The Demon of Unrest

A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the dawn of the Civil War

By: Erik Larson

Publish Date: April 30, 2024

Publisher: Crown Publishing/Crown

Biographies and Memoirs/History

#TheDemonofUnrest#NetGalley

200 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to thank both NetGalley and Crown Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own in this review.

Book Review:

I really enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars. I was a little worried because I didn’t finish his book The Devil in the White City because I couldn’t through some of the over details in that book. This book didn’t have that issue or maybe because the civil war really interests me. This book is about the beginning of the civil war at Fort Sumter. It tells how South Carolina seceded and the other southern states that soon followed. It talks about Lincoln and Buchanan and their personal thoughts about the results of the election. Buchanan really didn’t want to deal with the south and the states leaving in fact he was hoping they would do it after he has left. There is so much behind the scenes of the war that you wouldn’t think of. I learned a lot from reading this book. I like how the author broke it down in parts and the chapter titles let you where you are in the story and who is talking. If you want to learn about the start of the civil war, I suggest you read this book.

Fantastic, detailed information about the lead up to the Civil War. It is fascinating, engaging, and very readable. I learned so much.

Such a well written, well researched account of the events leading up to the Civil War. Engaging and interesting. Great read.

I really enjoyed Erik Larson’s historical nonfiction. His books are always so well researched. I found this book slower to get into than his other books. I found the book informative since I mostly read WW1 & WW2 nonfiction. It was a very detailed and well written account of Civil War events. My favorite Larson book is The Splendid and the Vile.

Thank you #NetGalley, #CrownPublishing, #ErikLarsen and #TheDemonofUnrest for the ebook for my honest review. I am giving it a 4.5 ⭐️

A well-researched collection of accounts on the catalysts that set off the Civil War. Larson is always detail oriented in his books, but this one is stronger in its forward momentum than some of his other bestsellers. The major point he lays out so clearly is how Lincoln's election became the outrage point for the South, and their hysteria could not be rationalized away by compromise. Nor were Anderson's decisions regarding Fort Sumpter really the only way South Carolina would have set off a major secession domino effect. Really, I was grateful to see just how much overwhelming evidence of how slavery was the named reason when we are still fighting a revisionist history in many ways that "state's rights" wasn't just a truncated sentence of "state's rights to own slaves." Necessary and brilliant.

I mean. The man can’t miss, can he. Yet another gold star for Larson and we can keep rubbernecking maritime mysteries and doomed ships (lucky us). Compelling, fascinating, reads like fiction.

Who fired first? This is an intriguing and detailed account of how our nation led up to the Civil War. From the presidential election of Lincoln, his advisors, the military and mood of the country. Erik Larson covers it all in this descriptive true account. The reader feels the tension amongst the players and peers into this historical portal. One gets a real feel on what the country is experiencing in the days before the war.
A fascinating real story that is so important. I highly recommend this book.

The Demon of Unrest is a masterfully researched and gripping account of the tense months leading up to the Civil War. The author brings history to life with vivid storytelling, making complex political and social dynamics feel immediate and urgent. Both engaging and deeply informative, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in American history and the forces that shaped the nation.

Amazing book especially on audio! So well researched and written. As a history major I really enjoyed this book!

Erik Larson is one of those truly gifted writers that welcome individuals into his arena of spellbinding storytelling and yet, you don't feel out of place or lost. His research is astounding and he presents history in a way that isn't boring but absolutely fascinating and you can't help but be sucked in to whatever the journey ahead unfolds to be, even, in this case, civil war. I have always been interested in just how we got to the point in our nation of battling each other, knowing that the tensions ran much deeper than what was taught in history books (thank you American education system, a mile wide but an inch deep). Erik really brings to life the tensions, the undercurrents, the total misunderstanding of each side and the brink of war that creeps closer and closer as each event unfolds. I highly recommend this to history buffs, but also those who aren't. What's more fascinating than truth of our past?
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

Erik Larson has the ability to take specific times in history and summarize all the known information about it and then write a book that is entertaining , while educating. I tend to seek out books by Larson because, I have yet to find one, I didn’t enjoy. The other thing about reading a Larson book, is I think back on it, long after I am done reading it. This subject matter, Fort Sumter wasn’t anywhere on my radar but I didn’t hesitate reading it. I didn’t realize that’s was a few short months between Lincoln’s election and the shelling of Fort Sumter. Within those months so many things built up to ignite rhetoric powder keg that was the fort. The back and forth between Lincoln and Major Robert Anderson and the confusion and miscommunications also did not help the situation. Then Edmund Ruffin, intent on causing discourse, riled up the south and enjoyed the mayhem. We learn about poor Mary Boykin Chesnut, wife of an influential southern planter and conflicted between her feelings in slavery and wealth and all the problems that can cause, with her husband. Finally William Seward, who just wants to prevent war at all costs and tried is hardest to get that done but can’t seem to succeed. These are all individual characters who all had different views on war but who all had a lot to say. The trajectory of the war wasn’t theirs to predict but they tried. you can tell but the way the story reads that Larson did a phenomenal amount of research to tell this story. He dug deep and gave different perspectives, than I have read before. I love his style of writing and this book did not disappoint. We know a war was going to happen but I never realized the work done, by some, to avert it. This was a 4.5 read for me. I can’t wait to read the next book. I want to thank Netgalley and the author for my copy for an honest review. It is always an absolute pleasure to read books by this author.

