The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of an American Family

Book Description

There are few American families that feature such a collection of characters, both heroic and ignoble, who have made such a mark on history as the Lees. In The Lees of Virginia, Paul Nagel chronicles seven generations of Lees, covering over two hundred years of accolades and scandals. We meet Thomas Lee, who dreamed of America as a continental empire, and his son, Arthur Lee, who created a political storm with his accusations against Benjamin Franklin. Arthur's cousin was Light-Horse Harry Lee, a controversial cavalry officer in the Revolutionary War, whose wild real estate speculation led to imprisonment for debt and finally self-exile in the Caribbean. One of Harry's sons, Henry Lee, further disgraced the family by seducing his sister-in-law and frittering away Stratford, the Lees' ancestral home. It was a third son, Robert E. Lee, who would become the family's redeeming figure, a brilliant tactician still revered for his lofty character and military success. In these and numerous other portraits, Nagel discloses how, from 1640 to 1870, a family spirit united the Lees, making them a force in Virginian and American affairs. This Bicentennial Edition, celebrating the birth of Robert E. Lee in 1807, features a new Preface by the author in which he discusses the ways in which family biographies can contribute to the ongoing debate about what constitutes "family values." Paul Nagel is a leading chronicler of families prominent in our history. His Descent from Glory, a masterful narrative account of four generations of Adamses, was hailed by Chicago Sun-Times as "a magnificent embarrassment of biographical riches." Now, in The Lees of Virginia, Nagel brings his skills to bear on another major American family, taking readers inside the great estates of the Old Dominion and the turbulent lives of the Lee men and women.

Customer Reviews:

Family History.......2007-02-11

I live on Leesylvania and bought the book to find out more about the family that owned that plantation. It is a successful family and a tragic family, but a family nonetheless. Debt, drugs, laziness, control, and the dead hand in passing legacies are a part of the story.

Deadbeats and success. That may be the history of all families. The book was worth reading.

I do not think that Robert E. Lee should be the saint that he has become. Some of his faults are disclosed, but all in all he is portrayed as a great hero. That is not my opinion of him. For example, others were at fault at Gettysburg. This is an age old controversy, but I think Lee himself answered the question when he said that it was "all my fault".

He is personally responsible for more deaths of Americans than practically anyone else in Amerincan history. Had he stayed true to the Union there would have been fewer deaths. Had he recognized the futility of the confederacy and refused to prolong the ordeal there would have been fewer deaths of Americans. He did neither.

But the book is not just about him. It is a good portayal of a family from generation to generation. I drive north on Highway 28 near Dulles from time to time. One can see the buildings of Sully off to the east. I will visit the estate as I was tempted to read this account.

History is biography.......2005-07-12

This book is a fascinating look at a famous and influential family in a time and place I happen to find among the most interesting in all American history: Virginia from its founding until 1870. Within a few decades of the founding of Jamestown in 1607, the first Lee arrived in the Tidewater. For the next three centuries, more or less, the Lees were at or near the center of Virginia's -- and later America's -- history. For readers familiar only with Robert E. Lee, it may come as a shock to realize just how important his family was before and during the Revolution. But even for those for whom that's not a surprise, Paul Nagel's work is still richly rewarding.

That's because "The Lees of Virginia" isn't really a composite biography of each individual member of the vast Lee family. Many of them do receive pretty thorough portraits, of course. But Nagel's main purpose is to chart the connections and relationships within the family, and to explore the influence of the family *as a* family.

In so doing, he paints a fascinating picture of how characteristics and traits passed from generation to generation -- and how, just as importantly, subsequent generations learned from, and tried to do things differently than, their forebears. Perhaps the most interesting contrast here is between the erratic and debt-ridden "Light-Horse Harry" Lee and his son Robert Edward. R.E. Lee, in this analysis, comes across, frankly, as something of a moralistic prig, and one who more or less chained his daughters to their invalid mother's bedside. Nowadays, it's not uncommon to say about someone, "Well, he came from a messed-up family." I have more appreciation for Robert E. Lee's greatness, as well as his human failings, for seeing that he, too, came from a messed-up family.

If I do have a complaint about this book, it might be that ending the narrative at R.E. Lee's death in 1870 seems a little arbitrary. Certainly, General Lee could be seen as the last truly great or influential member of the family. But as Nagel himself mentions, the General's sons and nephews continued to play relatively important roles in the history of Virginia, including service in Congress and as governor of the Commonwealth. Families wax and wane in their influence, as Nagel's book on the Adamses also proved. But I would have been willing to follow Nagel's reporting for another generation or two, just to see what happened.

