Robert E. Lee: A Biography

by Emory M. Thomas

The life of Robert E. Lee is a story of triumph--triumph in clearing his family name, triumph in marrying properly, triumph over the mighty Mississippi in his work as an engineer, & triumph over all other military men to become the towering figure who commanded the Confederate army in the American Civil War. But late in life Lee wrote what may be his most revealing phrase. He confessed that he "was always wanting something." This from perhaps the South's greatest hero, the man whose demeanor & presence in war were sufficient to inspire thousands to march to near-certain death. In this probing & personal biography, Emory Thomas' thoro examination of Lee's life reveals more than the man did himself, allowing us to find meaning in Lee's successes & failures. From his struggles as a youth with his father's humiliation, to his frustrating marriage into a proper & prominent family, & his lively relationships with young female friends & relatives, Lee--the uncertain scion, skilled engineer, consummate warrior & college president--was actually an enigmatic person of latent passions. He lived in limbo between the self-control to which he aspired & the freedom for which he longed.

Genres: Biography, Civil War, History, American Civil War, Nonfiction, American History, Military History

472 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

A noted scholar of the Civil War, Emory Thomas is a Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Georgia.

Reviews

[Fred Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was high time for me to read a biography about Robert E. Lee because his name was in the news so much recently, with the controversy about whether to take (tear?) down statues honoring him. By the way, I am against tearing down any statues without some kind of orderly process. I am not in favor of mobs.

Anyway, I found this to be an illuminating portrait of Lee. Was he a perfect man? Of course not. But what you will find when you read this is that he was a human, which means he had many facets and characteristics, and I think it's wrong to evaluate him based on only a few things.

He was a man of his times. Of course he didn't think that blacks were equal to whites. And you shouldn't expect that.

He led armed forces against the federal government. For that, he was as much a traitor to the U.S. as George Washington was to the Crown.

But there was more to his life that you will learn from this biography. He was a man who hated confrontation, and this characteristic impacted his leadership style, which was certainly not perfect.

When it was clear the Confederate cause was lost, he refused to turn the rebellion into guerrilla warfare, which would have prevented himself and his soldiers from returning to their homes and would have destroyed the country for years to come.

And he had a life after the Civil War, as the president of Washington College, which he helped turn into a major educational institution that later included his name in the title.

Now I'm not saying you have to love or even respect Lee. I'm not saying you have to keep his statues up. But if you're going to be part of a discussion whether to take away anything honoring him, you are obligated to at least learn about him. This book is a good place to start.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

You ever read a biography and wish you could meet the subject? This is one of those books. Gives a great view of the man and the General. Compelling and straight-forward guy who had a strong character and genuine desire to help people, and who struggled with the legacy of his father for much of his life. He certainly didn't have the best views on race equality, but he was a man who had his convictions and this book does a great job of highlighting that.

[Rob Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is detailed, very detailed with letters from those who knew him and his personal letters to his wife and kids. This is not a story about him it is a Biography. If you like biographies you'll love this, but if they are not apart of your normal diet, it can bog down. The author repeats himself with small details.

As a result of the book I felt like I could relate to him and identify with him and his shy personality. He didn't want the job and he didn't think the South had the resources to win. But he didn't want to stand by when a president that wasn't elected by a single Southern State intruded Virginia with his Army to force them into submission.

There are those who still say the war was about slavery when Lincoln refused to make it about slavery for the first two years of the war to Lincoln it was about maintaining unity. To Robert E. Lee it was to protect his home.

