“Lawrence Denton has produced a slice of historical drama often given short shrift in classrooms. The book is meticulously researched and intelligently separated into chapters. He presents the escalating danger with a real sense of urgency. This is a hold-your-breath account of a national rupture, so well written that while the reader knows how it ends, the sense of suspense is palpable. Highly recommended”—Star Democrat Online; “excellent biography...WOW!”—The Lone Star; “A fascinating reassessment of presidential leadership at a moment of supreme crisis.”—Daniel W. Crofts, Professor of History, author of Reluctant Confederates; “Denton has breathed new life into the age old debate on whether the Civil War could have been avoided. He is to be commended for this fresh scholarship.”—Ted Alexander, Chief Historian, Antietam National Battlefield Park; “A thought-provoking analysis of Seward’s actions at a pivotal time in our nation’s greatest crisis.”—Peter Wisbey, Executive Director, Seward House.
