History brought to life
934227
An incredible book.  I can not say more about this book than has previously been said in other reviews.  I love history and a friend recommended it.  I waited almost a year and I am very sorry to not have read it sooner.  INCREDIBLE.  The characters are brought to life.  You see the battle through their eyes, the pain, the doubt, shame and joy.  The battle is non-fiction, the characters are non-fiction.  Michael Shaara just ficionalizes there thoughts.  With the exception of reading the Red Badge of Courage in High School, I have not read anything else about the civil war.  This book has hooked me.  I have begun Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara, the son.  I am hooked.  Read it.
1548318
I found the intertwining of facts with the invention of daily events to be fascinating.  The author makes history come alive like few others I have read.
211521
Ken Follett makes history live.  A well written history book with novel twists and turns.
797028
Mixture of history delightfully interwoven in the tales and actions of specific individuals. The words were eloquently written and the descriptions hit all my senses.
1431150
This is a very engrossing story which I found impossible to put down. A history which revealed events of the time to life.
4014995
Ms.  Chiaverini has a wonderful knack for making history come alive.  This is a fascinating look at two interesting women and the troubled period in which they lived.  It is a wonderful book club choice because there is so much information to discuss.
363373
This book brought such insight into a time in our history that does not get much personal attention.  To take history and make it as personal as this takes a very talented writer as well as an avid historian and someone with a true heart.
4157151
A captivating story right out of the pages of our history giving those of us an educational view of what life was like for the people of that day.
2723912
A story,  greatly told.  I felt I was experiencing history as it was happening rather than reading about it. Excellent!
1487021
Historical facts written in a compelling way.
4729890
I read the book whenever I had time between long flights or waiting at doctor's office.  The time flew by quickly.  Any history book can be too dry with many names and events, you will not remember, this book has that as well, but the author included lot of details stories which add texture,  color and reality to what took place many thousands and hundreds years ago.
221975
I  loved the history intertwined throughout the book.  The characters and scenes were described so vividly you could picture yourself there.
102016
Makes history of the first settlement in the New World come alive.  I could hardly put this down.  True to historical facts as they are known or presumed.
1910035
As a novel Propositum is captivating.  We are drawn into the story of a multi-year plan that consumes the lives of the main characters.  As a reader I became engrossed in the lives of these individuals as they each played out their respective roles to achieve the plan.  We see what they see and feel what they feel, and along the way travel with them to numerous places throughout the Roman and Judea territory.  As the story unfolded I actually wanted more detail to describe the landscape and settings experienced by the characters, but I also recognize there is a plot that competed for the pages.  At the end we are saddened somewhat by the personal sacrifices, however we are brought to a nice conclusion that their plan is well underway.

Propositum is also a history lesson.  No one can say for certain how Christianity actually started, but based on the authors careful and thorough research we are presented with a scenario that is a collection of what we understand was true at the time.  As a non-religious person I was not seeking the answer, but rather enjoyed learning about how individuals so long ago might go about their daily lives as the story unfolds.  We get a sense of the challenging logistics and time to travel between cities, the political landscape that general citizens endured, and of course the role religion played in society.  I recommend Propositum for anyone who wants to be entertained with a new and creative representation of this history.
4169161
I truly enjoyed the author's writing of this well known story.  The characters are well defined and brought to life and the incorporation of the present with this historical past is well done.
2056286
Having not finished the book yet, I can only comment on what I've read so far.  Wolraich gives a great history of not just the events, but the people behind them.  It's a fascinating look at a wildly turbulent period of American history that often is condensed down to a few lectures in history classes, which really fails to give an indication of the power of those times. There are also many parallels to be drawn with our current political climate, although sadly, many of them show our generation coming up short.  Wolraich delivers a great combo of education and entertainment.  When the characters are drawn so vividly, you might think you were reading historical fiction if you didn't know it all really happened.  Highly recommended!
33592
first off, the author does a great job of bringing both lincoln and john wilkes booth to vivid life as well-rounded human beings. there is nothing flat or caricature seeming about either personality here; these are complex portraits filled with breath and vision. that said, it is the sheer drive of the narrative that makes this such a wonderful read. once started, there was not a moment that i wanted to put this book down. few historians write history with this kind of liveliness. if you haven't read this yet, i envy you. you are in for a treat. page-turning history at its best.