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Sherman: The Ruthless Victor is a very interesting book, although it reads more like an attempt to set the record straight than a true biography, or leadership text.

I don’t think the authors, Agostino von Hassell and Ed Breslin, are really much to blame for Sherman being a less passionate and inspiring text than Pershing was. Sherman, apparently, was a cruel, racist, egotistical, insecure, and largely inept man.

I rather wonder why his story was chosen for Thomas Nelson’s The Generals series at all.

From the beginning, the authors admit that Sherman had his shortcomings – and that they were pronounced and seriously damaging. They seem to hope that some leadership can still be taught from his example, that some redeeming quality will shine through, perhaps, even, that his success in spite of being a badly damaged man will inspire readers.

I, for one, found none to be true. I noted a small handful of insights from Sherman noteworthy, but was left with such a bad taste in my mouth regarding the man in general that I don’t think I’d ever be able to quote him as an inspiration or distant mentor.

Given the lack of leadership material from Sherman himself, the authors seemed to try to make up for the missing text with detailed accounts of Civil War battles. I like history, military history includes, but my eyes kind of glaze over when detailing troop movement. Details of Sherman’s personal life throughout the war are either scarce or bland, because few – for a biography – were included.

By the end of it I’d say I know a little more about the Civil War, have a great curiosity to read more about President Grant, and generally dislike General Sherman. It’s definitely not a book I’d recommend to anyone short of a Civil War enthusiast, and probably not one I’d read again myself, but I can’t really blame the authors for most of it either.