Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$11.99

Available instantly

Hardcover
$17.23

$17.23 with 14 percent savings

List Price: $19.95

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Select delivery location

Only 9 left in stock (more on the way).

$$17.23 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

30-day easy returns

Returns

30-day easy returns

This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.

Read full return policy

Payment

Secure transaction

Payment

Secure transaction

We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more

Details

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (47) from $6.81 & FREE Shipping

Follow the author

Brandon Marie Miller

+ Follow

More books from this author

Robert E. Lee: The Man, the Soldier, the Myth Hardcover – June 11, 2019

by Brandon Marie Miller (Author)

4.8 32 ratings

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$17.23","priceAmount":17.23,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"23","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"PisOrTWHBv0UW2qSDzTHvYrsSTgUAGF3uRsEM5UZN9Wy8Y%2BMk%2Fn%2FNTIATOCD6jGMUHO40uemseK5iPhhNkH1e%2FFWQCM5dBOlB54aXZ97Cw5nUyHaxDAs%2BcDd%2B5OmXUbHglTnvCaCVNcAnnQKKFXObw%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

A comprehensive young adult biography of the life of one of the most mythologized men in American and Civil War history: General Lee of the Confederate States Army

Robert E. Lee’s life was filled with responsibility and loyalty. Born to a Revolutionary War hero, Lee learned a sense of duty and restraint after weathering scandals brought on by his father and eldest brother. He found the perfect way to channel this sense of duty at West Point, where he spent his days under rigorous teachers who taught him the organizational skills and discipline he would apply for the rest of his life. The military became Lee’s life: he was often away from his beloved family, making strides with the Army, forcibly expanding the United States toward the Western coastline, and fighting the Mexican-American War. And ultimately, the military and his defining role therein—General of the Confederate Army—would prove to be Lee’s legacy.

Author Brandon Marie Miller separates fact from fiction and reveals the complex truth behind who Lee was as a person, a soldier, a general, and a father. The book includes numerous archival images, as well as original quotations, a timeline, an author's note, a family tree, source notes, a bibliography, and an index.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
A Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the Year

★ “With Robert E.Lee (and the removal of his statues) in the news, this illuminating biography of the Confederate general comes at a good time. Miller has done copious research to present a well-rounded portrait of a man who is both praised and vilified and known by most people simply for his role in the Civil War. This book shows him as so much more . . . interested teens will find this exceptionally readable. An excellent crossover for adult readers, as well.”
—Booklist, starred review

About the Author

Brandon Marie Miller earned her degree in American History from Purdue University, where she also studied art history. Her love of history began early thanks to her parents, both teachers, who encouraged her to walk in the past's steps at national parks, historic sites, battlefields and museums. Her award-winning books for young people have been honored by the International Reading Association, the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), the Society of School Librarians International, Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), Bank Street College, the New York Public Library, and the Chicago Public Library, among others.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Robert caught his first glimpse of the United States Military Academy at West Point from the deck of a steamboat chugging up the Hudson River. Gentle mountains framed the water on both sides,
offering glorious views. West Point loomed above as the steamboat docked at the base of a cliff. As they stepped off the boat, an old man with a hook in place of his hand greeted Robert and other young men offered an appointment to the academy.

Robert stood out among the arrivals—handsome, rosy-cheeked, with wavy dark hair and dark eyes. His family included signers of the Declaration of Independence. His father had fought in the American Revolution. Lees had served the country since before the nation’s birth. But a childhood marked with scandal and uncertainty had also formed the Robert Lee who arrived at West Point.

The young men trudged uphill to the campus built on the site of an old Revolutionary War fort. The academy itself—founded in 1802— proved less impressive than the Hudson River shimmering like a ribbon below. A wide and windy forty-acre parade ground marred by stray boulders promised hours of marching and practicing maneuvers. A mess hall and two large, rather bleak dormitories, or barracks, flanked the parade ground. A two-story building held everything else—a chapel, the library, and classrooms.

