The Character & Faith of Robert E. Lee: In His Own Words

by Robert E.; Steger Lee

This book is an assessment of Robert E Lee based on his own words from documents he wrote and other comments his contemporaries wrote about him.

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Elizabeth StClair]

Admittedly I read this book because I wanted a quick read, but I think it's also important to revisit the life of a man who has caused and continues to cause so much controversy. While reading in a Publix parklinglot, I tried my best to hide the cover with a bookmark, aware of everyone passing by who might interpret my reading this book to mean something that it does not. While the quotes throughout these pages are meaningful, how can one truly believe them while knowing that when Lee says "person" he is only talking about some people and not the entire human race? I found many quotes to be so ironic, including the following: "...Find time to read and improve your mind. Read history, works of truth... Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light, it will enable you to live pleasantly, to do good, and, when summoned away, to leave without regret." Did Lee truly leave without regret? How can you claim honor and yet fight for such a war? And, also, finding the true light of history is much more difficult than it is made out to be. Whose history is to be taken as truth? The amount of histories I've read and discussed about the confederacy, in my homelife, at my alma mater and Lee's last place of employment, with the late Professor DeLaney... We should be all past this. Why can't we be past this? Why can't we recognize the effects this time continues to have on us all? Change the name. Remove the monument. But more importantly, actively work to change society. Because changing a name can only mean so much.