Book Review: The War for the Union: The Organized War to Victory, 1864-1865 by Allan Nevins

The War for the Union: The Organized War to Victory 1864-1865 by Allan Nevins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Confederates had to turn their entire economy towards total war to gain independence, the Union organized its war effort with one arm tied behind its back and as a result the Union was victorious. The War for the Union, Volume IV: The Organized War to Victory, 1864-1865 is the eighth and final volume of Allan Nevins’ Ordeal of the Union series covers the last year of the Civil War which saw U.S. Grant’s multiple offensive strategy to stretch the Confederate’s resources to the breakpoint as the United States held a national election in the midst of a civil war, which both saw the collapse of the rebellion.

Throughout 404 pages of well-written and researched text, Nevins covers the military and political history during the last year of the war along with the “home fronts” and economic realities that each side faced during this last year then a glance in the immediate aftermath before concluding with a summing up of how the United States had changed in over four years of war. While Nevins coverage of Grant and Sherman’s campaigns were excellent, in particular the decision-making and preparation surrounding the March to the Sea, as was his writing on the 1864 Presidential election to me the most interesting chapters covered the Southern war effort in one and how it compared to another when Nevins detailed what Northerners were doing besides participating in the war effort, the juxtaposition between how both sections home fronts were like during this last year of the war was startling. The last chapter, “Toward a Mature Nation”, is Nevins glance at the United States in the aftermath of the war and how it had changed, though Nevins planned to write about Reconstruction but passed away before he could this chapter highlights how the nation changed over the course of 18 years in which he covered in the eight volumes of the overall historical series he wrote over the course of 24 years.

The War for the Union, Volume IV: The Organized War to Victory, 1864-1865 culminates a near quarter century of writing by Allan Nevins to detail how victory in a war against Mexico lead to Civil War and the birth of a new United States.

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Book Review: Lore Olympus Volume Seven by Rachel Smythe

Lore Olympus: Volume Seven by Rachel Smythe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Persephone is sheltering in the Underworld, and the rift of the realms is happening with a trial on the horizon, but when that trial starts the twists and turns come from all directions. Lore Olympus Volume Seven by Rachel Smythe finds Hades and Persephone getting to know one another better as well as dealing with their family and friends, drama around Apollo and his shenanigans continues, and other minor characters find themselves making discoveries that readers have been waiting for them to find out.

Covering episodes #153-179 of her webcomic, Smythe’s continues showing Hades and Persephone learning about each other which gives readers backstory without info-dumping the reader. The introduction of Leto and her own angle to things which helped lead to the trial was a nice way to add tension, especially as it plays into everything connected with Apollo. Once at the trial several minor characters get to add their spin on things and then surprises start dropping including an effective cliffhanger for this volume. Smythe’s art continues to be top notch, how Smythe presents characters in flashbacks is a nice way to show their “evolution” in their long lives, and how Smythe uses well known myths but with a spin of her own given the story arcs she’s created. While I enjoyed this volume as the main characters were given more depth; minor subplots were either completed, thrown on their head, or started with interesting potential.

Lore Olympus Volume Seven brings changes in Rachel Smythe’s webcomic as Hades and Persephone getting closer even as trouble continues percolating in the background or at a trial.

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Book Review: On War by Carl von Clausewitz

On War by Carl von Clausewitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is the most influential yet incomplete and unrevised book of military history and political theory as its readers developed the opening strategies that would lead to stalemate in 1914. On War by Carl von Clausewitz distilled his experiences in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars as well as his career long study of military history into book of on the nature and meaning of war in all it’s aspects.

