It's not the most exciting read, but I found this week's top book, The Civil War of 1812 by Alan Taylor, a fascinating take of the War of 1812. Taylor looks at the citizens of North America in light of their setting and shared history. As much as possible, he holds back on projecting our hindsight on the actual events of the time.
The Civil War of 1812 reminds us that the United States as a nation had been in existence a mere 25 years. Many people living in what is now Canada were colonists who chose to stay loyal to the king of England. England itself, the monarchy and Parliament believed that the American Revolution was a hiccup and the colonies would soon come back to the Motherland.
When you look at the War of 1812 with that perspective, it becomes far more meaningful. Taylor does have a tendency to over-describe, but the bones and the scholarship of this work are excellent and highly recommended for history buffs.
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