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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SHARK" data-source="post: 300570" data-attributes="member: 1131">Greetings!Well, JGBrowning, Mr. Leckie does indeed provide direction for his sources in the Preface. If you had read my post carefully, I think you would have seen that. As for fiction and truth, and what percentages and so on?Well, if one is to write something that is other than a compilation of footnoted statistics, then there is going to be room for debate on a number of issues. I see historians doing it all the time--"my source says this," and "well, my source says such and such," or "well, according to such and such"--I've found many such points of inaccuracy or debate even in university textbooks, that have been written and edited by whole sqauds of SCHOLARS.I make the presence or inclusion of anecdote or opinion, to be distinguished from FICTION. You may not, but again, seeing that Mr. Leckie is a professional scholar, and has written over thirty books on history, maybe he might know something about history, heh? How many books--best-selling books even--have you written? Perhaps Mr. Leckie doesn't like to write textbooks. He obviously knows something about writing for the general audience, so maybe he's onto something, heh? Mr. Leckie has chosen to write in the style that he has for his own purposes. Considering his deployment of fact, anecdote, opinion, and so on throughout the book, he seems to understand the difference of fact, anecdote, and opinion.But again, what do I know? I've read the book--you haven't.I can say that unless you are as well read in history as I am, or more, there is a great deal of historical fact that you will learn from Mr. Leckie's book.Even if one is well-read, Mr. Leckie includes often unknown snippets and interesting detail to interest anyone.Reading the book can be quite enjoyable, and even entertaining--which is certainly unusual for many history books.Thus, since I have read the book, I have found it to be time well-spent, and enjoyable. You haven't read the book, so you wouldn't know, but I don't think that Mr. Leckie's style would appeal to you, so maybe you shouldn't.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />As for Essential Historical Narrative, reading through every section of the book, there isn't any era of American warfare that a reader wouldn't come away with accurate knowledge and understanding of the particular time and events in question. Because there may be disagreement or debate on minutae, that doesn't equate to FICTION, as NOONEOFCONSEQUENCE well mentions.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />So, there you have it. Check Mr. Leckie's sources--they are in the preface--and dig all you want. Read the book, and compare the knowledge gained and asserted with what you have learned from other scholars. I have, and I have found Mr. Leckie to be essentially accurate,an excellent writer, and a good scholar. I have read several of his books, and they have all been very good. Reaf several of them for yourself, and even take some notes. Then maybe you can make a thorough assessment. Still, Mr. Leckie's style may not appeal to you, even if you do read his books. So, who can say? I would simply recommend that you read several of his books, and The Wars of America in particular.Nooneofconsequence, I hope you do read it. It is a fine book.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Semper Fidelis,SHARK</blockquote>

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