Sylvanus Thayer, the superintendent of West Point, greeted each of the young men. Thayer had transformed the academy into one of the toughest places in the country to get an education. Alongside the other young men, Robert bent his head to the entrance exam—reading, writing, and simple math—meant to quickly weed out boys not up to speed.

On June 27, as a fading sun softened the mountains, Lee lined up on the parade ground with one hundred and four others. Those who’d passed the test heard their names called out in alphabetical order. “Lee!” Robert must have let go a breath of relief. He took four steps forward, as they’d been told to do. At the end, about two dozen young men remained standing behind.

The next morning Robert and the other new cadets set up summer camp. Their first duty made plain the lowly status of the “newies”— digging latrines. For two months that summer the cadets crammed into tents, broiling under the sun or drenched by pelting storms.

Each morning Robert woke to the trumpet’s prod of reveille. Newies spilled from their tents for mornings of marching and drilling. Shallow trenches dug twenty-eight inches apart forced the long lines of sweating young men to take precisely measured and matched steps. Afternoon classes followed morning drills and bled into evening hours of study before lights-out at nine o’clock.

Cadets learned to stand at attention. Their new gray uniforms fitted so tightly about the chest that the young men had to stand straight. Shoulders thrust back. Chins leveled perpendicular to the chest. Stomachs pulled in. Arms stretched straight at their sides. No bend in the elbows. Fingers pressed against the seams of their trousers. Feet planted at an angle of forty-five degrees. Tall and ramrod straight, Robert would never lose the soldierly posture drilled into him at West Point.

Robert survived the summer camp, his first test as a soldier. On September 3, 1825, he signed papers officially giving the next five years of his life to the army in exchange for his West Point education. Along with his classmates Robert spoke his oath: “I do solemnly swear that I will bear true allegiance to the United States of America, and that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies . . . ; and observe and obey the orders of the President of the United States . . .” Rigorous training lay ahead to mold these young men into army officers who could lead soldiers, build roads and forts, and protect America’s shores and far frontiers.

In his spotless uniform young Robert Lee represented a family known for both glory and misdeeds, for service and scandal. He understood what he had to do. The long shadows of childhood stood with Cadet Lee as he began his West Point years.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Calkins Creek; Illustrated edition (June 11, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1629799106
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1629799100
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 10 - 17 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1060L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 5 - 12
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.53 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.38 x 1.03 x 9.31 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,751,111 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #49 in Teen & Young Adult United States Civil War Period History
- #321 in Teen & Young Adult Military History
- #415 in Teen & Young Adult Historical Biographies

Customer Reviews:
4.8 32 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Brandon Marie Miller

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Brandon Marie Miller writes history for young people. She writes about both the famous and the common folk, about great events and everyday life. Her books have been honored by the International Reading Association and the National Council for the Social Studies, among others. Brandon grew up in Illinois and earned her degree in American History from Purdue University. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. Find out more at www.brandonmariemiller.com and check out http://hands-on-books.blogspot.com

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5

32 global ratings

2 star

0%

1 star

0%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

kmlh

An Important Take on a Man Who Stands on the Wrong Side of American History

Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2019

Verified Purchase

Brandon Marie Miller’s biography of Robert E. Lee is a well-written, carefully-researched account, appropriate for ages ranging from younger teens through adults. For young people, Miller offers an honest, well-written introduction to Lee, the accomplished soldier, leader, and family man who now stands on the wrong side of history. For adults seeking a quickly-moving narrative, Miller’s book is an excellent overview.

I stand on the side of authors, editors (thank you, Carolyn Yoder) and publishers (Calkin’s Creek) who publish books for young folks about such figures. Without bios such as Miller’s portrayal of Lee, young people would not discover why Lee chose to defy the United States government in order to lead Confederate Army during the Civil War. Miller draws on letters, journals, and newspapers of the time to distill the life experiences, emotions, and motivations of a man who made a life-changing choice to defend the way of life in his beloved Virginia.

That Lee held people of African heritage in very low regard is no secret. Miller makes his views crystal clear through her careful, forthcoming selection of quotes from Lee and others. For the most part, Miller offers the reader Lee’s words right on the page. (One can hope that a teen reader will begin to comprehend how living in another era begins to explain why people developed their opinions as they did).

