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The Killer Angels (The Civil War: 1861-1865 #2)

4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 · rating details · 31,538 ratings · 2,448 reviews

In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation's history, two armies fought for two dreams. One dreamed of freedom, the other of a way of life. Far more than rifles and bullets were carried into battle. There were memories. There were promises. There was love. And far more than men fell on those Pennsylvania fields. Shattered futures, forgotten innocence, and cr...more

Mass Market Paperback, 355 pages

Published August 12th 1987 by Ballantine Books (first published 1974)

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Nov 23, 2011 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, audiobook, 1970-1979, military-fiction, history-usa

Michael Shaara's passion gave life to something unique and singularly extraordinary in this Pullitzer Prize winning novel. With high-charged, emotive prose, lush descriptions and fully-fleshed characters, he transforms the The Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest engagement of the Civil War, into a gorgeously rendered and deeply personal story populated by flawed, ordinary men caught in an extraordinary concatenation of circumstances by the machinations of Fate. Shaara’s reduction of this moment...more

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Mar 06, 2012 CJ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club

I am not really a fan of books about war. I have trouble envisioning the action and the maneuvers of the troops, and I find that I get lost in the details and just don't really care about the characters.

Because of this, I didn't have high hopes for The Killer Angels, but it was this month's selection for my book club, and I decided to give it a try.

This book was incredible. I did have some trouble keeping track of the characters. I ended up making myself a cheat-sheet with things like, "Longstre...more I am not really a fan of books about war. I have trouble envisioning the action and the maneuvers of the troops, and I find that I get lost in the details and just don't really care about the characters.

Because of this, I didn't have high hopes for The Killer Angels, but it was this month's selection for my book club, and I decided to give it a try.

This book was incredible. I did have some trouble keeping track of the characters. I ended up making myself a cheat-sheet with things like, "Longstreet - Confederate general. Lee's second-in-command. Nickname: Pete." Actually, Longstreet I could keep track of. It was Pettigrew and Pender and Sykes and Sedgewick that kept tripping me up. The maps were very helpful as I tried to visualize the action, but they were less helpful when I couldn't remember which names were Union and which were Confederate.

This is a novel, so it's a fictionalized account of the Battle of Gettysburg, but Shaara clearly did his research. Written from the shifting perspective of the main players in the battle and drawn from the personal correspondence of these men as well as the historic record and Shaara's own embellishments and best guesses, this book explains the nuances of the battle and of the war more clearly than I've read before. I've been taught the Civil War from the perspective that there was a clear side to root for. I've known for a long while that the reality was murkier than this, but Shaara helped make this murkiness more apparent to me (or perhaps I'm just now of an age where I can embrace murkiness better than I could in high school and college). There is a distinction here between the Cause and the people doing the fighting. I don't think that's a distinction I've often seen.

Shaara puts the reader in Gettysburg, not only in the location but in the minds of the people who were there. All of the things people say about the Civil War---the idea of brothers fighting against brothers, the internal conflict and sense of near heresy of killing one's own countrymen, the ambivalence of Northerners to the people the slaves were even as they disagreed with the institution of slavery---Shaara illustrates clearly here.

The book is peppered with lyrical, powerful passages, but two stand out for me as particularly moving.

One is a speech Chamberlain gives to a group of would-be deserters handed over as prisoners to his brigade to try and convince a few of them to fight rather than just ride out the battle as prisoners.

"This is a different kind of army," Chamberlain explains. "If you look at history you'll see men fight for pay, or women, or some other kind of loot. They fight for land, or because a king makes them, or just because they like killing. But we're here for something new. I don't...this hasn't happened in the history of the world. We're an army going out to set other men free."

The other passage that really struck me was when Longstreet and Hood were saying goodbye to one another before a fight. Longstreet puts out his hand for Hood to shake.

"Hood took the hand, held it for a moment. Sometimes you touched a man like this and it was the last time, and the next time you saw him he was cold and white and bloodless, and the warmth was gone forever."

I just found the way Shaara uses language to be powerful, poignant, but not overdone at all. He has a light touch which lets the scenes shine through. The writing was easy to read, the story rather less so.

