In 'General Robert E. Lee: The True Story of the Infamous "Marble Man,"' readers are presented with a compelling anthology that delves into the complex figure of Robert E. Lee, moving beyond the traditional narratives that have long dominated historical discourse. This collection spans a range of literary styles, from firsthand accounts and letters to critical essays and historical analysis, challenging the monolithic portrayal of Lee as merely the noble general of the Confederacy. It explores themes of loyalty, honor, and the profound moral complexities of the Civil War, providing a multifaceted view of a man enshrined in American myth and memory. The authors, John Esten Cooke, a noted historian of the American South, and contributions reflecting on Lee from historical figures such as Robert E. Lee himself, offer a rich tapestry of perspectives. Their collective efforts situate the anthology within larger cultural and literary movements, examining how narratives of the Civil War have evolved and how they continue to shape Americas understanding of its past. The diversity of voices underscores the contentious legacy of Lee, painting a portrait of a man at the intersection of heroism and controversy. This anthology is essential reading for anyone looking to dissect the layers of mythology surrounding General Lee, offering an unparalleled opportunity to engage with the narrative complexities of one of the most polarizing figures in American history. Through its scholarly analysis and varied perspectives, 'General Robert E. Lee: The True Story of the Infamous "Marble Man"' invites readers to confront the haunting specters of the past, fostering a deeper understanding of the moral quandaries that have shaped the nation. It is a must-read for historians, scholars, and anyone interested in the true nature of leadership and legacy in the tumultuous context of the American Civil War.

Robert E. Lee was both a military genius and a spiritual leader, considered by many—southerners and nonsoutherners alike—to have been a near saint. In The Marble Man a leading Civil War military historian examines the hold of Lee on the American mind and traces the campaign in historiography that elevated him to national hero status.

Based on eyewitness accounts, Lee's letters, and his recorded conversations.

"The best and most balanced of the Lee biographies."—New York Review of Books The life of Robert E. Lee is a story not of defeat but of triumph—triumph in clearing his family name, triumph in marrying properly, triumph over the mighty Mississippi in his work as an engineer, and 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 confessed that he "was always wanting something." In this probing and personal biography, Emory Thomas reveals more than the man himself did. Robert E. Lee has been, and continues to be, a symbol and hero in the American story. But in life, Thomas writes, Lee was both more and less than his legend. Here is the man behind the legend.

A New York Times Notable Book for 2011 A Library Journal Top Ten Best Books of 2011 A Boston Globe Best Nonfiction Book of 2011 Bestselling author Tony Horwitz tells the electrifying tale of the daring insurrection that put America on the path to bloody war Plotted in secret, launched in the dark, John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry was a pivotal moment in U.S. history. But few Americans know the true story of the men and women who launched a desperate strike at the slaveholding South. Now, Midnight Rising portrays Brown's uprising in vivid color, revealing a country on the brink of explosive conflict. Brown, the descendant of New England Puritans, saw slavery as a sin against America's founding principles. Unlike most abolitionists, he was willing to take up arms, and in 1859 he prepared for battle at a hideout in Maryland, joined by his teenage daughter, three of his sons, and a guerrilla band that included former slaves and a dashing spy. On October 17, the raiders seized Harpers Ferry, stunning the nation and prompting a counterattack led by Robert E. Lee. After Brown's capture, his defiant eloquence galvanized the North and appalled the South, which considered Brown a terrorist. The raid also helped elect Abraham Lincoln, who later began to fulfill Brown's dream with the Emancipation Proclamation, a measure he called "a John Brown raid, on a gigantic scale." Tony Horwitz's riveting book travels antebellum America to deliver both a taut historical drama and a telling portrait of a nation divided—a time that still resonates in ours.

More than just a military history, Walsh's narrative about Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia digs deeper, revealing the humanity of the general and his lieutenants as never before. "One of the best books on the war's eastern theater in some time."--"Booklist."

New York Times Bestseller "Lively, approachable, and captivating. Like Lee himself, everything about Clouds of Glory is on a grand scale." —Boston Globe Michael Korda, the acclaimed biographer of Ulysses S. Grant and the bestsellers Ike and Hero, offers a brilliant, balanced, single-volume biography of Robert E. Lee, the first major study in a generation Korda paints a vivid and admiring portrait of Lee as a general and a devoted family man who, though he disliked slavery and was not in favor of secession, turned down command of the Union army in 1861 because he could not "draw his sword" against his own children, his neighbors, and his beloved Virginia. He was surely America's preeminent military leader, as calm, dignified, and commanding a presence in defeat as he was in victory. Lee's reputation has only grown in the 150 years since the Civil War, and Korda covers in groundbreaking detail all of Lee's battles and traces the making of a great man's undeniable reputation on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line, positioning him finally as the symbolic martyr-hero of the Southern Cause. Clouds of Glory features dozens of stunning illustrations, some never before seen, including eight pages of color images, sixteen pages of black-and-white images, and nearly fifty battle maps.