[Vickie (I love books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have long been an admirer of Robert E Lee and I still am. I know he was only human had his own demons as we all do. He was a man of the times he lived in. He never wanted to be like his dad and this guided him all his life. He had a sick mother and a sick wife and never strayed from his duties as a loving son and husband. He made what I feel was a gut wrenching heart breaking decision to be a general for the south and now in modern times he is condemned for it. But one needs to remember he did not live in 2022 but in the middle 1800’s. He loved Virginia and no one can relate who didn’t experience what he did then. I know he has his faults and I learned a lot in this biography. I read all I can find on this brilliant man and I have no fear if you disagree. He may have won the civil war if stonewall Jackson hadn’t died or his generals had fully followed orders. If the south had won would he be thought about differently. He was a unique man. He graduated West Point with no demerits. He was extremely shy and hated confrontation but yet reached the level he did. I wish his life could have been easier but it made him who he was. Every lee admirer or civil war history lover should read this biography. I read about all the generals to expand my knowledge.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very well written biography that really focused on the man behind the myth and painted a more realistic portrait of Lee (aristrocratic & slaveholding). I thoroughly enjoyed how the author used original source material from Lee's own papers and diaries to illustrate Lee's views on the war and his own life. I also enjoyed reading the other first hand accounts from people that knew him personally. --- My personal impression of Lee after reading this bio was that he led a very frustrated and sad life and was disappointed and let down by those he counted on. His father left him as a child, his wife was fairly useless, his subordinates in the war never fully carried out his orders, and his own children never strove to achieve their full potential. For such a shy/introverted man it is amazing that he was able to accomplish so much, let alone command troops. Very interesting read for anyone that enjoys American history.

[Jason Waltz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I no longer even respect Robert E. Lee. What happens when you read a biography about someone you thought you knew, and discover the person ain't all that? He never should have been top dog. his expertise lay in being the right hand man. he was a terrible leader who caused the deaths of his men by not putting the right men in command and calling out ineptitude. and then at war's end, he couldn't even hold himself to the same strictness he held his men, using the lamest excuse of all time to escape charges of treason. he should have hung with Davis and every other confederate general.

on another note, this is the worst biography I've ever read in that the biographer inserted himself and his opinions throughout the book.

3 stars only because it was an eye-opener.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the past few months, I've read several biographies on Civil War generals: Grant, Sherman, Jackson, Longstreet, and Lee. It's been a interesting journey. One way for me to reflect on these biographies is to consider how my view of these men have changed. Briefly: on Grant, my opinion of him improved. While a flawed man like all of us, his commitment to war and peace is admirable. His grit impressed me, too. Regarding Sherman, I think he dropped a bit in my view. While a man of grit as well, he doesn't come across as a particulary kind or principled man. I can say the same for Longstreet; uneven, is a good word. I learned that Jackson was a peculiar man. I knew about his religious devotion, but he was not always consistent in how that faith played out in his life. He could be unreasonable and downright mean and petty. He also made more military mistakes than I had known about. But something about him is admirable - I think it was his confidence. And the book was the best written of all.

This book did not change my view of Lee too much. It validated what I already knew. Lee was a competent man whose reserve and shyness both helped and hurt him. I guess of all of these men, I could relate to him the most. But while I'm not a hero, Lee was able to employ these characteristics in a unique context to become one. At the same time, Lee seemed to be a reluctant hero; in modern lingo, I think he would say, "I was just doing my job." I guess that's what we all try to do and do it as well as we can. I would like to talk to Lee someday and given his presenting faith, we will. I won't ask him about Chancellorsville or Gettysburg (at least not right away). I'll ask him how it felt at the moment he met his Savior and finally found the peace and rest he sought all his life on Earth. While typically not a loquacious man, I have a feeling he'll have a lot to say.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd previously read another biography of Lee concentrating on his career as the commander of the Army of North Virginia and later of the entire Confederate Army. This study explores the whole man, beginning with his parents and ending with his demise in 1870, aged sixty-three. The Civil War, while eventful, only occupied somewhat under five years of his life--about the same length of time as his last career as a college president. Here, the other five-plus decades--his years of childhood, at West Point, as an army engineer and in the Mexican War--are given due attention.

A sympathetic study by a noted scholar of the Confederacy, this well-written biography is recommended.

[Kelly Hohenstern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written with tons of fascinating details

[Lib DM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert E. Lee was certainly an enigma of a man. Some (many) people are quick to denigrate him with very little or no understanding of the man. Some paint him as a racist traitor, others a god. So I wanted to read more about the man and this was the single volume that was most recommended. I tried to go into this with a free mind and make decisions for myself.

Lee was put in an incredibly difficult position. He did not hate the North, although he certainly thought the north was unfair to the south (which is preposterous). The position he was put in was siding with his country or his home state of Virginia. The latter decision meant siding completely against his state and people. It meant if he led the Union's army, he certainly would have had to make incredibly difficult decisions that would lead to the destruction and murder of his own people. This was simply something he could not do and therefore joined the Confederate army.