I think I can blame this book at least in part for the gloomy mood I've been in the past few days. It's an incredible book about an infamously dark battle in our country's darkest war.(less)

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Sep 02, 2012 Richard rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of those books which changes the way people see a subject. It is a fictional account of the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, putting words into the mouths of some of the best-remembered participants, most notably Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and James Longstreet, and Union Generals Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and John Buford (actually Chamberlain was a colonel at this battle, but eventually attained the rank of Major General before the end of the war). The book violates...more This is one of those books which changes the way people see a subject. It is a fictional account of the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, putting words into the mouths of some of the best-remembered participants, most notably Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and James Longstreet, and Union Generals Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and John Buford (actually Chamberlain was a colonel at this battle, but eventually attained the rank of Major General before the end of the war). The book violates a common perception of historical writing which says readers of war novels are more interested in the common soldiers' experiences rather than the generals who live in the lofty atmosphere of rear headquarters, moving armies around like chess pieces. Michael Shaara's book works by letting the reader into the private world of soldiers who are as torn by the emotions of decision-making in the pandemonium of battle and fear of the unknown as those in all war novels, only in this book they mostly happen to be the soldiers who are commanding all of the other soldiers in an engagement that has taken on a mythology which places it in the forefront of our nation's struggles and enshrines the very ground it was fought on as sacred as any piece of real estate in the United States.

The author was writing science fiction and straight fiction short stories for many major publications for years, supplementing his income teaching English Lit. at Florida State University, before he published his first novel, "The Broken Place" in 1968. It was a very good book but not commercially successful. His second novel developed from a family visit to the Gettysburg Battlefield. From my own experience, I can relate to those who see that place for the first time, and, if they have a sense of historical perspective toward the war which defined this nation, or are at least receptive to learning about the country's great struggle, they can feel a sense of awe just standing on that ground (and no doubt feel just as moved at other places that defined the national conscience). This emotion definitely was felt by Shaara, who described his first visit to Gettysburg as an extraordinary experience.

Shaara's desire to put his feelings on paper led to his decision to write a novel with a story told through the eyes of the leading characters. Burning the candle at both ends, teaching and writing, and in his own recollection consuming large quantities of cigarettes and coffee, he finished the novel seven years later. His health was already poor, having suffered a major heart attack at age 36, in 1965. He finally found a publisher, and the book found a small audience after its release. Winning the Pulitzer in 1975 helped, but the novel's primary audience continued to be history buffs and professional military scholars; it has been required reading at leading academies, including the U.S. Army War College and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, among others. The edition I read was loaned to me by a retired Army officer who had studied at the War College.

The author passed away from a fatal heart attack in May, 1988, still semi-famous. He had written another novel, "For the Name of the Game", eventually released as a movie in 1999 starring Kevin Costner. "The Killer Angels" finally had its day in 1993, with the release of the film "Gettysburg." The interest in this Ted Turner-backed film generated sales in the book, which went to Number One on the New York Times bestseller list.

"The Killer Angels" has been followed by two related novels from the author's son, Jeffrey Sharra. "Gods and Generals" is a prequel to the events of the Civil War, while "The Last Full Measure" begins where "The Killer Angels" leaves off. The action in both novels occurs through the experiences of the same characters used by Michael Shaara in "The Killer Angels."

Though a novel, this book is a favorite among Civil War readers, on a level with the best non-fictional works. One reason is its underlying faithfulness to historically accurate character portrayals, and accountings of the major turning points in the Gettysburg battle. It is no exaggeration to claim that the experience of immersing oneself into this book will give any curious reader inspiration to want to know more about the Civil War. For those who think the reading of history must always be boring, this book will dissuade those notions. Civil War writing just doesn't get any better.

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Apr 22, 2008 Lynn rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: History buffs, people who want to learn US history in a fictional format.

Shelves: historical-fiction

I wanted to really like this book in its entirety, but I got bogged down in the specific tactics of the battle of Gettysburg. I tried to study the maps and think about the positions of the various divisions....but ultimately realized that effort was detracting from what was really important to me: the motivations for the Civil War, the differences between the Southerners and Northerners, the perceptions each had of the other side, the role belief in God played, the human factor in the winning/lo...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: war, pulitzer-prize

The maps! Oh, man, the maps.

I am not so much of a nerd about the Civil War that I could have already recited every detail of the Battle of Gettysburg and how it came to be, and the story of every regiment that fought in it or anything like that. But I'm enough of one that the other day I randomly found myself on a Battle of Gettysburg kick, thought, "Hmm, I should watch Gettysburg," and only then discovered Gettysburg was based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Sign me up. (That would be the Pu...more The maps! Oh, man, the maps.

I am not so much of a nerd about the Civil War that I could have already recited every detail of the Battle of Gettysburg and how it came to be, and the story of every regiment that fought in it or anything like that. But I'm enough of one that the other day I randomly found myself on a Battle of Gettysburg kick, thought, "Hmm, I should watch Gettysburg," and only then discovered Gettysburg was based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Sign me up. (That would be the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Here's to you, Tamara.)

The author states at the outset that he has tried to base the story on what is known of the events, with words from the participants - one assumes figures like Longstreet, Chamberlain and Lee himself left behind plenty of writing, though I have not read it personally. So you have to take Shaara's word for it, basically, and he admits that he has changed some of the style of speech so that it won't seem quaint to modern eyes or ears. A bold choice, and not one I can really judge one way or the other.

