Erik Larson is one of those special writers who can dive deep into history and write a historical saga that’s more engrossing than any fiction. “The Demon of Unrest” is no exception, with Larson delivering the story of the five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War. At a time when our nation is currently so divided, it was fascinating to learn about another incredibly tense time in American history.

Remember being assigned required Summer Reading in high school? I wish I could assign this book as required reading to the whole country…we have a lot we can learn from our history, and thank goodness for author’s like Larson for putting that history in our hands.

Erik Larson’s writing and research sing the song of a nation on the brink of the war of secession. Lushly descriptive, brilliantly bringing staid history to life, finding the living, breathing aspects to life that both drove and resisted the rebellion so vibrantly that we can feel the flames of war. This is living history as it should be told and enjoyed. It should be required reading. Although I received an ARC, I note that I feel so strongly about Larson’s history lesson that I have purchased multiple copies of this book, for myself and others. I highly recommend it.

This book gets four stars for its remarkable storytelling of American history leading up to the Civil War. It presents a comprehensive narrative in a highly accessible manner, a rare quality in non-fiction works. Delving into the roots of the conflict, the author skillfully navigates through the events and individuals that shaped the nation's destiny. From Edmund Ruffin's fervor for war to Lincoln's desperate attempts to avert it, the book offers a gripping account of pivotal figures and their roles. Particularly intriguing is President Buchanan's passive stance, inadvertently paving the way for war. Written with the pace of a thriller, the book's concise chapters and multifaceted narrative keep readers engaged throughout. Highly recommended for anyone interested in American history, especially the Civil War era. The author's extensive research, supplemented by intriguing anecdotes such as the connection to a Gone with the Wind actress, adds depth to the reading experience.

This book is well researched and written. I have read several previous books by the author and this one does not disappoint. It deals with the five months of events leading up to the Civil War with the election of Lincoln and the assault of Fort Sumter. Larason does a very good job of covering both sides of the of the building conflict and the emotions that it revealed. A must read for those interested in the Civil War.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page

Erik Larson is the master of telling important stories of our history that most people have never heard of. I will always recommend a Larson book.

Erik Larson, known for Devil in the White City and The Splendid and the Vile, among many others, this time takes on Fort Sumter and trying to understand (and explain) the root causes behind the American Civil War.

Americans may think they know the basics: Lincoln got elected, South Carolina seceded, Fort Sumter was fired on, there was a war. But Larson takes us into the deeply human and often tragic months between Lincoln getting elected and the firing on Fort Sumter. Were there moments when things could have been different? When different choices could have caused massively different outcomes?

The surprising truth is that, as Larson shows us, Northerners and Southerners as a whole did not understand each other. And had not for decades-if ever. The Southern aristocrats who made up the politicians most Northerners met with were hot-tempered, extremely proud, and always on alert to having their honor offended at the slightest provocation. And they had largely managed to convince themselves that there was nothing wrong with slavery. So the louder abolitionists in the North became, the more offended the South became. Abolitionists said the institution of slavery was evil, Southerners heard that they themselves were evil.

Add to this hot-heads who had been arguing that Southern states should have separated from the Union for decades, and the situation had been rife for rebellion longer than many were willing to admit. One person who doesn't come out of Demon looking good is outgoing President Buchanan. Buchanan acts oblivious to everything until he can't avoid it any longer (I particularly loved a quote by Georgia representative Toombs who tells Buchanan he's been in the midst of a revolution for over a year, he just hasn't noticed it.). His only goal is to get to Inauguration Day without violence so he can dump the problems on Lincoln and any states that leave happen under Lincoln's watch instead of his. But when South Carolina seceded letters show partying Southerners go to the White House, assuming Buchanan will be happy as well. There's no record of whether Buchanan partied too, but the fact that Southerners in Washington assumed he was on their side did not help issues moving forward. The level that rumors and misunderstandings played in politics of the day was surprising to me.