On occasion, Miller lays out her own assessment of Lee, and when she does, her words are damning. One example: Miller shares that Lee, during Reconstruction, “spoke his racism and white supremacy in subdued words, [but] Mary [his wife] seldom reined herself in. Her anger overflowed at her changed world, and reflected the thoughts of many white people in the South.”

There’s more to learn about: Lee’s rakish father, Lighthorse Harry Lee, the early days of West Point, Christmases away from home to fight Mexico — all before shots were fired at Fort Sumter. I could go on, but the better option would be to buy this book and learn from it. I did.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Patrick Trammell

A Skeptical Reader, who found a very well done and balance portrait

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2020

Verified Purchase

I read a random mention of Brandon Marie Miller's book, and ordered the Kindle version. It is certainly fashionable to label all Southern Civil War figures as irredeemably racist, and in my opinion few are as unfairly maligned as RE Lee. When writing for the youth reader, it seems this is more prevalent. Robert E. Lee is one of the great misunderstood personalities of the War era. Much of this is based on the sanctification of the "Lost Cause" promoters, and also because he was more taciturn in the post war era than many contemporaries. Like many soldiers and politicians on both sides of the conflict, Lee had his flaws. Given present day mores, these may seem horrific. Ms. Miller does a balanced job of presenting her RE Lee in his own words, and outstandingly gives context of his background, time, and place. This is not to excuse any attitudes, but simply to put them within proper context within post Civil War America. This book may or may not be written for adolescent readers, but it holds its on with any complete short biography of Lee, and is far better than most. A real contribution to scholarship of the General. Well researched and documented, and skillfully written. Highly recommended.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Darlene Strickland

Great Read!!

Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2020

Verified Purchase

With all of the monuments coming down in the Commonwealth of Virginia, I wanted to make sure I grabbed a good book for my grandchildren. I want them to know the history of our country; good, bad and ugly. Book reads well and kept my attention.

Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2021

Verified Purchase

This book is great when learning American history.

Helpful

mdportland

Good read - well balanced

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2021

Verified Purchase

Well balanced history of Robert E Lee. Enjoyed reading actual letter correspondence excerpts.

Helpful

AmazJon Customer

Thorough, concise, easy ro read. Perfect for all reader, teens through adult!

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2024

Brandon Miller does a masterful job of telling the story of Robert E. Lee. The writing style and flow of the book make it very easy to to read. In the past, I have sometimes found many history books to be long, wordy, and at times difficult to follow. Not the case with Mrs. Miller’s book. This book is thorough, concise, and thought provoking. It is perfect for the young adult reader. It provides many topics for discussion for any middle or high school American history class. I also found it also very relevant for our current times, where increasing racial divides only seem to be pulling our country at the seams. It should be in every middle and high school library.

Helpful

A. Pelleschi

A thorough look at Lee's life

Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2022

This book may be for teens, but this adult found it very interesting and informative. I learned so much about Lee I never knew, and found him to be a fascinating, though controversial, person. Anyone with interest in the Civil War or Lee should read this book. I highly recommend it.

Helpful

A. Dille

The Robert E. Lee book in a haystack.

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2022

Verified Purchase

I love this book! It has good information, it has historic illustrations, it’s perfect… except for one thing, and that’s that it has a lot of off topic information. (About) the first two chapters were basically just about HENRY lee (Robert e Lee’s father) when I got this book expecting life. I am doing this as a book report book and I have 1 1/2 weeks to finish. The chapters are chalked full of stuff!

A few things to know before reading:

-there are 19 chapters

-they are full of stuff

-half of the first chapter is just to bert’s dad, so if you want to read about Robert then go to page 21 “childhood days and further discrace”

-this review is not to shame the author and I have not hint against her, and this book isn’t bad, it’s just a little bit much.

-this book is still great and I still highly recommend reading it!

Thanks for reading this review and I hope it was helpful to you.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Return this item for free

Follow the author

Image Unavailable