Before all this, I thought Robert E. Lee an unspectacular man. Pretty average engineer and a solid solider. Very shy, rather timid, and one that will do anything to avoid confrontation. If it wasn't for the civil war, he would have been forgotten in history. However, I do think he was a nice man that loved his family and had an aura of importance whenever he walked into a room. He was a decent man.

There is no question however Lee was an avid racist. He thought black people were lower in the evolutionary chain. He thought society would see no progress with them (god forbid they vote and elect black officials) and we all would be better off if they went somewhere else. He had an overbearing, paternalistic view on slavery. Some say he was against slavery, but that is not quite the truth. He thought slavery was an evil, but a necessary evil for the promotion and advancement of the black people. And that providence will end slavery eventually. He never took an actual stance on it but left it to God. This of course was an foolish approach. While it is absolutely true that Robert E. Lee did not fight with the Confederate army because he wanted to uphold slavery, he was a racist that fought for another cause. His own personal and moral code. The love of his state.

Whether he was a traitor to the United States is up for debate and will continue for a long time. Do I think he should be venerated and have statues honoring him? No, I do not. However, he is an incredibly important American figure that should be studied and understood. If he was anti racist and an abolitionist, fighting with the Union with those massive number of soldiers, he would have been a revered legend throughout (like Grant). But he wasn't any of those things. Therefore, he will always be floating in American purgatory, debated and discussed for generations to come.

[Sequoyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book. Lee is a very apocryphal character so I highly recommend reading about him to understand such a critically influential part of America’s history.

I’d like to talk about Lee the man though. Before that, I should say I have no skin in the game (not only am I a tad bit too young but I’m also from a state that didn’t gain statehood until the 20th century, so we grew up with the Civil War being treated exactly as it is—a far-removed historical event) so I come to the Civil War as an interested observer just trying to understand it.

Learning about Robert E. Lee from this book makes trying to understand it both more difficult and slightly easier. To me, the leadership of the Confederacy has always been a bunch of cut and dry traitors who duped the entire south to fight completely contrary to their interests. However, here we have a very nuanced individual who was both a traitor who disagreed with the cause he committed treason for while also living most of his life as an American patriot.

I both admire Lee and share much of his individual character traits. Lee the man was the embodiment of integrity, the model father and husband, and surprisingly quite shy and averse to attention. Lee the general was both the reason why the South lasted as long as it did and also the reason the entirety of the South acquiesced in defeat as genially as it did. Lee the political thinker, though, was hypocritical and self-destructive.

Lee thought slavery in the abstract was morally wrong. Lee thought Virginia’s secession was unconstitutional. Yet, Lee considered the Southern cause to be the “just” cause. I’m not sure how he convinced himself this was so or if it was an unconscious justification of the decision he made to put on the gray uniform and fight against his fellow countrymen for a country whose right to existence he did not agree with philosophically. He did not have to fight for the confederacy; he resigned his commission with the US Army and could have stayed a civilian, as I completely understand not wanting to fight against your fellow Virginians in the fait accompli that Jefferson Davis forced upon him when Virginia seceded. But to go against your moral convictions just the same and then call your cause just, I just cannot understand.

There’s much more to be said, but I’ll leave it at that. I find the real Robert E. Lee to be much less the villain I thought he was and much more a man to admire than I expected, but he was an enigma that begs to be read about.

[Anson Cassel Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than thirty years ago, I read Douglas Southall Freeman’s four-volume biography of Lee. Twice. And I enjoyed it both times. I even bought a set that I hope will be in my library until I’m gone. Of course, readers have different expectations of biographers today than they did in the 1920s and ‘30s. (For one thing, unless you’re Robert Caro, you’re not going to sell multi-volume biographies of anybody.) Perhaps Thomas’s Lee is not (as Robert Remini is quoted in a blurb as saying) “a fully rounded mortal,” but Thomas’s Lee is at least more rounded than Freeman’s paragon of Southern virtue. Furthermore, while Thomas’s prose isn’t flashy, it’s generally solid and levelheaded.

