beckyg1016's reviews
492 reviews

As a new resident of Nashville, I felt obligated to learn about the man whose name is on everything here. I appreciated the history of TN presented in the book - however, I think this could have easily been two separate, shorter books: one on the history of TN and the West and one on Jackson. Yes, the two are closely related, but there are so many "contextual tangents" in this book that I, personally, didn't think were necessary.
That is, of course, just my opinion as someone who typically reads fiction - if you love history and biographies, you may relish all of the "extra" context. 
The writing is good and I have no complaints about the overall flow or style. If you want to learn more about Jackson and TN (and FL, LA, TX), I recommend this as a good resource. 

NOTE: Due to the time period, significant triggers on slavery, racism, and genocide. Jackson is a strongly opinionated character and those opinions, while not uncommon for his time, are likely to spark outrage or even trigger some readers today - be warned. You do not have to like or agree with any of his stances in order to learn and understand the role (for better or worse) that he played in American history. 

Every puzzle piece draws you closer to the answer, but not in the way you think.
My advice: Don't try too hard to solve it, play along with the main character as the story unfolds - the ending is worth it. 

Just never caught my attention- I think because I was familiar with the story already, it felt predictable.