THIS BIIK IS A GREAT READ, AND IS MORE LIKE A NOVEL THAN AN AMERICAN HISTORY BOOK. YOU HAVE OLE GEN ANDY JACKSON FRONT AND CENTER, DEFENDING NEW ORLEANS FROM THE BRITISH, WHO HE HATED WITH ALL HIS MIGHT, WITH A BAND OF BACKWOODSMEN, LOCAL VOLUNTEERS, AND PIRATES. I DIDNT REALIZE THAT THE BRITS, AFTER GETTING SOUNDLY DRUBED IN LA, SAILED EAST AND ATTACKED A SMALLER AMERICAN FORT. THE FACT THAT THE WAR OF 1812 WAS ALREADY OVER, AND A PEACE TREATY SIGNED BEFORE EITHER BATTLE IS JUST A SAD FACT OF HISTORY.

I have read Brian before, and his style is more oriented to high school 9th grade students. That is not my preferred style.Having said that this particular offering was interesting for the facts it offered. I was unfamiliar with the overall history of the New Orleans Battle and the story alone made this an interesting piece. For new historians who are just expanding their world, I would recommend this.As for those who are upset by some perceived glorification of President Jackson, I thought Kilmeade's style actually watered it down a little bit. Left or right, Jackson was an interesting and intense character, and if you have very hard feelings about Jackson, you should be for warned that you will need a few grains of salt.

Having received most of my "education" about the War of 1812 back in high school on ONE day, and from Johnny Horton's song, "....in 1814 we took a little trip...and fought the bloody British in the town of New Orleans..." A humorous little ditty - lots of fun, but not really a great place to get a realistic look at that time in our history. Anyway, as I said, having received my education thusly, I was totally enthralled by this very griltty recounting of Jackson and his amazing victory over not only the British, but forces in the U.S. arrayed against him, his own fragile health, and the topography of New Orleans itself. This is not to be missed!

If more history were related in this manner there would be more histoy buffs around...The facts, personalities and locations related accurately in a fasinating, very readable way. Jackson was a great man, certainly flawed but aren't we all? Judging people in history thru a 21st century lens is not always fair!!! Thanks for the read Bryan...

Along with Brian Kilmeade's other books "George Washington's Secret Six" and "Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates", another outstanding, condensed, yet thorough work on an interesting piece of American history. A great companion book to HW Brands, " Andrew Jackson, His Life and Times."Along with Oreilly's "Killing" series, I anxiously await the arrival of his next book!Dr. Stanley E. Toompas, Optometrist& Arthur of, "I'm the One the Other Isn't"