Erik Larson writes do vividly and so captivatingly. I couldn’t look away and was totally swept up. Really enjoyed this read

Another winner for Erik Larson. He has a talent for sharing stories from history in a way that is both enjoyable to read and easy to understand.

Of course I learned in school that the Civil War began when the South fired on Fort Sumter. But that was it. It just happened out of the blue. I was never told, and I had never stopped to think about what lead up to it.

Wow, to the hubris. Edmund Ruffin - Given the "honor" of firing the first shot on Fort Sumter after many of years of stirring people up against the north and pushing his peers toward secession. The more I learned about this man, the more I was astounded by his gall in all facets of his life. Incredible! Mary Chestnut, what a malicious, self-center, shallow, little... On the northern side, Seward was certainly less mean-spirited, but not less conniving and certainly taken with himself.

Wow, to the heartache. If Lincoln had known the drama, the vise of tension, the ploys hiding ploys that he was walking into the first day in office, would he have run for office?

Wow, to the heroism. - Major Robert Anderson. His ordeal was incredible, staggering. How did he stand for as long as he did?

Erik Larson has made an incredible contribution to our accessible history with his meticulously researched volume. He brings key players to life and helps us understand the atmosphere of the period and how this tragedy for our nation unfolded. Let's not let hubris carry us into more devastation.

I gave Devil In The White City 4 stars, so I was excited to receive an arc of The Demon Of Unrest, however, this one wasn't for me. I found it dry, however the author obviously did a lot of research. I have a minor in history - so on paper this should have been up my alley. There were too many names and dates to remember. It felt like a really long lecture. Hoping his next book will be more exciting. Some patrons have told me they liked the historical parts the best and like learning about the Civil War, so that's who I would recommend this.

I have almost obsessively tried to read and finish this book, but I am DNFing at 15% after I really just cannot finish it. I love Erik Larson books and was very excited to read this, but this book reads differently--maybe because of its subject matter-- than his other books.

Erik Larson’s “The Demon of Unrest” brings to life the time just before the start of the Civil War. This is not only a great historical book, but a book that is also timely in today’s times as we might be closer than we have ever been to possible civil war than we were since 1860. Larson’s books are so great in that they contain so many details, but are readable and accessible to the casual reader. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in the Civil War, American History, or perhaps current history as there are many similarities.

5+++ stars!

As always Erik Larson has written a comprehensive and extremely well-researched story of the tensions and unrest that led us into the Civil War. This is one of those books that just pulls you right in. Larson has this amazing talent for making history feel like a grand adventure novel. Instead of just dumping a bunch of dates and events on you, he dives deep into the minds of the people who lived through these moments. It’s like you’re right there with them, experiencing everything firsthand.

Once again Larson does it again. The research was phenomenal. Fort Sumter, Lincoln and the civil war what a trifecta.

This book was classic Larson. So well researched and lots of little known tidbits about the start of the Civil War and Lincoln. I will read anything Larson writes and this one did not disappoint.

Erik Larson, as always, has written non-fiction that reads like fiction.
This historical rendition of Lincoln's election and the beginnings of the Civil War are so well written. His descriptions of what transpired between the numerous divergent personalities that set the stage for the horror of a divided nation are so impressive.
Larson is a distinctive storyteller. Straight and factual history becomes an absorbing tale. His accounting of President Lincoln and his travails made him emerge alive from the pages. It was a bit disconcerting to see present day history reflected in his writing.
First-rate writing as always!

As always Larson has produced a well researched, readable work of nonfiction. A go to author! I will recommend thus book to all my patrons who love history.

I will start by saying this author is a heck of a researcher. 5 stars for that; but..... dude! 500+ pages of Fort Sumter? First they tried to starve them out, then shoot them out, and finally they just set fire to the whole thing and....done. Also Lincoln at the edge of the Civil War....wanted to hear more about freeing slaves but had to keep reading about the fort. Just not for me.

Superlative! Erik Larson takes something we all know - the Civil War started with the firing upon Fort Sumter by Confederate forces - and makes us think about WHY that was, about the many events and decisions large and small leading up to that. Moreover, Erik Larson demonstrates why history isn't about facts and dates but about PEOPLE, sometimes heroic, sometimes villainous, but always HUMAN, in all our complexity and contradictions. Lastly, while there was perhaps a certain inevitability to the Civil War, including the outbreak of hostilities at Fort Sumter, the reality is that there are MANY roads that could have been taken, and Larson is great at making us think about all the ways history could have gone instead of how it did. Highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

I rarely rate books with a five star, but, Erik Larson has written another marvelous book! He is such a storyteller even if it’s nonfiction! His research is amazing and I always learn something new! This book about the loss of Fort Sumter and the beginning of the Civil War is a captivating read! The personal accounts of the key players supplement the story! I am proud to add this Erik Larson’s new book to my collection!

This book is another home run for Erik Larson, one of my favorite authors. He has a way of making history interesting. Life is a story by itself but it takes a special author to make it fun to read. I started with his two books Devil in the White City and Issac’s Storm. Read those two as well as this one. He researches his facts so well that you don’t have to wonder if the events are true. Some would say this book covered a short period in Lincolns life that no one talks or knows much about. It’s very interesting and easy to read. Grab a copy and when you read it, you will enjoy it and come away smarter! #netgalley #eriklarson #theDemonofUnrest

Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc! Erik Larson is such a big name writer and anytime I see his work I just have to grab it and read it! I'm also a huge Abe Lincoln fan, so win - win. I always fear when reading a book about slavery that is written by a white man that it will also be from the "white" perspective, and I was thankfully impressed by the research that went into this book. There were so many fresh revelations and characters that left an impression. Highly entertaining.

Erik Larson has again written an amazing book about a subject we are all so familiar with, and makes it new and exciting to learn about. He gives details and background about the Civil War, how things began to smolder years before, and about specific people and events in the North and South that fueled the conflict leading to the secession of the southern states -- details that are not common knowledge.

Larson is an avid researcher and goes into such detail that the reader feels what it was like to live during that time; when each American had to make a decision and take a stand for what they believed in. And they had to live with those consequences, one of which was a horrific war.

This is an amazing tale of American history and is told in such a way that, though you know what is going to happen and how it is going to end, you don’t want to put the book down. And now through Larson’s marvelous presentation you feel like you know much more about how it all happened.

This is a fascinating telling of a dark time in history that all need to know. I highly recommend it!

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Erik Larson, and Crown Publishing for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Erik Larson has done it again. His depth of research and his style of writing make every topic deeply compelling. I wasn’t sure this one would suck me in the way so many others have but from start to finish, it was excellent. Even the additional stories and factoids in his end notes were fascinating. Must read!

The only reason I haven't ranked this book higher is that it was not as good as Erik Larso's other books. However, Larson proves once again that he is an incredible author. History comes alive under his pen, especially in this piece. I have always struggled with military history but this book made so much sense. This is perhaps the best Civil War book I have ever read.

Erik Larson's new book The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War tells the story of what happened between Abraham Lincoln's election and the Civil War's first shots.

Larson uses diaries and the details of the time to tell the story in a very human and suspenseful way that engages readers. I learned a lot, but it didn't feel like reading a history book. Highly recommend and you won't miss the similarities to our world today.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Demon of Unrest is available now.