Reviews for Don't Give up the Ship!: Myths of the War Of 1812

The average rating for Don't Give up the Ship!: Myths of the War Of 1812 based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-02-01 00:00:00 Paul Dmura I think a better title would be "1812 Shades of Gray." It's not a primer on the war and it's not a straight-up debunking of the myths of the war and it's not historiography--although it is all of these, in part. Rather, Professor Hickey has dissected many elements of the war (battles, generals, naval officers, tactics, politics and so on) and examined them all, teased out the truth (or at least the best evidence which points at truth) and allowed himself to do what a lot of historians don't: indulge in the "what if" questions. What if news of the Orders in Council had reached the US earlier. What if this battle or that had gone anther way. I *like* this sort of speculation (much more than the guessing game of "[X famous figure] probably did this and probably thought that"). I also like that Hickey has his own biases and calls it like he sees it (go team Jefferson-was-a-big-fat-hypocrite!), and while I didn't agree with every conclusion he reached, I like a historian who takes a stand. Hickey knows his stuff inside and out, and even if you don't like his conclusions, you will find they are well-reasoned. If you are very familiar with the War of 1812, you will find places where your attention will flag because you have the basics down cold already. Read it anyway, because you will also learn nuances of the war you didn't know existed. Also, Hickey devotes a good deal of time to the impact of the war on Canadians and Native American populations. If you are not very familiar with the War of 1812, what is wrong with you? Um, I mean, this is maybe not the perfect starting point for learning the war (I am partial to Jon Latimer's _1812_, which I think is, despite its British bias, a fair treatment), but it is a good second or third book, to put it all into perspective. Recommended.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-01-05 00:00:00 shawn banks The War of 1812 is certainly one of America's most forgotten conflicts, as another of the author's book titles claims, but it has also generated an inordinate number of myths which complicate and distort the history of conflict among those who are familiar with it. Donald Hickey's book seeks to correct many of the most significant myths which deal with the war. Professor Hickey has done a fine job outlining the historiography (the history of the history) of the myths of the War of 1812. He disproves many of the myths, proves the validity of others - either in part or whole - and refutes and disproves many others. I found this book a very enjoyable read; although, I do not agree with some of the author's arguments - specifically in regard to the author's contention that the U.S. lost the War of 1812. While he makes a somewhat reasonable case, his argument is far from convincing to this military historian. Historian Dr. George C. Daughan, an accomplished professor in his own right, makes a far more convincing case that the U.S. won the War of 1812 in his fine book "1812: The Navy's War," which I recommend to those seeking an opposing point of view in this matter. Hickey gives too much weight to the lack of reference of the maritime causes of the war in the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the conflict, and downplays the fact that with Napoleon's fall in 1814 those issues were no longer major points of contention. In the end, "the proof is in the pudding" as the saying goes - and I remain convinced that the U.S. won the War of 1812 at best, and fought to a draw at the worst. While I disagree with some of the author's other points, I found most of the arguments to be well articulated and researched. If the author demolishes a number of myths dear to American hearts (of those few Americans who know anything about the War of 1812), he equally refutes some of those myths dear to the hearts of Canadians, specifically the myth that the Canadian militia won the war and the misconception that the War of 1812 was nothing more than an attempt at annexation of Canada. Readers unfamiliar with the War of 1812 would be well-advised to read a complete narrative of the conflict before starting Hickey's book about the myths, so that they will have a point of reference for the events and persons detailed in "Don't Give Up the Ship!" No matter which of the combatants with which you sympathize, I heartily recommend Hickey's book!