Reading about the experiences of the people in Fort Sumter itself were some of the most interesting parts for me. Major Anderson, conflicted between his natural feelings for his home in the South and his sworn oath to the US Army (a conflict many military men would have to deal with)- on top of having to make a lot of decisions himself that he shouldn't have had to make, was especially someone I felt for. He knew pretty early on his decisions had the real potential to spark a war if he wasn't careful, and he had almost no feedback from his superiors to help guide him. He was in a no-win situation and I expect plenty of people would have surrended the fort a lot sooner than he did. His sections of the book helped explain a question I never knew I had: what made Fort Sumter so important and such a flash point that we connect it with the start of the war?

I had a little trouble getting into Demon at first- possibly because when I started it I could only read small sections at a time and I think the beginning of the book would benefit from reading in a large chunk in one sitting to really get into it. There are a lot of people to get to know and some time traveling to get really settled into understanding the 1860 "present" (Larson backs up and gives up some pre-1860 Southern history so we understand where the Southern mindset is and that the idea of seceding isn't something new to them). But once I got settled in the book I really enjoyed it, because there was so much behind-the-scenes history Larson was showing me that I hadn't known about before. As always, Larson uses letters, diaries, and other first-hand accounts to make the events spring to life for the reader- which I love.

While not his best book in my opinion, The Demon of Unrest is an excellent, well-researched book that Larson's fans should enjoy. Full of the drama, pathos, and absolute humanity that draws you into an excellent history book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This is a fantastic book, the history was told in a readable and understandable format, something not found in a lot of non fiction books. The book is about the roots of the American Civil War, what started it, the many steps that were taken, and not taken that eventually led to war. The story follows several individuals that were instrumental in either trying to start a war (Edmund Ruffin) and those desperate to prevent one (Lincoln). What is very interesting is President Buchanan's desire to do nothing in the hopes that his term will end peacefully, without any conflict, that non activity permitted the seeds of the war to be sown. The book does read more like a thriller, the chapters are short and there is a lot of things going on at once. I would highly recommend this to anyone, put especially to those that have an interest in American history with a Civil War focus. The author has also included an extensive list of resources used to write the book and notes that are interesting (one in particular about an actress that appeared in Gone with the Wind who is related to one of the people mentioned in this book). Thanks to #Netgalley and #Crown for the ARC.

“The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War,” Erik Larson, Crown, 592 pages, April 30, 2024.

Election Day November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln, the frontrunner, wins the presidency. The country is bitterly at odds; Southern extremists are moving ever closer to destroying the Union, with one state after another seceding. Lincoln didn’t understand the South and he was powerless to stop them.

Major Robert Anderson, Sumter’s commander, is a former slave owner sympathetic to the South but loyal to the Union. James Hammond, a lawyer, marries a young heiress, Catherine Fitzsimmons. After they marry, he closes his law firm and becomes a planter. He supports slavery and is elected to Congress. He argues that the North would not dare to make war because it would lose its access to cotton.

Meanwhile, Edmund Ruffin, works incessantly to promote succession in Virginia. James Hammond contacts Ruffin about a survey of agricultural land. When Lincoln is elected, all of Charleston is caught up in succession drive. Lincoln mistakingly believes most Southerners favor the Union. Mary Chestnut, wife of U.S. Senator James Chestnut, lives in South Carolina. After Lincoln is elected, Chestnut resigns from the Senate and Mary starts an extensive diary.

Erik Larson offers an account of the chaotic months between Lincoln’s election and the Confederacy’s shelling of Sumter—a period marked by tragic errors and betrayals. He draws on diaries, communiques, slave ledgers, and plantation records. It is lengthy, but people who enjoy narrative non-fiction and Civil War buffs will want to read this one.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Another good historical narrative nonfiction book by Erik Larson. The book covers aspects of the lead up to the Civil War that I had never learned before. It is written so the events are interesting as well as informative. Larson is a must-read for history fans!