This is more a story of the generals than the common soldier. Sometimes the story of the generals is interesting, though it's not usually as interesting as the guys in the trenches - but then, this is the Civil War, where there aren't really trenches yet. Since it's more about the generals, it's largely going through Gettysburg on fast forward. Other than Chamberlain on Little Round Top, the main perspective people in the story are not engaged in any heavy fighting. It's more of them watching from afar and wondering if they've made the right choices.

What I liked is how the author presents where different choices might have affected the outcome, without delving too deeply into this. The what-ifs of war history are always the interesting thing in retrospect. What if Buford hadn't held the ridge? What if Stuart had actually done his job? And so on and so forth. But instead everything played out the way it did to the end that it did. It could have been different, but it wasn't.

Also, some time is spent on a British observer who's hanging around Longstreet on the Confederate side. This guy is hilarious and I never knew he existed before. He never did get that cavalry charge, but maybe Pickett's maneuver satisfied him.

It was very good, but there was a little something missing to give it that last oomph into awesome territory.(less)

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Jan 18, 2008 Ann Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars

Actually, I really like this book--I just don't think "It's Amazing" even though I have read it three times. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good read in historical fiction, who is interested in US history and, especially, the Civil War. Shaara does a good job of sketching the tenor of the times, the sentimentality and the conflicted feelings of the men. It's a terrific book for high school students who might otherwise find the history aspect less than compelling.

My Civil War buff fr...more

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Jul 21, 2007 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

When I was young my parents took us to Gettysburg a few times and for some reason, I really fell in love with the landscape and the reverberating sense of history. Just walking in the fields and woods where these battles took place is a rather striking feeling and whenever I read this book, I am immediately and fully reminded of that feeling.

Obviously, you might enjoy this book more if you are a battlefield/history nerd, but even just the human element is quite gripping, especially when you cons...more

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Feb 15, 2011 A.B. Gayle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: shelf-23

Normally when I hear a book won a major literary prize I run screaming in the opposite direction, but the topic has always interested me and the way the author dealt with the subject had me turning the pages like a novel.

Being an Aussie, the American Civil war was just something I was taught at school, it had no real relevance. Undoubtedly, US citizens have a totally different perspective from their much closer connection. So I understand if for some of you the book is overload of stuff you've b...more Normally when I hear a book won a major literary prize I run screaming in the opposite direction, but the topic has always interested me and the way the author dealt with the subject had me turning the pages like a novel.

Being an Aussie, the American Civil war was just something I was taught at school, it had no real relevance. Undoubtedly, US citizens have a totally different perspective from their much closer connection. So I understand if for some of you the book is overload of stuff you've been exposed to all your life.

Killer Angels by Michael Shaara is not a new book, in fact it won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction back in 1975. It's based on the Battle of Gettysburg and looks at the action through the eyes of the significant characters of the different stages of the short but bloody battle.

In presenting history like this, the reader is very dependant on trusting the author to have done his research and is not cheating by switching a character's motivations or aims to fit the "story". In fact at times, I was imagining how Steven Spielberg would have filmed this. Would he have "killed off" certain characters just to make the drama more poignant?

It did read more like a novel. I couldn't wait to find out whether both Chamberlain brothers survived or whether Lee would ever admit his tactics were wrong.

If we can make the assumption that the author just "gives us the facts Ma'am", then after reading "Killer Angels" you definitely get a better insight not only into why one side lost and one side won, or why so many men were killed in senseless attacks, but it also tells you something about the stubbornness, courage and faith men can demonstrate.

To me the whole scenario in which the battle was fought seemed more like two macho guys arm wrestling in a pub to see who would take the pretty girl home. But maybe that's the whole point. The battle was senseless in some ways.

This wasn't for control of a strategic position or to capture a town and its produce, this was a war of attrition to see who could continue to field more men into the fight as carnage whittled away the numbers. Almost as if there was an underlying vote involved, but in this case, the winner was the one who could put the most bodies on the line.

The characters of the men involved shine through and in an epilogue we find out what happened to them afterwards. Having got to know them from the excellent way Michael Shaara got inside their heads to explain why they acted the way they did, we can extrapolate out how the rest of their life would have gone from the few facts included.

