- Paperback: 496 pages
- Publisher: Anchor Canada; 1 edition (Aug 14 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0385658389
- ISBN-13: 978-0385658386
- Product Dimensions: 15.1 x 3.2 x 22.9 cm
- Shipping Weight: 522 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#48,067 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6 in Books > History > Canada > Pre-Confederation
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
An engrossing popular history that reads like a fast-paced novel, Flames Across the Border is Berton's second book on the War of 1812. The first, The Invasion of Canada, covered the first part of this war that accomplished little for either side but re-established the line between a fledgling American nation and the British colony to its north. Rather than pile fact upon dull fact, Berton captures the reader's interest by telling the story from the point of view of its players--dozens of soldiers, commanders, politicians, and civilians who took part in the planning, battles, and diplomacy of the war are heard from in their own words. Berton's character descriptions are excellent, and his ability to place the reader in the midst of battle is incomparable. His account of the naval battle of Lake Erie is particularly engaging and extraordinarily gruesome. Throughout, the book is rich with detail: a gentleman soldier sits down to a meal of "tough steak of half-cooked beef, a piece of dry bread, a mug of tea made from sassafras root, sweetened with sap from the sugar maple."
By the end of the war, its major causes--the impressment of British deserters from U.S. ships, and the blockade of Europe--were rendered irrelevant by the final defeat of Napoleon. This development freed up the all-powerful British navy and tens of thousands of experienced British troops, who promptly attacked and burned Washington, D.C. Despite thousands of dead, the astounding incompetence of most leaders, and three years of fighting, the war accomplished nothing for either side. Nevertheless, this history of ineptitude and vanity makes for fascinating reading. --Mark Frutkin
Review
"If history could be taught in the schools the way Berton writes about it, there wouldn't be a more popular subject on the curriculum."
—The Globe and Mail
"Berton has the storyteller's gift, the novelist's insight, the journalist's easy style and the historian's sense of time…He writes history as it should be written."
—Kingston Whig-Standard
"With the vividness of eyewitness reporting, Berton brings us the heroes and heroines of this 'bloody and senseless' conflict, as well as the cowards, the incompetents, and the eccentrics."
—Publishers Weekly
"Berton's style is bold, alive and engrossing. We smell the powder, look with horror on ravaged bodies and share the tragedy of those victimized by the conflict."
—Hamilton Spectator
—The Globe and Mail
"Berton has the storyteller's gift, the novelist's insight, the journalist's easy style and the historian's sense of time…He writes history as it should be written."
—Kingston Whig-Standard
"With the vividness of eyewitness reporting, Berton brings us the heroes and heroines of this 'bloody and senseless' conflict, as well as the cowards, the incompetents, and the eccentrics."
—Publishers Weekly
"Berton's style is bold, alive and engrossing. We smell the powder, look with horror on ravaged bodies and share the tragedy of those victimized by the conflict."
—Hamilton Spectator
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
The Reverend Dr. John Strachan, schoolmaster, missionary, and chaplain of the York garrison, is in the act of drafting a letter to his mentor, the Reverend James Brown, professor at Glasgow University. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
The Reverend Dr. John Strachan, schoolmaster, missionary, and chaplain of the York garrison, is in the act of drafting a letter to his mentor, the Reverend James Brown, professor at Glasgow University. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The second part of a two volume history of the War of 1812.,
By
This review is from: Flames Across the Border (Hardcover)
Pierre Berton's second volume of the history of the War of 1812 is as polished, accurate, and gripping as his first volume. In fact, he even goes into detail over the hardhships and difficulties endured by the US diplomatic delegation seeking an end to the war, and the internal turmoil the war causes in the New England states of the new republic. He details the rise of a younger and more competent officer corps, in both the US Navy and the US Army, which greatly improves US performance in period battles compared to the earlier military disasters of the war. He further details the improved performance of Canadian militia in upper Canada, and goes into some detail of the burning of Washington DC (and documents the reasons leading up to it in suitable depth). In summation, an excellent companion to the first volume, concentrating on relevant occurrences and facts, and using excellent narrative prose to hold the reader's interest throughout. Highly recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
History,
By
This review is from: Flames Across the Border: 1813-1814 (Paperback)
I found this book very imformative on the years 1813-1814 and recommend it for history lovers...
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quite simply.....,
By
This review is from: Flames Across the Border (Hardcover)
If you want to learn about the war of 1812, the books you should read are the two Pierre Berton offerings, Flames Across the Border and The Invasion of Canada, and two from Donald E. Graves on the battles of Lundy's Lane and Crysler farm. They are quite simply the best work out there.
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