Larson gives us another remarkable book inviting the reader to feel present in the past. Whether it be a British journalist or the formal of a wife of a confederate politician, Larson finds and uses resources one may not be accustomed to in historical storytelling. We get an acute account of events from the election of Lincoln through the fall of Fort Sumter and a larger frame to understand these crucial days. While I may have preferred a little less focus on the Sumter battle and more understanding of the political decisions made by the Union at the time, the storytelling remains engaging and clear. This is a powerful narrative of the “unrest” that led to civil hell told through a lens of understanding of a Union that remains restless after all these years.

An extremely well researched account of the months leading up to the attack on Ft. Sumter and the beginning of America’s Civil Wall. This saga is filled with intense depictions of the spiral into a devastating time in our history and the effects on the actual characters involved in the war of secession. This narrative reads like a novel and I came away feeling like our present circumstances draws a parallel to this important, dangerous time when emotions ruled logic and overruled the Constitution.

Highly recommended!

Another triumph by Erik Larson who, again, has produced an imposing history that is amazing, informative, and always entertaining. THE DEMON OF UNREST is an engrossing preamble to the Civil War and fully meets Larson’s stated objective to choose a topic that is “inherently suspenseful.” Unfortunately, the book’s title may be too obscure to properly convey any sense of how riveting this book actually is. Of course, this will matter little to confirmed Larson fans, but, hopefully, the casual browser will not “judge this book by its cover!”

Erik Larson proves again that he is a master of telling little known historical stories in an exciting and engaging way! The Dem0n of Unrest tells the story of the five month span between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the firing on Fort Sumpter which marked the beginning of the American Civil War. Many historians, when discussing the Civil War, mention the major battles of the war, Lincoln's assassination, and the end of the war but they do not mention the time period between the presidential election and the first battle of the war. Erik Larson gives the reader a captivating look into the beginnings of the deadliest war of American history,

I am a huge fan of Erik Larson and I think his new book, The Demon Of Unrest, just may be his best work yet. An enthralling account of the five month from Lincoln’s election to the attack on Fort Sumter and the beginning of the civil war. The research, attention to small details and the writing style all contribute to this intense account of a subject most would say they are fairly informed about. Through personal letters and journals as well as official records, this historical nonfiction narrative gives an informative picture of the months leading up to one of the most (if not THE most) turbulent periods in U.S. history.

The Civil War is not a topic I would normally chose but I was totally engrossed in this book. Larson presents the facts in such a way you can feel the rage, the frustration, the inner turmoil many had to face. You always hear about brother fighting against brother, neighbor fighting against neighbor, but many had to struggle within themselves to determine which way their loyalty would go, country or personal beliefs. I can’t say enough good things about this book.
It was simply fantastic . If you only read one book this year, this is the one.

Before reading this title, I was roughly aware of the facts about the time between Lincoln's election and the shelling of Fort Sumter. To whit, the South didn't like the results. of the election and there was so much anger in the slave states that Lincoln had to disguise himself to complete his train journey to Washington to take the oath of office. Then, within a few months, Sumter was shelled, and the Union forces left quietly. There are mountains of gaps in this story, and Erik Larson is just the author to fill them in. Along with Candice Millard, he is someone who can write about history that is fairly well known and turn it into a page-turning adventure.

Larson paints Lincoln as someone who needed to grow quite a bit to cope with unimaginable levels of danger at this juncture of American history. Fortunately he did. Along the way, there is a rich cast of characters - Mary Chesnut, whose diaries painted a detailed view of the Southern perspective, The others include, the rich and handsome planter, politician and rogue Richard Manning, Edmund Ruffin a secessionist firebrand who was given the "honor" of firing the first cannon shot against the fort, and Frances Pickens, South Carolina governor, who tried to honorably work with the Union commander Anderson to broker out a bloodless solution to the confrontation.

I had always imagined that the battle was over in a matter of hours, but the truth is that the Union troops fired back bravely for more than a day. This book should be a regular for book discussion groups because it contains considerable information about why the southerners were so angry. Slavery was the bedrock of their economy and they were afraid that Lincoln would free the slaves. Many people today seem confused on this point, and Larson's book will set the record straight for those capable of learning the truth. Larson has turned in another great and illuminating read.