If more history was told like this, we'd all be clamoring to learn it at school.
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Oct 16, 2011 David Carr rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: literary-fiction

The Cumberland County Library asked me to speak to their book group, part of the North Carolina Humanities Council "Let's Talk About It" series devoted to Civil War fiction. I began by talking about the challenges to the reader in The Killer Angels: keeping the geographies and personalities clear, clarifying and grasping the perspectives of North and South, and the simple disadvantage of knowing how the battle comes out. But I also introduced some special challenges to reading about the Civil Wa...more The Cumberland County Library asked me to speak to their book group, part of the North Carolina Humanities Council "Let's Talk About It" series devoted to Civil War fiction. I began by talking about the challenges to the reader in The Killer Angels: keeping the geographies and personalities clear, clarifying and grasping the perspectives of North and South, and the simple disadvantage of knowing how the battle comes out. But I also introduced some special challenges to reading about the Civil War itself.

Old data say that 620,000 died; new data (9/21/2011) put it at 750,000. Using the first numbers, think of this: 204,000 were deaths in battle; 314,000 were deaths from disease (scurvy, typhus, dysentery, pneumonia, malnutrition): and the Union Army recorded 25,000 deaths in Confederate military prisons. (The Confederacy had poor medical service, so its losses to disease and wounds were worse. Farm boys were especially vulnerable.) Using losses and days, one table provides the deaths-per-day of American wars: For example, in World War II, 416 died each day. In Vietnam, an average of 26 died each day of the war. In the Civil War, 600 people died each day. At the Battle of Gettysburg, the topic of this novel, the 26th Regiment of North Carolina lost 714 of 800 men, 584 on the first day of fighting. The 24th Michigan Regiment lost 362 of 496 men. The 1st Minnesota Regiment lost 82 percent; the 141st Pennsylvania lost 75.7 percent. Losses were equivalent to 2% of the US population. More than 3000 horses were killed at Gettysburg.

Although The Killer Angels attends to the generals and colonels in command, none of this blood is missed. The generals could walk or ride to the front line, could see the enemy in its camps, and had clear ideas of imminent reckonings. Shaara is simply brilliant in opening the hearts of his military men, allowing us to grasp their allegiances and to see them weep. To the generals, this is a moral war as well as a mortal one, and therefore it is filled with ambiguities and tensions. It is fought on American soil. It is fought against former comrades and friends. It is not about territory, kingship, faith, incursion, or transgression. It is largely about punishment, fragility, and shattered interdependence. It is leaden with variables: tactics, troops, geography, weather, arms, food, sleep, leadership, trust. History, memory, bravery, courage, resolve, loyalty, friendship, and respect are all played out, literally, on the field.

Shaara's brilliance lies in his use of the monologue, diary- and letter-like personal perspectives out of the minds and perspectives of Chamberlain and Longstreet (the most compelling of the book), and Lee, whose portrait is the most detailed. He is a living saint to his men; they pause, applaud, cheer and sing for him. Bands strike up martial music in his presence. He is a source of tragic awe. General Longstreet sees him arrive early on the morning of the terrible third day of battle:

Lee came out of the mists. He was tall and gray on that marvelous horse, riding majestically forward in the gray light of morning outlined against the sky, the staff all around him and behind him. Lee alone in the center, larger than them all, erect, soldierly, gazing eastward toward the enemy line. He rode up, saluted grandly. Longstreet rose. Lee rested both hands on the pommel of his saddle. The mist thickened and blew between them; there was a ghostly quality in the look of him, of all his staff, ghost riders out of the past, sabers clanking, horses breathing thick and heavy in thick dank air.

Lee is flawed and failing, and costs the Confederacy the battle, and that costs the Confederacy the entire war. But this novel exists far apart from the idea of victory and loss: it is about tension and conflict that rends flesh and bone as it rends society and human nature. This is the finest Civil War novel, based on the opinions of others. It is among the strongest, fateful, inevitable war novels I have read. It is deeply compelling, grounded on history, but not on history alone. Though it is clearly and fastidiously based on documentary sources, what Shaara tells here lives and breathes. It is what cannot be told in archives, tables, maps, or (in Edmund Wilson's words) patriotic gore.

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Mar 06, 2012 Janice rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm about 2/3 through this wonderful historic novel and have concluded that The Civil War is still being fought in our country. What do you think?

March 6th. Just finished this book this morning. It was a slow read for me because I was constantly looking back to pick up the names of the key players in this historic and moral war (on both sides). Winston Churchill's quote about this war resonates with us today: “Thus ended the great American Civil War, which must upon the whole be considered the n...more

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Nov 12, 2008 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: history flops who don't know one battle from another

Recommended to Susan by: Bill Reynolds

Shelves: historical-fiction

The Killer Angels finally makes the Battle of Gettysburg come alive in my mind. No matter how many times I visited Gettysburg growing up and when my children were young; no matter how much I love the stone walls and sun bleached rail fences; I never quite got it.

Everything was a puzzle. While my husband talked about the placement of troops and why various Generals were where they were, I was clueless to understand what I saw as a series of moving mazes laid one on top of another.