That aside, though, this is a fine book about an interesting family in interesting times. There are several members of the family I hope to find out more about -- especially Francis Lightfoot Lee, signer of the Declaration of Independence, whose relatively reclusive personality -- at least as contrasted to his more attention-seeking brothers -- was especially intriguing to me. I've always thought one sign of a good book is how much it makes you want to explore related topics, and "The Lees of Virginia" delivers in that regard too.

A Glimpse Into The Life Of A Family.......2003-07-22

"The Lees" tells the story of a remarkable American family from its establishment in Virginia to General Robert E. Lee. It gives us a glimpse into their lives and the stages on which they played.

One theme which runs through the book was that this family had many failures. Although there were shining lights, such as Richard Henry Lee and Robert E. Lee, the more typical Lee was R.E. Lee's father, Gen. Lighthorse Harry Lee, who squandered his wealth, spent time in debtor's prison and ended his life in flight from his creditors.

The two leading figures of the family are Richard Henry Lee and Robert E. Lee.

Richard Henry was one of the leaders of the call for American Independence. As the sponsor of the Independence Resolution, he would have been a natural for the Committee to draft the Declaration. His opponents in the Virginia delegation blocked his appointment, insisting on the conservative Benjamin Harrison. Less conservative delegates blocked Harrison, with Thomas Jefferson being the compromise choice. Oh, how history could have been different! Richard Henry had a long and, on the balance, distinguished career during which he led the "Lee Party" consisting of himself, his brothers and other Lee relatives.

The coverage of Robert E. Lee amounts to a biography lite, with an emphasis on his involvement in family matters. There are better sources to learn about him.

Much of the book consists of quotations from letters and the provisions of wills of many people who would have never been mentioned in a book had they not been related to Richard Henry Lee and Robert E. Lee. This makes portions of the book rather boring.

I picked up two ideas which emerged from this book. One is the tremendous importance of inheritance for the Lees. This may have been exaggerated because wills are documents which survive, but many people's destiny seems to have been dependent on the inheritance of a farm or a plantation. The other is that it seems that, but for a few government positions, few of them ever aspired to any job other than to manage their farms. This may reflect the nature of the economy and may also reflect the social limitations on their class.

Overall this book has some merit. One could read biographies of Richard Henry Lee and Robert E. Lee and forget the rest, but then the reader would miss the story of how this family worked together over the centuries. Make you own choice.

Amazing.......2000-05-30

This was a very enlightning book about the Lees history. Some very fascinating stories about the lees and their roots

The LEES Of VIRGINIA. Seven Generations of an American Family.

Average customer rating:

The LEES Of VIRGINIA. Seven Generations of an American Family.
Paul C. Nagel
Manufacturer: Oxford,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NYF3N2

The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of American Family

Average customer rating:

The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of American Family
Paul C. Nagel
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

South | Regional U.S. | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: 0786115858

The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of an American Family. (book reviews): An article from: The Mississippi Quarterly

Average customer rating:

The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of an American Family. (book reviews): An article from: The Mississippi Quarterly
W. Kirk Wood
Manufacturer: Mississippi State University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Mississippi Quarterly, published by Mississippi State University on March 22, 1993. The length of the article is 1063 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of an American Family. (book reviews)
Author: W. Kirk Wood
Publication: The Mississippi Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1993
Publisher: Mississippi State University
Volume: v46 Issue: n2 Page: p337(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Average customer rating:

The Lees of Virginia : Seven Generations of an American Family
Paul C. Nagel
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKEA3Y

Average customer rating:

The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of an American Family
Paul C. Nagel
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OK9QZQ

Book Description

Published under the auspice of the International Geographical Union this is the 24th volume in an annual collection of studies of individuals who have made major contributions to the development of geography and geographical thought. Subjects are drawn from all periods and from all parts of the world, and include famous names as well as those less well known: explorers, independent thinkers and scholars. Each paper describes the geographer's education, life and work and discusses their influence and spread of academic ideas, and includes a select bibliography and brief chronology. The work includes a general index and a cumulative index of geographers listed in volumes published to date.

Geographers: Biobibliographical Studies (Geographers)

Average customer rating:

Geographers: Biobibliographical Studies (Geographers)

Manufacturer: Cassell Academic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0720120810

Average customer rating:

Geographers: Biobibliographical Studies (Geographers)

Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This twenty-sixth volume of Geographers: Biobibliographical Studies brings together essays on leading figures in time geography and regional theory, on GIS, on regional, cultural and political geography, on scriptural geography, historical geography and methodology, and on African exploration. Each essay engages with the individual's contribution to geography, their works and their lives and the intellectual and social contexts in which they worked and which helped shape them. In addition - and to mark the new co-editorial pairing leading the series - the volume has an essay on the history of GBS, on the importance of biographical work in the history of geography and on issues to be addressed by the scholarly communities engaged in promoting this vital area of geographical research.

