Read a Preview of My Crater Book

The book should be available in a matter of a few weeks, but you can now read the entire first chapter and snippets of the rest at Google Books.  The first chapter focuses on the battle itself and pays specific attention to how Confederates assessed having to fight black soldiers.  Other blogger/authors have expressed their frustration about these previews and I am certainly sympathetic.  That said and apart from the legal issues involved I am not too concerned.  In fact, I don’t think it will have much of an impact, if any, on sales.  Times are tough for many people and if those interested can at least get a taste of what is in the book than I am happy.  Ultimately, I wrote the book for it to be read and to stimulate discussion and hopefully lead to some understanding of this event.

I am pleased to see that the first chapter is previewed in its entirety.  It covers material that has led to some pretty heated debates on this blog and has even reinforced the belief in a small number of people that my motivations for writing are based on a hatred of all things southern.  Yes, how silly.  The nice thing about a book is that you have to lay it all on the line.  I did my best to interpret the battle based on the evidence collected and my thorough reading of relevant secondary sources.  Ultimately all interpretations are incomplete and subject to correction.

As always, I welcome your feedback.

Oh…and if you would like to order the book now is your chance to purchase it at 40% off.  Just click the image at the top right of the sidebar and use the code at checkout.  Looking for an autographed copy?  I am scheduled to appear at the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop’s Virtual Book Signing program on July 28.

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5 comments… add one
  • Brad Jun 11, 2012 @ 11:08

    Kevin,

    Best of luck with your book now that it has come to fruition. I saw from VBS that you were going to be on there and I look forward to seeing/listening to you in July.

    Brad

    • Kevin Levin Jun 11, 2012 @ 11:36

      Thanks, Brad. VBS should be a lot of fun. The best part is I get to hang for a few days in Chicago.

  • Dudley Bokoski Jun 10, 2012 @ 13:41

    It seems really odd so much copyrighted work is published on the internet. It is very similar to what’s happening in the music industry, but at least they can rationalize to themselves what they are losing on sales is recovered at least in part by live appearances. It seems more than a bit unfair to authors.

    One question. How much larger (and deeper) was the crater at the time of the explosion than what we see today? Hadn’t been there in awhile and I was just looking at the trail which circles around it on Google Earth. The actual depression appears to take up about 1/3 of the area of the circle the trail makes around it. How much further out did the original area go?

  • Mark Klayman Jun 10, 2012 @ 11:31

    Kevin,

    I wish you the very best of luck and hope that your book finds tremendous success. Sounds like a must read for students and teachers.
    Had a wonderful time with family at shower yesterday.

    Sincerely,
    Mark Klayman

    • Kevin Levin Jun 10, 2012 @ 11:49

      Nice to hear from you and thanks for the kind words. Looking forward to seeing the family in the not too distant future. Send my best to Hope.

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