Erik Larson has done it again: He’s written a terrific book!

This time, his subject is the Civil War; specifically, the five months leading up to it, beginning with Abraham Lincoln’s 1860 election victory and ending with South Carolina’s attack on Fort Sumter. A product of first-rate research, it’s a very well-told story that presents the historical figures (both famous and not-so-famous), the political issues, the events, and the attitudes and tenor of that time.

Some of the events covered include:

Lincoln’s election (and Southern reaction to it);

The Buchanan administration’s ineffective and/or harmful responses to the mounting crisis;

Efforts to man and supply the federal forts in and around Charleston, including Fort Sumter;

Various state secession conventions and the formation of the Confederacy;

The counting of electoral votes in Congress (having some similarities to the events of 01/06/2021);

Lincoln’s journey from Springfield and his stealthy arrival in DC amidst fears he would be assassinated;

Lincoln’s inauguration and first months in office; and

Preparations for, and the actual battle at, Fort Sumter.

Larson's settings range from Springfield, Ill, to New York City, to Philadelphia, to DC, to Charleston. He explores the parts played by well-known historical figures such as Lincoln, Buchanan, Jefferson Davis, John Brown, General Winfield Scott, William Seward, and Edward Stanton; and by lesser-known men and women such as Fort Sumter’s commander, Major Robert Anderson, and some of his officers (including Abner Doubleday, baseball’s “inventor” and future Union general), secessionists James Henry Hammond and Edmund Ruffin, and Southern loyalist and diarist Mary Boykin Chestnut. His depictions of Lincoln are not unique, but they do paint a very human portrait of the President.

Larson amply covers the politics of the times. In particular, he explains how the South’s insistence on maintaining slavery (rooted in its racism and fear of economic harm) and the North’s demands that it be abolished (arising from the belief that slavery was fundamentally evil) formed the unbridgeable chasm that caused the war. I found his depictions of slavery and the pall that “peculiar institution” must have cast over day-to-day living in the South truly memorable.

A master storyteller, Larsen enlivens his tale with a good deal of suspense as well as occasional humor. Some sections had me on the edge of my seat, even though I knew the outcome. Others had me chuckling.

In short, “The Demon of Unrest” is an excellent book, well-suited for any reader interested in the Civil War.

My thanks to NetGalley, author Erik Larson, and publisher Crown Publishing for providing me with a complimentary ARC. All of the foregoing is my independent opinion.

The Demon of Unrest does not disappoint. Those already familiar with Erik Larson will find all the stuff they love about his work here, and new readers are sure to be enchanted as well.

While the book follows several key players, I found the chapters focused on Major Anderson most compelling, especially because he was not someone that my primary education focused too much on. Larson has a real talent for immersing readers in the atmosphere of the times he is writing about, and while there is A LOT of granular detail here, I feel like most of it added to the narrative rather than detracted from it. But if you’re someone who wants more of a minimalist account when reading history, it is something to note. But this was definitely an interesting and timely read given the parallels with the current political atmosphere.

Overall, I enjoyed it and I learned a lot. I would certainly recommend it to readers of narrative nonfiction and American history.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!*

How human egos and other imperfections led a nation to civil war.

