Reports from America

Reports from America

Availability: in stock. Ships within 1 working day.

NB: This is a secondhand book in very good condition. See our FAQs for more information. Please note that the jacket image is indicative only. A description of our secondhand books is not always available. Please contact us if you have a question about this title.

Author: Ilana D. Miller

Format: Hardback

Number of Pages: 240


William Howard Russell, battle-hardened journalist and veteran of the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny, sailed into New York harbour in March 1861 eager to report the explosive events of America's civil war for the London Times. His was an important role. When Russell was first introduced to Abraham Lincoln in Washington later that month, the President remarked: 'The London Times is one of the greatest powers in the world - in fact, I don't know anything which has more power - except perhaps the Mississippi.' Similarly, the black political activist Frederick Douglas remarked that Americans 'watched eagerly to see what The London Times had to say'. The newspaper was frequently regarded as an authentic mouthpiece of the British government and it was little wonder that Russell was assiduously courted by prominent figures both in the North and South. This is the story of Russell's year in America based on the three volumes of diaries and countless reports he wrote detailing his adventures. His eloquent words describe the important men of the time, including Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and General William Tecumseh Sherman, as well as some of the key events of the period. His extensive travelling led him to New York, Washington D.C., the South and ultimately to the first real engagement, the Battle of Bull Run. He visited forts, military installations, the Northern and Southern seats of government, seeing everything necessary to form a detailed picture of the discordant conflict. Throughout the year, Russell's impartial reporting and his trenchant criticism took the British reader through the baffling issues and events of the war. Unfortunately his honesty created powerful enemies on both sides, and, as a result of reporting the brutal truth about Bull Run and other sensitive issues, he was barred from travelling under the aegis of the Northern armies. He could no longer continue his scrutiny under such circumstances, and left the country. Russell's observations of the key players on both sides of the Civil War should make for fascinating reading. His is a uniquely British point of view, and his amusement at Americans and their strange customs (chewing tobacco, shaking hands, republicanism) is fun but never patronizing.
SKU: 9780750925570-SECONDHAND
Availability : In Stock Pre order Out of stock
Description
NB: This is a secondhand book in very good condition. See our FAQs for more information. Please note that the jacket image is indicative only. A description of our secondhand books is not always available. Please contact us if you have a question about this title.

Author: Ilana D. Miller

Format: Hardback

Number of Pages: 240


William Howard Russell, battle-hardened journalist and veteran of the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny, sailed into New York harbour in March 1861 eager to report the explosive events of America's civil war for the London Times. His was an important role. When Russell was first introduced to Abraham Lincoln in Washington later that month, the President remarked: 'The London Times is one of the greatest powers in the world - in fact, I don't know anything which has more power - except perhaps the Mississippi.' Similarly, the black political activist Frederick Douglas remarked that Americans 'watched eagerly to see what The London Times had to say'. The newspaper was frequently regarded as an authentic mouthpiece of the British government and it was little wonder that Russell was assiduously courted by prominent figures both in the North and South. This is the story of Russell's year in America based on the three volumes of diaries and countless reports he wrote detailing his adventures. His eloquent words describe the important men of the time, including Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and General William Tecumseh Sherman, as well as some of the key events of the period. His extensive travelling led him to New York, Washington D.C., the South and ultimately to the first real engagement, the Battle of Bull Run. He visited forts, military installations, the Northern and Southern seats of government, seeing everything necessary to form a detailed picture of the discordant conflict. Throughout the year, Russell's impartial reporting and his trenchant criticism took the British reader through the baffling issues and events of the war. Unfortunately his honesty created powerful enemies on both sides, and, as a result of reporting the brutal truth about Bull Run and other sensitive issues, he was barred from travelling under the aegis of the Northern armies. He could no longer continue his scrutiny under such circumstances, and left the country. Russell's observations of the key players on both sides of the Civil War should make for fascinating reading. His is a uniquely British point of view, and his amusement at Americans and their strange customs (chewing tobacco, shaking hands, republicanism) is fun but never patronizing.
Reviews

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)