It was alright. Not my favorite, but also not the worst. A good introduction to the author for new readers of the books.

Erik Larson has a knack for making history come alive, and The Demon of Unrest continues this tradition. It's one thing to be told that "history repeats itself"—it's another to live through it. All we're missing are horses everywhere you look. If it weren't so depressing, it'd be hilarious. The Demon of Unrest is a historical document detailing an oft-forgotten period that was pivotal to our history as a nation. It should be required reading.

Thanks to Crown Publishing for gifting me a galley of The Demon of Unrest via NetGalley!

I always enjoy Erik Larson’s narrative nonfiction history books and this one, despite taking me almost a year to read, is no exception. And while I’m not sure this was necessarily his intention, it feels particularly timely given today’s climate. I’m sure there was a time when I was taught about the battle of Fort Sumter but this was a very in-depth and fascinating look at the events (and individuals) surrounding the lead-up to the beginning of the Civil War. As always, Larson brings the scene to life with his descriptive passages and inclusion of historical context. An excellent addition to the canon.

I am a huge fan of Erik Larson's writing and this book was no exception. It was very informative yet managed to keep me interested most of the way through. While it wasn't my favorite work of his, it was worth a read. There is no doubt that he is an amazing researcher and author. I'm not sure how he manages to make history exciting but he does.

Book: The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War
Author: Erik Larson
Publisher: Crown
Publication Date: April 30, 2024
Capone’s Rating: 3 of 5 ⭐s


Normally, if I don’t appreciate a book for what it is, on its own terms, I do not post a review at all. But the truth is that Erik Larson is a phenomenal researcher, writer, and speaker—and he most certainly does not need my help. So I’m going to be frank about this one.

When I heard Larson was writing a book about the Civil War, I was thrilled. It was a topic about which I knew (and know) far less than subjects like WW1, WW2, and the rest of American history generally, and I’ve come to rely on Larson making every subject he tackles compelling. But he’s managed to write a book about America’s bloodiest conflict that’s downright dull as hell. Part of this failure is the choice of subjects for the book. Focusing on particular leaders rather than common people rendered the subject dry, and the lack of consideration for or focus on the stories of enslaved people (they remained, for hundreds of pages, background characters at best) was jarring in its whitewashing. Larson certainly pays credence, but only token respect, to the greatest human losses of this time period. He also dwells on the backstories of the great men of history whom he’s followed in The Demon of Unrest to such an extent that I felt as though I knew them personally but had no idea why I cared about them. Larson’s best work—In the Garden of Beasts (2011) and The Devil in the White City (2003)—focused on the most interesting possible people (or at least Larson had me convinced he’d chosen the most interesting possible people) from whose point of view to tell their stories. This book simply did not do that, and it was probably doomed from the start for that reason.

In its favor, and Civil War buffs will probably appreciate this: Larson’s research skills are again on display in The Demon of Unrest, despite his lack of perspicacity about the most interesting way to present that research. If you want the details of a given commander’s upbringing and social status, this book is for you. If you’re looking to find the emotional core of America’s bloodiest conflict, you’re better off with Foner or another Civil War historian who writes popular histories.

Do not judge Larson by this book. Go read In the Garden of Beasts or Dead Wake.

Erik Latson is one of my favorite nonfiction authors. I absolutely had to have this one! The writing was informative but kept me interested. I'll be recommending this one!

Larson's books never disappoint, and The Demon of Unrest is his latest triumph. The research is immaculate, the writing clear and conversational, and the scope of the history covered is incredibly wide, but also deep.

Another great history book that reads like fiction from Erik Larson. If you were a fan of any of his other books or just interested in Civil War era history this is a book for you!

Erik Larson delivers yet another masterclass in historical storytelling with The Demon of Unrest. True to his style, Larson weaves intricate details and vivid narratives into a compelling, immersive read. This book demands your full attention—not just because of its length but also for the depth and complexity of the story. It’s a slow burn that rewards patience, unraveling layers of intrigue and tension with every chapter.