Leaders: Myth and Reality | Book Review

November 19, 2018November 19, 2018 georgepwood

What is leadership? John Maxwell’s definition is the most common answer: “Leadership is influence.” That’s true to an extent, but it’s also too simple because it’s leader-centric, as if influence flowed only one way. In their new book, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, Jeff Eggers, and Jason Mangone identify three myths people believe about leaders and offer a more complex definition of leadership. Somewhat ironically for a book that criticizes leader-centricity, Leadersreaches its conclusions by examining the lives of thirteen leaders. First up is Robert E. Lee, the “Marble Man” of the Confederacy, who profoundly illustrates the distance between the myths and … Continue reading Leaders: Myth and Reality | Book Review

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The Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War History | Book Review

August 28, 2017 georgepwood

After Charlottesville, I have spent a fair bit of time on Facebook arguing about the Confederacy, the Civil War, and statues of Confederate heroes such as Robert E. Lee. My position is that the Confederacy was incorrigibly racist, that it … Continue reading The Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War History | Book Review

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The Myth of Robert E. Lee

June 6, 2017 georgepwood

Over at The Atlantic, Adam Serwer exposes what he calls “The Myth of the Kindly General Lee.” It’s well worth reading. Here’s a sample: The myth of Lee goes something like this: He was a brilliant strategist and devoted Christian … Continue reading The Myth of Robert E. Lee

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Review of ‘This Hallowed Ground: A History of the Civil War’ by Bruce Catton

June 11, 2015 georgepwood

Bruce Catton, This Hallowed Ground: A History of the Civil War (New York: Vintage, 2012; repr. Doubleday, 1956). Paperback | Kindle My wife and I celebrated our tenth anniversary by touring Civil War battlefields in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Standing in the fields where soldiers fought and died gave me a tree-and-leaf view of the battles, but I felt lost in the details because I did not have a forest view of the war. Park rangers and tour guides recommended Bruce Catton’s books, so I went to Barnes & Noble and purchased This Hallowed Ground. Originally subtitled, “The Story of … Continue reading Review of ‘This Hallowed Ground: A History of the Civil War’ by Bruce Catton

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John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry

October 16, 2013 georgepwood

On this day in history–October 16, 1859–John Brown led a raid on the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. His goal was to seize weapons and ammunition and arm slaves for a revolt against their slaveholders. Thirty-six hours after the raid began, troops led by Colonel Robert E. Lee stormed the house where Brown and his men were holed up, captured them, and turned them over to Virginia authorities for trial. He was tried, sentenced to death for treason, and hanged on December 9. When the Civil War began on 1861, Union soldiers sang “John Brown’s Body” (also known as … Continue reading John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry

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Tag: Robert E. Lee