Then I found out...more

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Feb 17, 2008 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great historical fiction about the battle of Gettysburg. A much more entertaining way to learn about this historical event. It was really interesting to see how the author sympathized with certain characters (Longstreet from the South and Chamberlain in the North) and how wars worked at that time. So much of it was guesswork and luck. I also liked his bringing to light the complexities of war, specifically this one where you had brothers, fathers and friends fighting against one another. Also, v...more

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Nov 13, 2007 Lani rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: modernclassics, historicalfiction

My dad's side of the family are all crazy Civil War buffs, so I've been raised knowing about a lot of these characters.

I fell in love with the movie Gettysburg when I was in middle school, but didn't tackle the book until a few years later. It was the first time I could really keep track of battles and generals and troop movements. It put a face on the Civil War.

Since then I have read nearly all of Shaara's son's books - including the prequel and sequel to The Killer Angels. I think this book wa...more

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Sep 22, 2007 Troy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone

This book was assigned reading when I attended the Army Management Staff College. Before that, I had never heard of it, other than it was what the movie "Gettysburg was based on.

The story centers around the days immediately prior to, during, and after the Battle of Gettysburg. Instead of just going over historical facts about the battle, Mr. Shaara gets inside the head of several of the main participants in the battle. He puts into words what these men may have been thinking during this particul...more

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Jan 28, 2008 Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: civil-war, extracurricular-fiction

I'm tempted to say a lot of this book wasn't really my thing, but the more I think about it, the more I find parts I enjoyed. I mostly picked it up to help me get a better handle on Gettysburg in an entertaining way, and it not only helped me visualize the conflict, but also gave me a fuller sense of military tactics throughout the Civil War. It's probably dumb of me to admit, but after a handful of books, this was the first time where ideas like defensive lines and flanking maneuvers really cli...more

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Dec 04, 2008 Miste rated it 4 of 5 stars

An amazing account of the Battle of Gettysburg. Not for the faint hearted. Very detailed account of the battle and the different troups invovled and why it turned out the way it did. If you like history, this is a good one. Might be too long on battle details for some. I found it very intriguing.

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Apr 16, 2009 Greg of A2 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-historical, favorites

Simply a great novel. Yes, a must read for historical military fiction fans but it even reads well for anyone who can appreciate great writing and especially if you like action sequences. The description of the battle at Little Round Top is an unforgettable piece of writing.

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Mar 21, 2009 Peter rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Killer Angels is the story of the battle of Gettysburg. It is told from the point of view of commanders and soldiers of both sides. The story is both exciting and tragic, doing justice to the people and ideals both sides fought for. It won the Pulitzer prize. The perfect book if you ever wanted to know about the civil war.

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Jun 08, 2011 krisabelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to krisabelle by: Jason Bartholomew

Shelves: 2011, kindle, pal-recommended, src-summer-2011, southern, 5-star-books

This was AMAZING. I wish I'd read this in high school when we were studying the Civil War because it gives you such an incredible insight into the hearts and minds of the people on the battlefield. I really loved a lot of the characters and I cried when the book concluded. I ordered “Gettysburg”, the movie based on this book, from Amazon and can’t wait to watch it. I will definitely be reading Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure; my interest in the Civil War is higher than ever thanks to...more

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Sep 08, 2008 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kristen by: my dad

This was an incredible book. I have loved the movie "Gettysburg" ever since I saw it in the theater with my dad years ago. We went to Gettysburg years ago, which was amazing. My dad has been trying to get me to read this book for years, and I wish I had read it earlier.

Chamberlain, Lee, and Longstreet were incredible men; I felt like I got to know them better in this book. It was really hard to read about the decisions made at Gettysburg, knowing that they would bring so much death and senseless...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Larry Rogers rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shaara portrays Gettysburg through the character of a half dozen officers on each side. Lee and Longstreet are to be expected. Buford and Reynolds are deeper choices because their focus is in the battle's opening moves. Joshua Chamberlain and Lo Armistead are at key places: Little Round Top on the 2nd day and Pickett's Charge, respectively. Shaara writes lean, direct, effective prose. (See Ralph Peters's "Cain at Gettysburg for another, similar book that focuses on Meade and Longstreet.) "The Ki...more

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Mar 08, 2009 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-non-fiction

My first book on the civil war that I really liked. I've read three times. (Manly cause I forget and want to remember)

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Sep 02, 2012 Dena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to an amazing Social Studies teacher inviting me to read this before the trip to Gettysburg ... I was able to live a soldier's life in the battlefields we walked. This book places you in the most critical moments in US history! Thanks Shay!