Average customer rating:

Geographers: Biobibliographical Studies (Geographers)

Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

An annual collection of studies of individuals who have made major contributions to the development of geography and geographical thought. Subjects are drawn from all periods and from all parts of the world, and include famous names as well as those less well known: explorers, independent thinkers and scholars. Each paper describes the geographer's education, life and work and discusses their influence and spread of academic ideas, and includes a select bibliography and brief chronology. The work includes a general index and a cumulative index of geographers listed in volumes published to date.

Geographers Biobibliographical Studies, vol. 15.(Brief Article): An article from: The Geographical Journal

Average customer rating:

Geographers Biobibliographical Studies, vol. 15.(Brief Article): An article from: The Geographical Journal
M.J. Wise
Manufacturer: Royal Geographical Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00096JT3E
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Geographical Journal, published by Royal Geographical Society on March 1, 1996. The length of the article is 447 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Geographers Biobibliographical Studies, vol. 15.(Brief Article)
Author: M.J. Wise
Publication: The Geographical Journal (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 1996
Publisher: Royal Geographical Society
Volume: v162 Issue: n1 Page: p114(2)

Article Type: Book Review, Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

GEOGRAPHERS: BIOBIBLIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES, 1977-2000.: An article from: The Geographical Review

Average customer rating:

GEOGRAPHERS: BIOBIBLIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES, 1977-2000.: An article from: The Geographical Review
Patrick H. Armstrong , and Geoffrey J. Martin
Manufacturer: American Geographical Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008JAAXA
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Geographical Review, published by American Geographical Society on April 1, 2000. The length of the article is 2012 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: GEOGRAPHERS: BIOBIBLIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES, 1977-2000.
Author: Patrick H. Armstrong
Publication: The Geographical Review (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2000
Publisher: American Geographical Society
Volume: 90 Issue: 2 Page: 256

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Geographers : Biobibliographical Studies (Vol. 2)

Average customer rating:

Geographers : Biobibliographical Studies (Vol. 2)
T.W. And Philippe Pinchemel Freeman
Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
ASIN: B000KYRHQ6

Book Description

Stepping effortlessly from myth to cutting-edge science, Mutants gives a brilliant narrative account of our genetic code and the captivating people whose bodies have revealed it—a French convent girl who found herself changing sex at puberty; children who, echoing Homer's Cyclops, are born with a single eye in the middle of their foreheads; a village of long-lived Croatian dwarves; one family, whose bodies were entirely covered with hair, was kept at the Burmese royal court for four generations and gave Darwin one of his keenest insights into heredity. This elegant, humane, and engaging book “captures what we know of the development of what makes us human” (Nature).

Customer Reviews:

Involving and Entertaining.......2007-09-26

I picked up this book after looking through The Mutter Museum: Of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia coffee-table book I received for my birthday. This book looks at human genetic variety through the lens of 'mutants' - people who, in years past, might have been referred to as 'freaks.' The genetic basis of each disorder is laid out. The book teaches much about developmental biology and genetics. In addition, it has many individual life stories as well as bits on history and the history of science.

I picked up this book really intending just to browse through it. I ended up quickly reading the entire book. I am a lover of science books written for the layman, and this is one is very good. It will give you an appreciation for yourself and all those around you.

RU486.......2007-08-02

I am in the process of reading this book, so far I am enjoying it. I am, however considering discontuing reading because of a gross mistake. The author refers to the RU486 as "the morning after pill". This is completely false! RU486 is the so-called abortion pill(s). This is taken AFTER the woman becomes pregnant, generally within the 1st 8 weeks of conception. The morning after pill is a PREVENTATIVE method. If there is an actual pregnancy the morning after pill will DO NOTHING to the pregancy! This book is obviously written by a man who understands the basics of science, but I suppose women's health is excluded from science.

Lively, smart and sympathetic.......2007-04-28

This is an excellent book on the understanding of human genetics, and humanity itself. I've always found biology fascinating, but most books I've stumbled across seem to quickly skim over the subject of abnormalities, as if assuming the reader would be offended or frightened. I think it's natural to be curious about the unusual, and this book does a terrific job of explaining it.

Drawing on history, legend, and modern knowledge, Leroi deals with the process of a human body forming - not just what can go wrong and why, but how these genetic hiccups actually help our understanding of things going right. The writing skips easily between time periods, and for the most part is accessible and not overly technical.

Very squeamish readers might not be keen on some of the photos and illustrations, but they're used tastefully and supplement the text very well. People looking for a "hoo boy, grody freakshow pictures!" book will be let down. However, I was a little disappointed in the relative lack of scientific illustrations to accompany the sections describing the body's construction and growth processes, which would make it a bit clearer for visually-oriented people like me.

