Bugle book review…
What truly makes a person great?
Kean explores Civil War leaders

Reviewed by
DR. PAUL ROMINGER
Bugle Staff Writer

“Great Men?? at the Worst Time,” by Don Kean, DMD, 474 pages, Xlibri Corporation, 2014, $34.85.

The text of this book is 395 pages, with a good selection of photographs. There are five appendices, a bibliography and bibliographic sources for each chapter.

Serving as the foundation of the book, the author asks what it is that truly makes a person great. He states this has been a question both throughout and for the ages. In modern society, greatness is often measured in terms of wealth, power, knowledge and achievement. Wealth and power can be so fleeing in life and should never truly and totally define an individual’s greatness. Education can be valuable, but it should only be considered as one of many tools. Wealth, power and education can all be used for good or for evil. History clearly bears this out.

As you would expect, this is a book about the Civil War, but it is not on military tactics and it is not a history of the war. It is a history of people involved in the war presented in fairly general form, with some expansion on details of personal history when the author has deemed these to be important. It is not a political expose, but some political data is included when it has been vital to the person, and gives clarity to situations and characterization.

The intent of this book is to provide a snapshot of each individual, revealing world views, upbringing, the extent of education and the terrible events each person experienced. There are 24 chapters discussing primarily one person each, and a final chapter with snapshots of approximately 30 others leaders.

He writes that Gen. Sherman “fought whatever melancholy disorder he struggles with throughout his life to became a historical icon… .” Critics of Sherman who are usually more anti-war in general ideology see Sherman tactics as cruel and inhuman. They are right. Sherman knew this and said so. What they fail to see is that the whole concept of war is cruel and inhuman.

And Kean writes of James Longstreet, “Look for the inherent goodness in the man … what he endured, achieved and actually did during his entire life.” Lee said that “Longstreet was the staff in my right hand.” Grant and Longstreet shared a close friendship before the war began, which would resume after the war ended.

The reader will find some bits of information difficult to locate elsewhere and insights that may be valuable in determining the greatness of each of these individuals.