We all learned about the Civil War in history class during our school days, and were taught that the different ways of life in the North vs the South led inevitably to war…agrarian vs industrial societies, slavery vs abolitionism, and so on. And while all of that was accurate, there was so much more at play particularly in the months leading up to the start of the war, the months between the election of Abraham Lincoln as President and the shelling of Fort Sumter. Southern gentlemen of the class known as the chivalry for whom honor was a matter for which they would willingly die (or kill); men in the government and military who had ties to and sympathized with the Southerners, the loyalties of some in concert with those sympathies while for others they were in conflict, and Cabinet members of the newly elected President who would work against the government they had sworn to serve all came in to play. We all know how the story ends, but in this latest book by author Erik Larson we are shown in great detail how, where and why it started.
It has been over twenty years since I first read a book by this author. It was called Isaac’s Storm and was about the deadly 1900 hurricane in Galveston TX, a storm of which I had never heard. I am more a reader of fiction than non=fiction, but the story Mr. Larson told was a compelling and fascinating read. I have enjoyed other books he has subsequently written, in large part because he takes a small piece of history and tells its story in a well-researched but very readable way. Perhaps because this topic can by no means be thought of as a small piece of history, I found The Demon of Unrest a more challenging read. There is a lot of story to tell, and given Mr. Larson’s impeccable research there are a lot of details. A devout fan of military history in general or Civil War history in particular will find a tremendous amount of information to absorb, but for me the level of detail distracted at times from the story he was telling. At close to 600 pages, this is an investment of time, but for those with a strong interest in the subject matter it will provide a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment. Fans of Shelby Foote, Bruce Catton and James McPherson should absolutely add this to their shelves, and readers of other Larson books will likely do so as well. Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for allowing me access to an early copy of this well-researched and meticulously documented look at the inflection point of the Civil War.

Erik Larson always knows how to tell a story in a way no one else does. It’s story telling like this that makes me such a fan of history. Even though I have taught the basic history of the Civil War, there are stories here that bring it together like I hope I do for my students. Cannot go wrong with an Erik Larson book.

Erik Larson tells the stories so didn’t know I needed to hear.

Part Paul Harvey with the surprise revelations of an otherwise well known topic, part David McCullough) getting into the nitty gritty at a PHD level. I always learn and am thoroughly entertained by Erik Larson’s storytelling.

By concentrating on a couple people, through letters and diaries, the reader gets a bird’s eye view of the months leading up to The Civil War. The tension and the inevitable catastrophe is palpable on the pages.

If you want to know how a country could allow itself to fall apart, how disinformation, arrogance and denialism can shatter a society this book explains it in a very accessible way

Every time Erik Larson releases a new book, I drop everything I am doing (including reading other books) and pick it up. This time, thanks to Crown Publishing, I was given the opportunity to read The Demon of Unrest as an advance copy.

From the Marconi device to Chicago murder hotels, when Larson picks a subject, he dives in full-sail (as evidenced by the mountain of sources at the end of every book), but somehow manages to weave an interesting story using only the facts and very little bias.

The Demon of Unrest tells the story of the lead-up to the Battle of Fort Sumter and the start of the American Civil War. The title comes from a quote from a West Point professor describing the state of affairs in South Carolina shortly before secession. Larson shifts from various points of view who were important and central to the event, from Union Major Anderson who was in charge of the Fort, to Lincoln, to Seward, to various Confederate voices as well. Additionally, Abner Doubleday plays a far more central role to this story than he did in the invention of baseball (although Larson does dig up some sources that seem to show that the soldiers did play baseball at Fort Sumter which dispels the other myth that he never saw the game).

The boom starts shortly before Lincoln is elected and, outside of the post-war epilogue, ends with the Union surrender. Based on the contemporary sources Larson provides, you are left with little doubt as to the actual cause of the war, but you also learn how little anyone grasped what was really happening. The South thought that Fort Sumter would be the end of the matter, the North thought the South would get over it. Lincoln’s own cabinet (including Seward) were often working against him and each other.

If you like Erik Larson, you’ll like this. It will make you angry at people long dead in places. It will make you realize how much everyone underestimated everyone…and it will kind of make you realize what a terrible President James Buchanan was. But it will also make you want to make a pilgrimage to see this place yourself. It’s fantastic.

"The Demon of Unrest" by Erik Larson sucked me into the history of the time between Lincoln's election and the start of the American Civil War; focusing on this time was so telling how the country was feeling and how on edge people were. We hear about Maj. The U.S. Army commander Robert Anderson was at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. His story doesn't get told enough. He moved defenses between Ft. Moultrie and Sumter like a classic brain teaser. The reader also learns about Edmund Ruffin and Mary Boykin Chesnut.