Leroi describes his subjects humanely, neither glorifying their abnormalities nor expressing disgust or ridicule at them. In addition, he presents the reality that we are all mutants. Our DNA isn't static or perfect, and that's what makes humanity strange, interesting, and beautiful.

It's fascinating and elegantly written; full of insight, dignity and respect you don't often see in books dealing with subjects like this. I highly recommend it to anyone even vaguely interested in biology or genetics.

Excellent.......2006-09-21

This is no modern day freak show but a very sensitive, respectful and graceful examination of human genetic mutations that our increasing understanding of genes and developmental biology now allows. Development is followed from conception through the growth of limbs, bone, size, genitals, skin etc with examples of the most extreme mutations and their effects.

But it is not only about the extreme mutations. Leroi is also, and perhaps more so, interested in the everyday variation amongst us all and ends with a chapter about human variation and our perceptions of and reactions to 'beauty'.

Human variation and its genetic causes is a subject often difficult to approach because of our history of how we have reacted to difference but this book puts all such worries aside. As Leroi states: 'Injustice can sometimes be the consequence of new knowledge but far more often it slips in through the cracks of our ignorance.'

An excellent book and an excellent example of how our natural curiosity about ourselves and our physical differences can be approached with great dignity and respect.

Graceful exposition of a disturbing topic.......2006-06-30

The human body is a masterpiece of complex interlinked parts, ideally working in harmony. All of us contain slight variations from the norm making each of us a mutant in a technical sense. However, in certain rare human beings the genetic orchestra plays so dissonant a tune that the end product classifies as a "Mutant" in the generally accepted sense of the word.

When the genetic tune goes awry to the extent portrayed by the case studies in the book, dealing with this topic requires of an author a multitude of versatile attributes. He/she needs to paint a verbal picture of the disorder, to put the human under study in historical or geographical context and explain the biological conditions under which the mutation occurred. Leroi rises to the task with grace and authority, making for a fascinating book.

Leroi scouts sources in locales far and wide, effortlessly leaping back and forth across the centuries to find subjects for his exposition. In many cases he supplements his descriptions with illustrations and photographs. His prose is evocative and erudite, circumventing the tedium it could easily segue into, given his academic interest in the subject. However disturbing the topic (and personally I do not delight in the macabre), this is a book well worth reading. I would also recommend this as a great Halloween gift.

Mutants: On the Form, Varieties and Errors of the Human Body

Average customer rating:

Mutants: On the Form, Varieties and Errors of the Human Body
Armand Marie Leroi
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Anatomy | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Genetics | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books

History | Special Topics | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Mutants: On Genetic Variety and the Human Body

Average customer rating:

Mutants: On Genetic Variety and the Human Body
Armand Leroi
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ41KW

Customer Reviews:

Great background on cookbooks and collecting them.......2005-01-07

A very informative book on the backgound of cookbooks and collecting them. It is not meant to be a price list. Price lists are only valid until they are published, then the prices have already changed, so this book has a leg up on price lists.

If you don't care about the background of cookbooks and collecting and are only looking for lists or advice as to which to buy, don't buy this book.

If you want to learn more about the hobby, buy this book.

A Valuable Reference Guide.......2000-08-26

Barile's book is one of my 3 favorites on this subject. Her coverage of historical significance is excellent, and her listing of specific books with price guidelines is simple to use and surprisingly thorough for the space devoted to them. I have been able to find some of my cookbooks and recipe leaflets in this book that are not listed elsewhere, so I recommend it a sound investment for the new collector. My copy is already dog-eared from daily use.

A MUST for New Cookbook Collectors!.......2000-08-23

As a new collector of cookbooks, this is one of my favorite reference books. The historical information found in this book is fascinating and helps the reader understand the significance of cookbooks as a window to the past. It also helps explain why some are valued as highly as they are. The 1993 copyright did not detract, since values tend to be relative, and this book gives a good feel for evaluating a collection. Unlike an earlier reviewer, I did not find the shortened listings in the last section of the book to be a problem. I was able to find a surprising number of cookbooks I've acquired in this book that are not in the 3 others I have. Also, cookbooks are listed alphabetically by title, the absolute simplest reference arrangement I've found...no jumping around in categories is required. I'd highly recommend this one!

A Fair Buy.......2000-04-24

This book is a pretty fair buy and help. The thing I didn't like was the fact that 2/3 of the book is history of different cookbooks. I didn't personally want this. I just wanted prices of collectible cookbooks, so there weren't near enough books for my liking. The listings that were there were easy to understand and look up.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books