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Nov 13, 2011 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shaara received the Pulitzer prize for this work, and it’s no surprise. In addition to being a great novel, it is meticulously researched history. Says the author in his preface, “I have avoided historical opinions and gone back primarily to the words of the men themselves, their letters and other documents. I have not consciously changed any fact.” It is truly astounding to note that much of the private dialogue in the novel wasn’t merely hashed together and ‘splopped’ in there, but were derive...more
Shaara received the Pulitzer prize for this work, and it’s no surprise. In addition to being a great novel, it is meticulously researched history. Says the author in his preface, “I have avoided historical opinions and gone back primarily to the words of the men themselves, their letters and other documents. I have not consciously changed any fact.” It is truly astounding to note that much of the private dialogue in the novel wasn’t merely hashed together and ‘splopped’ in there, but were derived from real thoughts of real people. Being cognizant of that fact made reading this book that much more solemn.

I was disheartened to learn that the battle of Gettysburg, which determined the outcome of the war and the path the United States would take in clarifying its values, was so terribly error-riddled and embarrassingly anti-climactic. As far as military genius or outstanding acts of courage goes, it was a pretty flat few days. I was actually dumbfounded by the willy-nilly warfare tactics and the utterly debilitating chivalry that guided many of the commander’s decisions, especially General Lee. The author of this book apparently lamented the travesty of 19th century warfare as much as anyone else. Through the lips of Lieutenant General Longstreet, Lee’s top man and one of the books most endearing character portraits, Shaara sneaks in his commentary on the absurdity of their m.o., “God in heaven…there’s no strategy to this bloody war. What it is is old Napoleon and a hell of a lot of chivalry. That’s all it is…if we win [the final battle] it will not be because of the tactics or because we are great strategists or because there is anything even remotely intelligent about the war at all. It will be a bloody miracle, a bloody miracle.”

I have to admit, the depiction of General Lee blindsided me. He may have been a man of great integrity and consistency, maybe even a moral man (depending on your view of human trafficking and the murderous oppression of kidnapped foreigners), but he sure looms large in this narrative as a fool par excellence. The author writes, again through the words of Longstreet, “The secret of General Lee is that men love him and follow him with faith in him…The next secret is that General Lee makes a decision and he moves, with guts.” And when men’s confidence and loyalty isn’t enough to win a war…you lose it. Badly. And people suffer. Badly. Nice guys always finish last…in war.

OR, as an alternative theory, Lee was a military and philanthropic genius. (Pause for effect). Allow me to explain. Let’s suppose Lee saw very clearly, more clearly than anyone else, how long this war had tarried beyond its time, and how long it would continue to creep in an agonizing stalemate if there wasn’t a decisive end very soon. Maybe in some moment of breathtaking perspicacity he saw how he could bring this war to a close, lose less lives by a sudden defeat than a prolonged strife, and make it feel real and even noble to all parties. That was a thought that occurred to me as I read about Lee’s apparent lapse of judgment and reckless undertakings with the lives of his beloved countrymen on the line. Suppose his nature was deep enough to appear transparent to others, but to shroud other motivations in his secret depths. “So profound is the depth that even the clearest water doth not betray it” (Nietzsche). If he was as good a man as people said he was, then certainly a motivation this subtle and mysterious could have lurked beneath the surface. It is plausible, and has to be a factor in the loss of many, many battles throughout history when men and women would have willingly fought for their countrymen, but not for a lost cause. Truth is stranger than fiction.

One line from the book that struck true: “A man who has been shot at is a new realist, and what do you say to a realist when the war is a war of ideals?” That conflict between impending death and threadbare principles has been the worm eating at the heart of every war, and rightly so. I appreciated the panoply of viewpoints in the novel that gave a glimpse into the inner turmoil of the individuals caught up in the Civil War. Many noble souls, and some ignoble, but all souls none the less. It should give us pause to reflect on our nation’s long history of warfare, to be thankful again for the progress the U.S. has made, and to have our eyes fully open to what it has cost us.

Vh1 pop-up: Robert E. Lee’s mother was buried alive, the doctors believing she had died after a bout with a severe fever—possibly dengue fever. She was placed in a casket, and ‘stored’ in the family vault. Later a sexton was reported to have heard noises coming from the casket, and opening it discovered Lee’s mother still alive as she sat into an upright position. Robert certainly knew about this story, as he became his mother’s caretaker and cared for her into her old age. How would this have affected him in terms of fearing his own death, and witnessing the spectacle of walking death all around him during those infamous massacres?
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Aug 05, 2011 Jared Shipley added it

