Mentally Engaged

I love finding a book that, no matter how hard I try, I can't put it down. I was up reading until after 3am this morning, and I'm reading at my desk this morning.

The book: The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

I've read everything that Jeffrey Shaara (Michael Shaara's son)has written, and Gone For Soldiers is on my top 5 all-time favorite reads. Which, for me, is strange. I like to read fiction, and I'm a fiction writer (or at least creative non-fiction) which boggles me as to why I'm so drawn to a historical novel. Hmmm...But for some reason, I'd neglected to read The Killer Angels until now.

But I digress...

I highly recommend it. It's a 4 day, multiple first-person account of the Battle of Gettysburg, told from both sides. It's written very well, and is historically sound in that it reflects the views and opinions of the commanders it shadows, Shaara having used notes, letters and diaries from the officers as sources.

For some reason, perhaps the tone and the word selection, perhaps something else, I can't help but root for the Confederates even though I'm aware of what the outcome must be.

I'm going to give it 4 stars. If you happen to be bored and in the market for a good 400 pages of entertainment, hopefully you'll like it too. Shaara didn't win a Pulitzer for nothing...