The Lees of Virginia

By: Paul C. Nagel

Narrated by: Edward Lewis

The descendants of Richard and Anne Lee have occupied a preeminent place in American history. They were among the first families of Virginia. Two were signers of the Declaration of Independence; several others distinguished themselves during the Revolutionary War; and one, Robert E. Lee, remains widely known.

In The Lees of Virginia, Paul Nagel chronicles seven generations of Lees, from the family founder, Richard, to General Robert E. Lee, covering over 200 years of American history. We meet the dreamers and the nonconformists, the controversial and tempestuous personalities, as well as the disgracers of the family name. Then, of course, we meet the son who was the family's redeeming figure, Robert E. Lee, a brilliant military tactician whose ruling motto was self-denial and who saw God's hand in all things.

In these and numerous other portraits, Paul Nagel discloses how, from 1640 to 1870, a family spirit united the Lees, making them a force in Virginian and American affairs.

©1990 Paul C. Nagel (P)1999 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Nagel's research is impeccable, and the historical value great." (AudioFile)

Interesting, yet mechanical

Nagel's books ties the Lee family to much of the formative events of American history from the early Jamestown colony to the American Civil War. He does a masterful job of connecting the dots, but, due to the similarity of names (which his tries to clarify), it can still be hard to follow. Lovers of U. S. history will enjoy the insights of this volume.

The audio version of this book is it's biggest downfall. The narrator's cadence, inflection, and style make it sound like a computer generated "reading." It takes some effort to get used to his style.

The Lees of Virginia

I would have given the narration a 3 if you could review the content and narration separately, but the shortcomings of the narration were more than made up for in the content, which was extremely well researched and paints a pretty comprehensive picture of this very interesting family.