I don't like categorizing Shaara's novel as "historical fiction." Historical narrative is probably more suited, since Shaara is not telling a fictional story, but rather going where straightforward history books don't - into the minds and feelings of the people involved. Shaara writes in the introduction that he wanted to know how it FELT to be in the midst of the war, like Stephen Crane did, and the only way was to write about it. However, unlike Crane's "Red Badge of Courage", "The Killer Ange...more

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Apr 20, 2010 Joyce Lagow rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: gettysburg

Winner of the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, Killer Angels is a remarkable work. Within the pages of one book, it manages to recount an excellent history of the Battle of Gettysburg with fictional 'insights' into the minds, thoughts, and actions of several of the major players on both sides.[return][return]To deal with the historical aspect: Shaara's account is mostly accurate; those inaccuracies present are unintentional and minor. One inaccuracy that probably has become fixed in the public m...more Winner of the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, Killer Angels is a remarkable work. Within the pages of one book, it manages to recount an excellent history of the Battle of Gettysburg with fictional 'insights' into the minds, thoughts, and actions of several of the major players on both sides.[return][return]To deal with the historical aspect: Shaara's account is mostly accurate; those inaccuracies present are unintentional and minor. One inaccuracy that probably has become fixed in the public mind as history is the charge of the 20th Maine down the slopes of Little Round Top, routing the Alabamans and Texans of the last Confederate assault and taking over 400 prisoners. Until Shaara, very little attention was given to Chamberlain and the 20th Maine--just as a part of the desperate struggle for Little Round Top, while acknowledging the incredible bayonet charge that ended the fighting for the left flank of the Union army. In his superb 3 volume narrative history of the Civil War, in the outstanding chapter on Gettysburg (published in 1963), Shelby Foote gives one paragraph to Chamberlain and the 20th Maine, and equal or slightly more space to his counterpart, Col. William Oates of the 15th Alabama. Chamberlain was highly articulate and wrote extensively after the war. From his writings, it is clear that in actuality, Chamberlain was probably the happiest and most "alive" in his life when he was in the thick of fighting. He wrote quite a bit about Little Round Top; as the years went by, his story changed. No one surviving the war from the 20th Maine, including then-Captain Spears, recalls Chamberlain ordering the right wheel charge or, for that matter, ordering the charge, period. Chamberlain had ordered the men to fix their bayonets, after which the charge just more or less happened. Chamberlain was not the first to remember things differently as time went by nor would he be the last. However, the excellent movie made from the book has as one of its high points the battle for Little Round Top, and the charge of the 20th Maine as described in the book, not as it really happened, was portrayed brilliantly. It really doesn't matter; the 20th Maine deserved all the glory it received and Chamberlain, who received the Medal of Honor (30 years later!) for his part in the defense of Little Round Top deserved the recognition.[return][return]But except for this and a few other details, the history is excellent. Even the maps are among the best I've seen for the summaries of the positions of the armies during the fighting.[return][return]So much for the history. What about the characterizations, particularly of Lee, Longstreet and Chamberlain?[return][return]Clearly, Shaara depended heavily on the writings of the participants themselves for material for his fictional account of their thoughts and feelings. Lee is a problem; he never wrote anything after the war in terms of memoirs. There are letters, and there are the memories of those who fought under him, and that's it. [return][return]Longstreet wrote his memoirs and wrote other articles as well. As part of the losing team, Longstreet wasn't entirely objective about his role, particularly at Gettysburg; there were plenty of high-ranking Confederate officers who, after the war, accused Longstreet of losing the battle. Longstreet did not help his own cause by joining the Republican Party after the war (Grant was a personal friend), and much, much worse, criticizing Lee. Longsteet's reputation fell into disrepute; Shaara's novel helped resurrect Longstreet into repectablity.[return][return]As mentioned above, Chamberlain wrote extensively and articulately. It does appear that Gettysburg in many respects was the emotional high point of his life. He attended every single reunion until the year of his death.[return][return]As for the supporting cast, Buford is problematical. A taciturn man, he wrote little. His most recent biographer admitted the difficulty in putting together such a work since Buford left almost no letters; everything has to be based on memories of friends and colleagues. The same is true for Armistead.[return][return]Given those restraints, Shaara did an incredible job of "narrating" from the different points of view of, in particular, Lee, Longstreet,and Chamberlain. No one knows what truly goes on in the minds and hearts of another person. Few people are so honest even in their letters and conversations, except under unusual circumstances, to let others into those particular recesses. Thus, whatever is written from a 'point of view' has to be nearly sheer speculation. This is particularly true of such public persons such as Lee, Longstreet, and Chamberlain. Lee wrapped himself in his reserve and retreated into being a Marble Man of history. Longstreet had axes to grind, and Chamberlain clearly was wistful about the war.[return][return]Thus Shaara's is a remarkable achievement in making these figures of over 100 years ago come alive and in a thoroughly believable way. You feel Lee's fatigue, his profound belief in God--you're with him as he decides how to handle his subordinates, particularly Stuart-- as he makes the decision for what will be known in history as Pickett's Charge. You're right there with Dutch Longstreet, one of the two modern generals in that war (the other was Sherman) as he agonizes over being asked to throw away his men in impossible attacks when winning alternatives were available. You fight right along with Chamberlain as he assesses his position, thinks about his orders to defend to the last (a question of rhetoric--last man? last bullet? last Reb?), feel his horror when he realizes he has used his younger brother Tom to "plug" a hole in the 20th Maine lines on Little Round Top. These people are no longer just names in a history book but living human beings participating in the bloodiest struggle in American history.[return][return]Shaara takes both these aspects--the historical and the personal--and weaves them into a story that is written vividly in a totally compelling manner and that never stops, never even pauses, but keeps on driving to the bitter climax of Pickett's Charge and the brief aftermath. [return][return]As a result, he has made the Civil War, once just the province of buffs and re-enactors, easily accessible to everyone. All history should be as well presented as this novel presents the Batttle of Gettysburg, a crucial turning point in the climactic power struggle between North and South known as the Civil War.(less)