Except when it’s not, as when Thomas tries too hard to find scraps of evidence to make Lee seem more fallible. One such attempt even leads Thomas to mindlessly assert a virtual impossibility. He says that “on June 22 Robert Lee wrote to his daughter-in-law, told her of Rooney’s recent exploits, answered questions about his own appearance, and concluded with a request that she ‘Kiss your sweet boy for me….’ Lee had forgotten that his grandson, Charlotte’s ‘sweet boy,’ was dead! Clearly his mind was focused upon other matters.” (231) While there are grandparents who have forgotten that their grandchild is dead, they’re in memory care, not commanding armies. Furthermore, the letter Thomas quotes is a chatty, joking missive to the mother of the supposed deceased, not a sorry-I-can’t-write-now scrap. It’s much easier to imagine one or more misdated or misdelivered letters.

Another problem is that Thomas tends to pontificate about matters that most readers will hold self-evident. For instance, the post-war Lee tells his son that “whenever you find the negro, everything is going down around him.” Thomas feels constrained to add, “The war and the African American troops that had helped defeat him did not seem to change Lee’s hierarchical assumptions about race.” Then when Lee kneels next to Black man in church, Thomas pronounces, “Lee’s actions were far more eloquent than anything he spoke or wrote.” Such sentences make you more appreciative of Freeman’s gauzy romanticism.

[Jove · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this as part of a run of Civil War biographies including Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Although the book kept my attention, I found it to be the least engaging of the three biographies. Surprisingly, the portions of the book dedicated to the Civil War were the least useful to me. The narrative bogged down in tactical details, whereas I would have liked to hear more about Lee's strategic considerations (which are certainly included) and the interpersonal / political tensions that he faced. I felt that these were mostly bypassed by the author stating that Lee would tend to downplay or avoid interpersonal confrontation. While this might be true, it doesn't negate the political problems that he faced as the Confederacy's leading military figure.

The pre and post war periods of the book actually carried the book for me. Thomas manages to make Lee's early career as an engineer engrossing, and gives some insight into how he managed to become one of the great figures of the 19th century. These time periods are also filled with interesting narrative describing the contradictions that have been an important part of Lee's legend, particularly his conflicting pro-United States and pro-state views, as well as some of his internally contradictory feelings and actions in regards to slavery. One of the better anecdotes involves Lee defusing a tense situation by taking communion next to a black man after the man tested the South's new racial boundaries by kneeling at the altar of a previously all white church.

Many other reviews feel that this is a "neutral" view of Lee's life. I felt that the author's admiration shows through somewhat in his interpretation of Lee's contradictions, particularly giving him the benefit of the doubt by downplaying his support of slavery, when the evidence could point in either direction. Regardless, he successfully communicates that Lee was an impressive figure, and one of the great influencers of the century.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was an ok biography.

In my opinion the author presents great facts and insights showing the true Lee, only to draw conclusions regarding his greatness that do not align with the facts just presented.

For example, there is much history presented of his upbringing and early years in the military to be concluded by the author that Lee has know hardship and strife, and disappointment throughout his life. Sure Lee’s father was a mess, but his mother was very strong, always kept a roof over their heads and food on the table, gave him a good amount of religion, helped mobilize the family resources to get Lee into West Point, and he had a successful (albeit mundane) 17 year career in the U.S. military. How is that a lifetime of disappointments and hardships (paraphrased)?

That approach is used throughout the book, and I think unfairly softens the reality of who Lee was; traitor to his country to which he had sworn an oath, defender of his home state of Virginia, which when drawn out to its true meaning, means defender of their way of life, meaning slavery, racist who believed African Americans were below white Americans, and one who undermined (subtly) the reconstruction of the south by never embracing the concept of equal rights for all.

There is no doubt Lee has some good qualities such as his ability to lead Washington College after the civil war (arguably his most successful role in life). Those good qualities did not show often enough, nor when it was really important in the lives of his family, friends, fellow soldiers, and country. I do not agree that “Lee was indeed a hero” as offered near the end of the book. I think Lee was a bit of a sad sack, who often left his family when he couldn’t cope, was self deprecating to a fault, who blamed situations and others for his failures and limitations throughout his life, and who had a fairly creepy obsession with young ladies.

[William A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Competent is the word I would use to describe this biography and by that I mean that it is well-researched. The book's framework consists of the known facts about Lee's life. This structure is filled in with excerpts from Lee's letters, his battlefield reports, other historical documents and most irritatingly speculation from Thomas about Lee's thoughts. I largely disregarded the latter and focused on the citations from historical documents and letters.

