Clouds of Glory

The Life and Legend of Robert E. Lee

By: Michael Korda

Narrated by: Jack Garrett

Length: 32 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

In Clouds of Glory: The Life and Legend of Robert E. Lee, Michael Korda, the New York Times best-selling biographer of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ulysses S. Grant, and T. E. Lawrence, has written the first major biography of Lee in nearly 20 years, bringing to life America's greatest and most iconic hero. Korda paints a vivid and admiring portrait of Lee as a general and a devoted family man who, though he disliked slavery and was not in favor of secession, turned down command of the Union army in 1861 because he could not "draw his sword" against his own children, his neighbors, and his beloved Virginia. He was surely America's preeminent military leader, as calm, dignified, and commanding a presence in defeat as he was in victory. Lee's reputation has only grown in the 150 years since the Civil War, and Korda covers in groundbreaking detail all of Lee's battles and traces the making of a great man's undeniable reputation on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line, positioning him finally as the symbolic martyr-hero of the Southern Cause.

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A must read for everyone

What did you love best about Clouds of Glory?

It was a wonderfully written and performed book. Though he had flaws, the book described the life of a great American who really had no other path to take than to follow his home state of Virginia into this conflict. He was a man who needs to be judged in his own time and not ours. In the 18th and 19th century your state was your country and had your allegiance. Lee's behavior and grace after surrender provided a role model for the confederacy and helped to hasten the reintegration of the states. There were few finer men on either side of the conflict.

What other book might you compare Clouds of Glory to and why?

None, This was the most in depth and fair biography I have seen.

Have you listened to any of Jack Garrett’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A man of his time

Any additional comments?

Great civil war book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Will listen and read again

Excellent!

Great insight into the man behind the cause. Civil War buffs will love the presentation which keeps your attention captured to each moment.

Well told tale of a man who without desire

This book was a well told story of Lee, it described his person well. Focusing on his values and his family history, and how they guided him to his success on the battlefield. Recommend to anyone interesting in learning how to live without greed, envy, and self desire.

5 STARS because that is the maxium

Tremendous, unbiased account of the great man. This book is highly recommended and the narrator made it enjoyable.

The clouds of glory review

Outstanding performance. Awesome narration.
Enjoyed the historical context of the books characters. This is a book worth reading/listening to.

outstanding work

This book, when read along with Rebel Yell provide a clear picture of the relationship, success and failures of Jackson and Lee, arguably the two most admired generals (on either side) of the Civil War

Details of author about the characters

Excellent read. Narrator was very good. Lee was a misunderstood figure in history. Highly recommend this book.

Admiration without adulation…

A fair and frank appraisal of a great American. This is certainly not my first biography on Lee. Nor, in candor, is it my favorite. But it is excellent, more or less free of maudlin sentimentality, and yet courageous enough to extoll the character and genius of a truly remarkable man. I think it should be required reading for every student of the Civil War… Rather than the revisionist trash that only wishes to denigrate those champions of honor and duty epitomized by Lee.

Best one of all

I liked the overall tone of this book. It was factual, and it told his assets, then his faults. It was clear on the history of all the battles, and it was a page turner. But what sold me the most is it did not use what the modern authors have been doing in trying to destroy our heroes, so that we have nothing to believe in.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Rogers

A Story of the Perfect Man

i heard about the author long sgo in his book on power. Lee is the Perfect case study off the power of love and awe, versus fear in a leader. Macchiavelli always said fear was better, bit Lee shows the opposite. Korda shows the power of leadership where faith. character, skill and action all merge into one man. Lee showed few flaws as a young man and even fewer as a leader. Seeing where he was mistaken through the lens of time, no real man embodied martial efficaciousness and saintly virtue, and evoked admiration as much as he did....with no reward but a quiet end. A perfect warrior, leader, gentleman and engineer. It would be hard to find all of these in American myth of the inventor, businessman or soldier, man or woman. But the best aspire to the same in their own way. Korda note that Lee the man gained his power of faith and philosophy from his wife, who gave him the power of secular sainthood through her strong religious beliefs.