About:
Hacks, Sycophants, Adventurers, and Heroes: Madison’s Commanders in the War of 1812 by David Fitz-Enz is a non-fiction book which commemorates the bicentennial of the war. Mr. Fitz-Enz is a host for television historical programming, author of several books and a decorated Vietnam veteran who spent over thirty years in the US Army.
My rating for Hacks, Sycophants, Adventurers, and Heroes – 3
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Thoughts:
Hacks, Sycophants, Adventurers, and Heroes by David Fitz-Enz is one of many books published at this time to commemorate the War of 1812. One has to admire the publications because I found that that among many of my countrymen (and women) the ignorance about this important time in our history is astounding.
Maybe because we got our butts kicked?
There is much information about the war and a lot to digest. Mr. Fitz-Enz did the reader a favor by presenting his analysis in a series of short biographical chapters about key personnel in the war. Some of the key figures were competent, some simply looked for their own advancement, others took on responsibilities which they were not qualified for and caused disaster.
The author shows very good writing and analysis abilities throughout the book, while Madison is hardly mentioned (even though his name is in the title), the President’s ability to choose commanders (or lack thereof) is certainly implied. I thought that the short biographical format is an excellent choice to benefit new readers, but the format lacks an overall “story”. The chapters seem to be out of chronological order and there are many quotes throughout the book, some which go on for pages. While I agree with the author’s assertion that sometimes it’s better to let the people tell their own story, in a book which is supposed to be an introduction that could be a frustrating experience.
If you like an introduction to the War of 1812 and its leaders, this book is for you. The author can write an engaging analysis which I’m sure will be popular with readers who express an interest in the time period or American history.
Related Reads:
James Madison by Garry Wills
Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times by H.W. Brands
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More Books by David Fitz-Enz*
Zohar — Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I got this book for free
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BOOK BLOGGERS – Have you read Hacks, Sycophants, Adventurers, and Heroes? If so link up your review below:
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Sounds promising--I'm pretty weak on the War of 1812 myself, and the bio approach is a good one, though lack of chronological story sort of defeats the purpose.
Great review!