toughest times.

[DEAN CHURCH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book!

A good account of a great man and general. Realistic and well written.A terrible tragedy of Americans against Americans, brothers against brothers. We must learn from the past how pride and prejudice can destroy our nation. May we lean on our Loving Lord to keep us until He returns to save us.

[andy noble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could have been better but it's not bad

A overall the book is not bad but it could have been so much better. The political infighting and the machinations of the press to undermine Meade a well written. However if the author had gone into more depth about Meade's feelings and inner turmoil. I would have given the book more stars

[Sandra Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://saexaminer.org/2019/06/16/boo...

[Alice Ruth Scott Seger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting view of the war.

Well written, I gained great insight from reading the letters he sent his wife. Those letters gained with succeeding chapter.

[Jon Zeichner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to anybody who likes the Civil War. Whether fiction or nonfiction there is enough reality to awaken a new admiration for Meade and the difficulties of 19th century warfare.

[Janet Reeves]

Not in library

[Paul Womack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost like reading a biography. I thought to myeelf “No one talks like the characters in this book”, but the conversations and reflections attributed to them made history come alive.

[Janene Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

I enjoyed reading about all these things that went on during the Civil War. It was quite the eye-opener for me.

[Todd McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this well researched novel of General Meade. I am happy to recommend it to those looking to learn more of this era.

[Henry Christensen, Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A step back in time

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gave me the experience that I was there feeling the disappointments and gratification that Gen. Meade felt during his command.
The book is an easy read but is also full of tidbits of information that keeps your interest.
I recommend this book to Civil War buffs or anyone who wants to explore part of our history.

[Tim Armstrong · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It falls short of being a 5 star book however, because the dialogue can be pretty bad at points. At times it felt like reading a Young Adult novel. Which isn't a bad thing at all, but I feel a bit more subtlety in the dialogue would have made this a much more enjoyable read.