Since his widow published his uncompleted work, in which only the first chapter of Book One was revised to his satisfaction, Clausewitz’s features discussions on strategic and tactical doctrines, engagements, a military force, and the basics of defense and attack. While many other 19th century military writers covered the same things, Clausewitz however took note of the differences of absolute and limited war, the violence of war, and most importantly that war is “just the continuation of politics by different means”. Clausewitz style is markedly different between the first chapter of Book One and almost the rest of the volume, except Book Eight, due to the unrevised nature of the text that doesn’t reflect the dual focus Clausewitz introduced at the beginning of the book. While numerous chapters deal with what lay readers would take to be military minutia, for those in the military who realize Clausewitz’s overall objective they understand why. Potentially for those like me who are civilians and want to read this book, it’s because of Clausewitz’s tying military theory with political theory with an eye to understanding how it influenced the Western way of war since its publication. Yet this aspect which was covered in essays and commentary by Michael Howard, Peter Paret, and Bernard Brodie informs the reader that the Imperial German generals and their French counterparts in the lead up to the First World War misinterpreted Clausewitz and emphasized the offensive and not the defensive as the author intended nor did they understand the author’s typing in of the political aspect of war. While reading the book with this knowledge it was a great help in understanding what Clausewitz was talking back.

On War is one of the most influential books of the 20th Century due to its use by those in the military who misinterpreted the intentions of author Carl von Clausewitz, even though the book is incomplete and not revised to the author’s satisfaction. The Everyman edition with essays and commentary really helps laymen like me understand what the Prussian intended to leave to future military professionals.

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Book Review: The Letters of John by Ekkehardt Mueller

The Letters of John by Ekkehardt Müller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Of the five books in the New Testament written by the Apostle John, the three short letters near the end of the Bible are often overlooked but they are offer many of our descriptions of Jesus. The Letters of John by Ekkehardt Mueller is the companion book of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study (3rd Quarter 2009) in which he aims to reveal John’s wish for believers to know the correct understanding of all aspects of Jesus. Mueller divides his topic over 13 chapters in which a chapter is an overview of the letters focusing on Jesus, ten chapters dedicated to a breakdown of 1 John and an overview of important themes, and then a chapter each for 2 and 3 John. Throughout the 119 pages dedicated to text, Mueller gives pinpointed analysis to give the reader an excellent resource to use in during their own Bible study of these letters or like myself wanting a short but knowledgeable read.

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Book Review: Lore Olympus Volume Six by Rachel Smythe

Lore Olympus: Volume Six by Rachel Smythe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The fallout of Zeus’ arrest warrant for Persephone and Demeter along with Persephone’s disappearance in the Underworld, meanwhile Apollo hides his true self from Artemis with the help of their mother, and then Minthe finds herself in some crosshairs. Lore Olympus Volume Six by Rachel Smythe sees Hades offer protection to Persephone after Zeus’ arrest warrant which allows them to slowly get closer, unfortunately when Minthe goes to confront Hades who wants to move on she says too much in front of the wrong person.

Covering episodes #127-152 of her webcomic, Smythe focuses on Persephone and Hades revealing to each other their dark secrets and traumas while Zeus, Hera, Apollo and Artemis continue their own arcs while Minthe’s arc appears to have come to an end. As Smythe really focuses on the relationship building between the two protagonists, it isn’t the “romantic” cliché tropes but something that aims to incorporate their traumas and secrets to build trust, which is something nice to read—not the traumatic stuff obviously just how it’s incorporated—that makes this series unique in my reading so far. Persephone’s situation puts a rift between Hades and Zeus, a split among the Olympians which doesn’t seem like it’ll end well especially given the latter’s bad marriage with Hera who Persephone confides in about Apollo’s pictures. Persephone starts coming between Artemis and Apollo, each of whom view her for different things. Then finally Minthe confronts Hades about being replaced and in her anger reveals what she instigated with Zeus, unfortunately in front of Persephone and the result isn’t good for Minthe. Persephone being the inciting incident to various subplots is par for the course for this genre, but how Smythe crafts the twists and turns independent of Persephone after that gives this story more depth. Yet if the glimpses seen in these episodes, Smythe is laying down clues of what could possibly happen in the future of the overall story. I was really engaged throughout this volume, and I can’t wait to get to the next.

Lore Olympus Volume Six by Rachel Smythe seems like the webcomic is a transition point as the protagonists are starting to really invest in one another while dealing with other issues that are happening in reaction to them either as a couple or individually. The artwork by Smythe continues to be fantastic, which given it was why I was drawn to the first volume is a relief.

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