Civil War Research Book Review: Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee

The book is both the most wonderful thing and the most dreadful all at once. First, let’s talk about what’s so great about it.

What I Loved: There’s nothing like reading original letters from people in the past. They shine so much light on the culture of the time. This recollection and letters by the famous general is made better because it was compiled together by one of his sons. If you’re interested in reading Lee’s letters, then you’re going to love reading his son’s commentary along the way!
The one thing I really wish he’d done differently was to leave the letters whole. I understand wanting to cut off the more mundane portions but 150 years later, the mundane sections can carry the best information. As it is, this collection is mostly snippets of letters. Some longer than others.

What I Didn’t Love: The formatting might have been acceptable when it was originally published, but it isn’t anymore. It would have been nice if someone would have made the effort to bring the format up to date. You can hardly read the book at all. The font is extremely small. There are NO breaks ANYWHERE on the page. Not between letters or commentary. If it wasn’t for the timeless information offered here, I would say it was a complete waste.

Buying Options: I bought a used paperback copy from Amazon but also found a FREE Kindle edition. Follow the link to find your favorite buying option.