The main things I learned from Thomas' book had to do with just how averse to confrontation Lee was, how shy, how enraptured he was with the company of young girls (never a hint of impropriety mind you) and how poorly he was viewed in the south prior to the Seven Days Battles.

Otherwise Thomas does a good job of revealing how querulous Lee could be at times, how ambitious he was and how petty he could be (as in the aftermath of Second Cold Harbor.) These character faults have been neglected in some of the hagiographic biographies of the general. They go a long way toward humanizing him.

In light of today's efforts to address the nation's sad history of racial injustice another finding from this book is just how tied into the South's "peculiar institution" Lee was. He always had slaves as personal servants and at one point took leave from the army to try and get more work out of the slaves at Arlington in an attempt to make that plantation profitable. The author's points out that as a Whig Lee believed that only the landed gentry should have citizenship rights including the right to vote. Obviously slaves did not qualify nor did most of the soldiers who carried muskets for him.

[Christopher Sturcke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This might just be the best single volume R.E. Lee biography out there. Emory Thomas did a masterful job of compiling information from previously unused sources which included letters, diary entries, and other personal papers not only from Lee himself but also those around him. The author did allot of digging and what resulted is a biography that cuts Lee down to proportion by highlighting the General's humanness without tearing down Lee's legacy. Lee was a big man (physically speaking as well), and despite his shortcomings and failures remains and deserves to remain as one of the great men in American history. In all stations of life he served with hallmark honor. Emory does not simply gloss over Lee's not so positive character traits such as his racism as shown in Lee's own statements but points them out. Thomas was right in his final observations, Lee was hero, tainted as all heroes are since all are human, but a hero non the less. Yet Lee was a tragic hero: his whole life he was no stranger to death, hardships, loss of persons and property, and pride. He died living a life which was a far cry from the grand life he may have lived if not for siding with the Confederacy but he chose honor and loyalty instead, living with the consequences and making the best of all situations in classic Lee fashion. He died with respect and that is how he should be remembered. Thomas's biography will remain one of the best go to biographies on Lee for a long time coming, at least for those who care to regard the truth.

[Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and insightful biography of the most famous general in the Army of the Confederate States of America. Robert E. Lee was a very shy man and a very private man. So, a reader of general U.S. Civil War history won’t find much information about the man, his personality and his inner thoughts. This biography gets beyond the surface of Lee and beyond just his Civil War experiences. For example, Lee, like most human beings, could be insecure and not always have confidence in himself; especially in his earlier career. This bio also delves into Lee’s inner thoughts during different times in his career and personal life. It provides his insights into other important people and events during the Civil War. You’ll get insights as to what he thought about slavery and the Negro race. This information comes from the extensive letters written to family and friends throughout his life. So, if you want to get a more thorough understanding of the man represented by the many statues, read this biography of Robert E. Lee.

[Ty · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the recommendation of historian Kevin Levin (author of "Remembering the Battle of the Crater: War as Murder") I read Emory Thomas's biography of Lee with high expectations, and wasn't disappointed. Originally published in 1995, Thomas thoroughly engages critical source material left out of earlier Lee biographies, analytically revealing a man neither demigod nor devil. Thomas declutters past Lee mythologies to present a man seemingly defined by paradoxes: a doting, loving father who also rebukes his children to excess; a plantation-owning Whig who finds slavery abhorrent; an introvert who escapes interpersonal conflicts by waging a Civil War; a conservative segregationist who kneels for communion with a black man. On par with Elizabeth Brown Pryor's documentary Lee history, "Reading the Man" (2007), readers of Thomas's fascinating tome will find an in-depth, nuanced treatment of Lee's life as a student, engineer, soldier, and educator.

[Fred Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt that my formal education regarding Lee was an exercise in hagiography (even though I was schooled in the North). I picked this book as I thought it might provide a more balanced and objective view of him. It was successful. Lee was a skilled engineer and military officer. He had many admirable qualities: he was a good father and he was very disciplined in his personal and professional life. Lee also believed very strongly that it was incumbent upon him to do right by his fellow man. Paradoxically, he was systematically racist. He believed that whites were superior to blacks, to native Americans, and to Mexicans.

I am stuck, once again, by the realization that intelligent, prominent people in our history were blatant racists and that it is 'revisionist history' to deny it or, for that matter, to omit it in our discussion of them.

