April 1865

a review by Kevin Binkley

April 1865: The Month That Saved America is a fascinating story about the final days of the Civil War. Winik weaves the biographies of key political and war figures into the story line about the month that changed America forever.

April 1965, a critical month in American history, comes just a few weeks after Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated as the divided Union's 16th President for a second term. In the short days to follow, the United States came dangerously close to unraveling. Union war victories in early April continued to wear down an already tired Confederate Army. The surrender of Lee and Johnston brushed aside the fleeting hope of the Southern states hope to gain independence.

Winik has a gift for drawing the reader in with historical detail that becomes a fascinating reconstruction and retelling of those events which were critical in the saving of a nation. The author's historical research provides enough intriguing detail to keep the reader interested, all the while generating the suspense necessary to make the book impossible to put down.

The stories of men who risked everything for what they believed, on both sides of the conflict, urge the reader to be a person of personal conviction, no matter what the cost. This is a great book and even those who normally do not read history will enjoy it.