Larson's voice for bringing history to life is a trademark in this book. If you're into history or love a good deep dive with grand detail and a side of reflection, "The Demon of Unrest" is a solid pick. Since moving away from Charleston, I have not done too many non-academic forced dives into the American Civil War. I may need to read some more. The time was layered with so many options and fears for the country.

Thank you, NetGalley and Crown Publishing, for an ARC. I had been looking forward to this book.

The Demon of Unrest
By Erik Larson

Mr. Larson is known for writing about various true events and subjects using in-depth research. His research allows him to write interesting books, while incorporating only minimal fictional aspects (such as dialog based on historical supposition rather than based on recorded fact) to tie together all the links in his story lines.

This book follows the same pattern. It is basically the story of the events which led up to the American Civil War. While we all know the general outline of what happened, here we learn, from the multiple divergent historical documents, of all the mistakes, misunderstandings – and sadly, all the possible points at which this nightmare might have been avoided.

The tale is told through writings of statesmen, soldiers, and private citizens (both male and female) alike. It even provides works by a British journalist which allows us to see ourselves at that time as we were seen and understood from afar.

This is another fine effort by Mr. Larson. Anyone with an eye to history will find this a source of knowledge to which the average person had not previously been exposed.

Thank You to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC.

Erik Larson comes through again with an eye opening book about an unspeakable part of the history of the United States.

The run up to Ft. Sumter is one of the most harrowing parts of our history. The ignition of 4 years of brutal war was a long time coming, but the months between Lincoln's election and the first shots, were a time when the deaths & freedom of so many hung in the balance. This detailed exploration of that time is stunning.

I was a little taken aback to realize how many of the key players of the US Army were actually southern sympathizers. A strong sense of duty was sometimes the only thing standing between Union and Confederacy. Shocking to say the least.

I love Larson's writing style. He takes you there. You know these people. You witness these historical events as you were actually there. From fussy Buchanan, who wanted nothing more than to go home to Major Anderson and his cunning moves to keep possession of Sumter....you are along for the ride. It makes it accessible to all instead of a stuffy historical retelling.

This story takes you from where we were then to where we are now. And leaves you with questions of where we are going. Thank You, Mr. Larson for you stunning retelling!

5 stars!

This fascinating book takes the reader through the months leading up to the start of the Civil War. It was a time of miscommunication, hubris, and leadership weakness/incompetence. It was also a time when honor was highly valued. It’s fascinating to see the communications back and forth - what was deemed expected protocol.
Larson uses actual documents to show that the Southern States’ secessions were totally about slavery, not “states rights” as so many later would argue. Mississippi’s declaration clearly stated:
“Our position is thoroughly identified with slavery- the greatest material interest of the world…its labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth.”
The book shows that war was inevitable, although Lincoln tried hard to prevent it. Compromise was never going to work when one side viewed the other’s position as evil, which impugned their honor.
It was perfect timing for me to read this book as we just visited Charleston and saw many of the locations detailed here, especially Fort Sumter.
As always, Larson has written a nonfiction that reads as easily as fiction. He keeps the focus on the individuals involved, giving us a real feel for who they were. I never had a feel for President Buchanan and now I’m embarrassed that he lived in my current home region. It took 160 years for another president to give him a run for worst President ever. I also had no idea that so many government officials, including a Supreme Court judge, held southern sympathies.
Filled with fascinating facts, Larson has once again found a niche part of a well known time in history to delve into.
My thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for an advance copy of this book.

Erik Larson writes another great book about a key time in America's history - this time focusing on the time between Lincoln being elected as president and the first shots being fired on Fort Sumter. This book is great if you've ever wondered how the Civil War really started. Larson's deep research brings this point of history to life and makes the different characters, conflicts, and challenges easy to understand.