Reader Responses and Reviews for The Great Abolitionist!
I’ve mentioned numerous times before how grateful I am to receive reader responses on my work. I’m happy to say that, in the few months since it was published this past April, The Great Abolitionist has generated more emails from readers than any other book I’ve written. It’s been great to hear from readers across the country, many of whom have granted me permission to use some or all of their comments on my What Readers Are Saying page. Word-of-mouth is such an important marketing tool in the book business, so these comments from readers are as important as any review. I thank you so much for taking the time to voice your opinions – please keep them coming! In addition, The Great Abolitionist has generated numerous reader reviews at Netgalley.com and Goodreads, places that book readers turn to discover which books their fellow readers are recommending and enjoying! I hope you check them out!
The Great Abolitionist has also picked up some important online publication reviews in the last several months. I’ve mentioned starred reviews by both Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly, as well as a fine review in American Purpose magazine.
Now, a few more influential online book and history sites have added reviews:
I’m honored that BookBrowse.com featured The Great Abolitionist as one of its “Top Pick Books” this summer, which included a front-and-center mention on the home page, an excellent review by Valerie Morales, and a “Beyond the Book” article entitled “Is Separate Equal? The Sarah Roberts Case,” which Sumner argued before the Massachusetts Supreme Court in 1849 (the Roberts article is now available only to subscribers). You can read the fine review here. My thanks to BookBrowse for this selection.
I’m also grateful for Tim Talbot’s thoughtful and comprehensive review in Emerging Civil War. In part, Tim’s review reads: “Puleo skillfully covers Charles Sumner’s extensive efforts and accomplishments on behalf of racial equality—before, during, and after the Civil War… The Great Abolitionist is a welcome addition to the abolitionist historiography. Updating Sumner’s biography with sources and interpretations that have emerged since Dr. [David] Donald’s two-volumes a half century ago clarifies and reemphasizes Sumner’s importance to American politics during the nation’s most trying era.” You can read the full review here!
I really appreciate the review from Ed at the Unabridged Bookstore, which reads in part, “this compelling, rich, biographical history bears witness to Sumner’s profound contributions to creating a more perfect union, and is essential reading for anyone interested in the Civil War and Reconstruction.” Enjoy his full review here.
And Brendan from History Nerds United notes in his review that “The Great Abolitionist is a wonderful biography of a man who had an unassailable passion for abolition but probably would not be the first person you’d invite to a dinner.” Indeed, Brendan has it right – and Sumner himself would probably not argue with the observation! Check out Brendan’s review here.
I’m pleased to say that we have collected these and other reviews for The Great Abolitionist all in one area of my website for your reading pleasure (just scroll down to the “Reviews” tab on the Book page.)