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Jan 14, 2009 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-mainstream

Shaara, Michael. THE KILLER ANGELS. (1974). ****. In spite of all the accolades this novel has received, I have been avoiding reading it because of the film, “Gettysburg” that was made from it. I thought the film was terrible, and that reflected negatively on my image of the book. Turns out that I was wrong, and that the book was indeed a good one, and accomplished its purpose of describing the battle of Gettysburg in terms of human interest. What the author does is chronicle the events of the b...more

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Jan 13, 2009 Fredsky rated it 4 of 5 stars

This must be a 4, or even a 5, I guess. I am not a history person at all. I know people who can deliver statistics about battles and information about everything for the Civil War. I am not one. So, reading this book, I was totally ignorant of the general sweep of the war, whether this battle was the end or the beginning of the end or even the beginning of the war, whatever! In fact, I had a hard time understanding the maps, which were drawn simply enough. Luckily Shaara had a little introductio...more

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May 05, 2013 Gerry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

A telling detailed account of the United States most important battle fought by Americans, against Americans, and for Americans in a time where things simply had to change. The author may have received a Pulitzer for "fiction" in this book but I find the detail too level to be considered anything but "non-fiction".

One of my favorite passages in this book:

"Aimed fire now. He heard a man crying with pain. He looked down the hill. Darker down there. He saw a boy behind a thick tree, tears running...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Matthew Johnson rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Killer Angels, by Jeff Shaara, was one of the best books I have ever read by far. I have read many books about American wars and military history and have enjoyed this one more than others because of the way Shaara writes. He adds so much detail and gives the reader a clear vision of troop movements, fire fights, and war conferences. During the most intense scenes,I almost felt like I was a part of the action, smelling the gunpowder in the air, hearing the screams of the dying and wounded, o...more

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About Michael Shaara

Michael Shaara (June 23, 1928 - May 5, 1988) was an American writer of science fiction, sports fiction, and historical fiction. He was born to Italian immigrant parents (the family name was originally spelled Sciarra, which in Italian is pronounced the same way) in Jersey City, New Jersey, graduated from Rutgers University in 1951, and served as a sergeant in the 82nd Airborne division prior to th...more

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“There's nothing so much like a god on earth as a General on a battlefield.” — 17 people liked it

“The truth is, Colonel, that there's no divine spark, bless you. There's many a man alive no more value than a dead dog. Believe me, when you've seen them hang each other...Equality? Christ in Heaven. What I'm fighting for is the right to prove I'm a better man than many. Where have you seen this divine spark in operation, Colonel? Where have you noted this magnificent equality? The Great White Joker in the Sky dooms us all to stupidity or poverty from birth. no two things on earth are equal or have an equal chance, not a leaf nor a tree. There's many a man worse than me, and some better, but I don't think race or country matters a damn. What matters is justice. 'Tis why I'm here. I'll be treated as I deserve, not as my father deserved. I'm Kilrain, and I God damn all gentlemen. I don't know who me father was and I don't give a damn. There's only one aristocracy, and that's right here - " he tapped his white skull with a thick finger - "and YOU, Colonel laddie, are a member of it and don't even know it. You are damned good at everything I've seen you do, a lovely soldier, an honest man, and you got a good heart on you too, which is rare in clever men. Strange thing. I'm not a clever man meself, but I know it when I run across it. The strange and marvelous thing about you, Colonel darlin', is that you believe in mankind, even preachers, whereas when you've got my great experience of the world you will have learned that good men are rare, much rarer than you think.” — 14 people liked it

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