[Caleb Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert E. Lee was a complex figure who has been rendered even more inaccessible by the mythology that quickly developed around him from within the minds of southern sympathizers. In this book, Emory Thomas has done a very good job of cutting through the noise in order to present a balanced view of the confederate general. Lee was not the near deified hero that many have made him. Nor was he the personification of evil that others have painted him to be.

Thomas constructs an image of Lee that presents a flawed man who devoted his military genius to a cause that he considered noble. Namely, to fight for his neighbors and his home. In reality, Lee’s devotion to the south, particularly Virginia, constituted defense of a reprehensible institution. Therefore, his legacy is haunted, not by a “lost cause”, but by the ever-present specter of moral blindness.

[Timothy Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Thomas' style and felt that he did a thorough treatment and analysis of Lee. I also appreciate his effort to see past the myths and discover the authentic Lee, not the Lee who was venerated by so many Southerners. However, I think Thomas' pendulum has swung too far. At the end of the book, I found myself asking why on earth this man was so respected and loved by the armies he led. Lee must have been an extraordinary man to have received the veneration and commanded the respect he did during the War and reconstruction. I don't think Thomas has explained at all what it was about Lee that made him so beloved, and this was a disappointment to me. Perhaps his characterization of Lee as going to war to avoid family strife at home (a thesis which seems a bit presumptuous to me) is a result of this pendulum swinging too far the other way.

[Bull Weaver]

I always keep a history book going, and this is one I read late in 2021. Thomas tells the poignant tale of Lee's adventurous, conflict-filled life. He narrates details about the Battle of Gettysburg not found in the recent excellent histories of that battle. He also tells us in detail what took place in the several battles, offensive and defensive which Lee's forces were engaged in following that battle. Lastly he tells the story of a heroic but sickly man who did what he could to help reunify the country following the war. It was the story once again of Lee fighting against an opposition that outnumbered him, in this case, those who sought to classify and judge him as a war criminal.

[Bobsie67 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes gets bogged down in the details, ie, much of the engineering of forts was a bit beyond me. However, Thomas shows Lee as a man who was heroic, human, introverted--someone who made mistakes, who had convictions, and someone who was very much a product of his family circumstances, as well as his place and time in history. Not sure I buy some of the psychological conclusions, but others have made the same conclusions. Thomas states that Lee believed he would have been victorious at Gettysburg if he had Jackson, and I tend to agree.

[Isidore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas's book is still the best modern biography of Lee. Neither hostile nor hagiographic, Thomas has a remarkable gift for landing precisely on the most reasonable interpretation of controversial matters. He is rarely eloquent, and I understand that his somewhat humdrum prose can make the book a slog for some readers. Personally, I find his plain, unpretentious style fits well with the good common sense and lack of agenda which make the book admirable.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well crafted biography designed to reveal the man behind the many myths. In addition, it serves as a corrective to the harsher critiques of Lee by Thomas Connelly and Alan Nolan. Thomas is no Lee apologist and puts human clothes on the man. Points of Lee's wit shine especially in this regard - and serve both to let us know Lee better and to dispel those mythic trappings.

[Jay Carper · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's very difficult to get an unbiased opinion of Robert E. Lee. He's either a demigod or a demon, depending on who you ask. Emory's biography paints a picture of a good, but flawed, man who tried to make the best of a bad situation. Lee became a man I could relate to, tragic and admirable, but, most of all, human.

[Ben Kilgore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid history with great detail on Lee the person. Helpful to understanding the complexity of the motivations and decisions of the Civil War. Amazing even more when we learn he never owned a home or plantation. He felt slavery was wrong but couldn't see an alternative. Great for the true history fan.

[Stevejs298 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, a disappointing read. Too much detail in many areas and too little detail, or no detail, in areas I would've liked some insights - Andersonville, Booth's assassination of Lincoln to name a couple. According to the author, Lee's life is to be viewed as to what he did, not what he said or wrote. Overall, I was also less impressed with Lee than I had expected.

[Hugh T. Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. I found this biography thoroughly documented with excellent primary sources. This is an in-depth look at Lee; warts and all. This is not the mythical Christ figure but rather the man himself. I could not be more pleased.

[Michael Baranowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most people, I know how many Southerners idolize Lee, but I didn't know much beyond that. Thomas' book gave me an appreciation for Lee's complex character and for what made him such an icon to generations of Southerners.