Erik Larson's Devil in the White City was a perfect storm for me - as a Chicago area native and tour guide for a 1870s mansion, I devoured the tale of the highs and lows of Chicago's Columbian Exposition. DitWC is still one of my favorite historical narrative books. So, unsurprisingly, I came into this book with high expectations.

Though Demon of Unrest won't unseat DitWC as my favorite, it is a solid offering nonetheless. The events at Fort Sumter and the months leading up to the American Civil War are chapters of America's history that even advanced history classes gloss over.

Larson uses diaries, letters, and telegrams to reconstruct not only the events surrounding the secession crisis but the personalities that found themselves swept up in it's tide. It's a mark of Larson's efficacy that his characters become real presences on the paper, and a number of times I found myself longing to take someone by the shoulders and shake them to stop them from acting so foolishly.

My only frustration was that at times I felt the narrative slowed down to a crawl, which accurately reflected the endless tension of the first months of 1861. In our modern world of instant gratification and 60 second tik toks, it is a welcome reminder that to understand the past we must be willing to take time to reflect and slow down.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crown for the chance to read this advanced copy in exchange for my review.

Always a huge fan of Erik Larson, his style of writing and how he weaves history in a narrative way, Larson teaches and presents facts in an interesting and informative way and this book on how the civil war started is amazing.

Huge fan of Larson's previous works. This one falls a little flat compared to others in the way of weaving a narrative but as someone who isn't remotely interested in civil war, I was able to make my way through and learn a great lot on the way.

A really fascinating bit of insight into the build up to the Civil War, with personal diary entries from both "sides". What really struck me was the whole chivalry aspect of the confederate contingency, and how it was approached through the lens of the dueling playbook. It also emphasized the fact that Lincoln's intent was never to eliminate slavery as it existed, something for which he is best remembered.
What, to me, makes it timeless is the fact that I think that anyone who's been in military service would identify with the frustration of dealing with government bureaucracy, the lack of support for soldiers in the thick of battle, and, afterwards, dealing what we now know as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Well done, although I felt like it ended too soon.

Thank you to Net Galley and Crown Publishing for an early copy of The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson

James Henry Hammond - Edmund Ruffin - William Russell - Mary Chestnut

The above names may not draw up images of the Civil War, but the speeches and writings of the these men and women along with the better known Major Robert Anderson, Edwin Stanton and many others lend volumes to Erik Larson's clear and engaging attempt to bring a detailed understanding of the events that led the Confederate States
of America to drive the North out of Fort Sumter as the symbolic beginning of America's Civil War.

Told through chapter headings which focus on the rules of dueling, Larson has drawn a comparison between this age-old practice in settling differences and what the United States faced in battles over slavery and states' rights. A challenge - a response - a "winner".

Erik Larson never falters in helping the reader understand the black, the white and the gray areas in this era of American history that resulted in the deaths of over 600,000 of its citizens. Some of the characters exhibit truly honorable intentions; others see only their own false belief system. The author does not rush or omit the details which help place a multitude of points of view into the debacle of Fort Sumter.

Abraham Lincoln's impending inauguration, his round-about travels to Washington to avoid assassination and his attempts to settle the fate of Fort Sumpter (Lincoln's spelling!) all play a role in the type of President he will become.

An Erik Larson endeavor is not to be missed. His sources of material are vast and are provided at the end of the book. Readers can take advantage of reading more, especially the diaries of those who lived this terrible time.

Erik Larson is one of the best narrative non-fiction writers in the game, and "The Demon of Unrest" is another winner. Tackling the start of the Civil War, fans and new readers alike will be captivated.

In _The Demon of Unrest_, Erik Larson once again captivates the reader as he answers his own question (articulated in Sources and Acknowledgements): “Exactly how DID the Civil War begin?” Framing the clash between North and South as an affair of honor, Larson introduces each new act in the drama with a relevant passage from _The Code Duello_. Using excerpts from letters, diaries, newspapers, etc, Larson traces the history of sectionalism from President Lincoln’s election to General Anderson’s surrender at Fort Sumter (with an epilogue to bring closure to the conflict). Larson’s signature style of narrative non-fiction— descriptive, engaging, and even witty at times, reminds the reader that the best part of “history” is always the “story.”