A great read, This was a thoroughly researched, well written revelation of the on going trouble of Congress to deal with the ante bellum situation with the curse of slavery..

The author points out in the Author’s note how different Congress was just 17 years ago. Today, 2018... things are crazy! That’s probably what made the book even more interesting.

An riveting history of the rise of violence in the US Congress, through the eyes of a Congressional employee who documented what he saw, and kept copious notes in his journals. The polarization and increasing vitriol between sides has clear parallels to what we are seeing now in our politics, and makes this book all the more poignant and timely. I love reading Dr. Freeman’s works as I do not think she is capable of being anything less than engaging and passionate, which comes across so clearly in her writing, and this book was no exception.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.

The Field of Blood by Joanne B. Freeman gives a detailed look at the early days of Congress. It mainly focuses on 1831-1860 when violence in Congress was at it’s worst.
You can almost feel the carpeting squishy with tobacco juice and the raucous yelling that took place.
Duels took place outside based on verbal affronts delivered on the floor of the House and Senate. Many carried firearms on the floor for either intimidation or protection (or both ). Bowie or other knives were also commonplace.
This scholarly work (which only takes up one half of the physical book, the rest being appendix and notes. )
Perhaps a major thing learned is that the reality of Congress in those days is that is was anything but what our normal history books tell: Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, and other great orators holding forth while the audience listens in rapt respectful and appreciative silence.
We also get to watch the career of Benjamin Brown French throughout from information he wrote religiously in his diary.
A well researched scholarly work that deserves your attention.

Thorough and quite informative on the duress and violence in Congress leading up to the Civil War. This book goes much more in depth about the divisiveness in the country. Several of these incidents will be eye-opening, even for the most robust historians. This is a must read for anyone with an interest in US history or politics. Furthermore, the timeliness for this book and our current political climate could not be better.

This book was really informative and provided details about the division in Congress prior to the Civil War and how it helped lead to war. Back then, it would get violent on the Congress floor. A very interesting view at history, but it also serves as a warning to what can happen if our Country continues to be so divided.

Joanne B. Freeman's The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War is an entertaining, well researched, and well-written examination of physical violence in U.S. Congress in the decades leading to the Civil War. Most of it stems from diarist B.B. French, who managed to be on hand or on the fringes for every major political and historical event of his lifetime. A New Hampshire native, French was highly active in D.C. politics, knew politicians and presidents, and often had a ring-side seat to the debates and violence on the floors of Congress.

Not merely a cataloging of duels, brawls, canings, and insults, Field of Blood examines the reasons behind the violence- both personal and cultural. Violence and duels were seen as honorable, manly codes of conduct in the South and barbaric and uncivilized in the North. Southern politicians would often use bullying and threats of violence to hold power in Congress. Politicians were seen as closely representing the constituents, their state, and their region and "fighting for the people's rights" was often taken very literally. Insult an individual and you insulted the region. Insult the region and you insulted the individual. Honor was often called into question and (usually) representatives settled things outside the halls of Congress. It was an interesting dynamic that the patriotic French watched: people believed Congress to be solemn, serious, full of great men giving great speeches- if they saw what French saw, the general public might think very differently.

Freeman presents readers with a little looked at slice of American history leading up to the Civil War, bringing 19th century political figures to life with a humorous and down-to-earth style of writing that keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end. Americans who believe today's political standoffs and partisanship are unprecedented may appreciate reading the literal stand-offs of the past, when people sent guns to their Congressmen so they could fight for their constituents' rights and pistols, rifles, and bowie knives were regularly carried by politicians "just in case."

For anyone who imagines 19th century Congressmen as staid and boring old men, Freedman will introduce you to a whole new side of American politics. A great read!

I received a free Kindle copy of The Field of Blood by Joanne B. Freeman courtesy of Net Galley  and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.

I requested this book as I am an avid reader of american history and the description sounded very interesting. This is the first book by Joanne B. Freeman that I have read.

Overall, this is a very good book. It is based on the diaries and notes of Benjamin French who served in the Clerk's office of the House of Representatives in various positions and then in other positions in the Washington, D.C. area from approximately 1840 - 1868. The Congressional Globe (the forerunner to the Congressional Record) was very bland and neutral when it came to the many altercations that occured in Congress during this time. French's diaries and notes gives a much clearer picture of the evnets , but with his slant on the events. It was a time of fist fights, canings, duels and lots of alcohol. I found the author's writing style engaging which made this a fairly fast read.

Congress has come a long way in that many of today's statements would have led to either a fight or a duel during the time period covered in the book. (some may think that may not be progress). As a warning the book paints southern congressman as the villians that created this atmosphere.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about the seamier side of politics.