The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War

Written by Erik Larson

Narrated by Erik Larson and Will Patton

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Splendid and the Vile brings to life the pivotal five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War in this “riveting reexamination of a nation in tumult” (Los Angeles Times).

“A feast of historical insight and narrative verve . . . This is Erik Larson at his best, enlivening even a thrice-told tale into an irresistible thriller.”—The Wall Street Journal

A PARADE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln became the fluky victor in a tight race for president. The country was bitterly at odds; Southern extremists were moving ever closer to destroying the Union, with one state after another seceding and Lincoln powerless to stop them. Slavery fueled the conflict, but somehow the passions of North and South came to focus on a lonely federal fortress in Charleston Harbor: Fort Sumter.

Master storyteller Erik Larson offers a gripping account of the chaotic months between Lincoln’s election and the Confederacy’s shelling of Sumter—a period marked by tragic errors and miscommunications, enflamed egos and craven ambitions, personal tragedies and betrayals. Lincoln himself wrote that the trials of these five months were “so great that, could I have anticipated them, I would not have believed it possible to survive them.”

At the heart of this suspense-filled narrative are Major Robert Anderson, Sumter’s commander and a former slave owner sympathetic to the South but loyal to the Union; Edmund Ruffin, a vain and bloodthirsty radical who stirs secessionist ardor at every opportunity; and Mary Boykin Chesnut, wife of a prominent planter, conflicted over both marriage and slavery and seeing parallels between them. In the middle of it all is the overwhelmed Lincoln, battling with his duplicitous secretary of state, William Seward, as he tries desperately to avert a war that he fears is inevitable—one that will eventually kill 750,000 Americans.

Drawing on diaries, secret communiques, slave ledgers, and plantation records, Larson gives us a political horror story that captures the forces that led America to the brink—a dark reminder that we often don’t see a cataclysm coming until it’s too late.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Apr 30, 2024
• ISBN: 9780593828519

Erik Larson

Erik Larson is an author of two previous books, including the critically acclaimed ‘Lethal Passage’, about a boy and a gun. Currently an award-winning writer for ‘Time’ magazine, he formerly wrote features stories for the front page of the ‘Wall Street Journal’ and taught non-fiction writing at the Johns Hopkins Writers’ Seminars and San Francisco State University. He lives in Seattle.

Reviews for The Demon of Unrest

[Janet Schmidt · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Don’t waste an “unlock” credit on this.

We visited Charleston and I was excited to learn more about the events leading up to the Civil War. Everand had this on their top 20 new books, but I should have read reviews on good reads first.

There was absolutely no flow to this book. It’s skips around from one diary entry by one person, hours before the first shot of the civil war, to the night before Lincoln’s election win. It is all over the place in time and characters. Many entries are completely irrelevant, like a young man at boring school getting into bed to poke at other boys? What?

I tried to forge ahead hoping it would get better but finally gave up half way though not learning much. This is the first book in 10 years I didn’t finish. I can’t believe someone published this. I wonder how much they paid to get reviews and mentioned on here.

[yukon92 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book by Mr. Larson that I didn't like! I have read all his other nonfiction books and loved them. This one was too disjointed for me. I also listened to the audiobook version and I am not sure whether the voice of the narrator made it more unpleasant to me.

[threadnsong · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A well-researched, well-written book into one of the most central times in US history. It is also timely and explores some of the forgotten plots that transpired during a deeply divided time in our country.

Drawing on only first-hand sources, Larson explores the crucial months between Abraham Lincoln's election as President in 1860 and the start of the US Civil War. Of course we all read those sentences in our history books: Lincoln won the election. He became President. Then a Southerner fired on Fort Sumter, and detail detail detail about the Civil War. The Battle of Bull Run. The burning of Atlanta. Pickett's Charge. The Gettysburg Address.

But this book is different. This book details the letters and writings of Edmund Ruffin, a secessionist who fires the infamous first shot. Who was he, and what did he believe? And Robert Anderson, who was the commander at Fort Sumter. He kept a diary and was in constant communication with the leaders in Charleston. While he grew up a Southerner, he knew his duty was to defend the US fort against the secessionists. Mary Boykin was married to a plantation owner and published a diary detailing what she saw in towns and cities during her lifetime.

And then there were the clandestine meetings in the end of Buchanan's government and the start of Lincoln's government. And the calls by the secessionists to march on Washington, D.C., to overthrow Lincoln, possibly even preventing him from taking office. And the states, one by one, that voted to remove themselves from the United States, happening in real time.

Anyone with an interest in history, in parallels between historical time periods, in political unrest and deep division, owes it to themselves to read this book. It will not take long.

[spoko_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Obviously I was aware of the importance of Fort Sumter w/r/t the Civil War. But it was still informative and interesting to dive deep into the events & personalities that played a significant role in leading up to that pivotal moment. Larson did a good job pulling together some disparate sources and braiding them together to give a fuller picture of those developments.

I still don’t quite get the adoration with which people seem to regard Erik Larson’s histories, but it was a fine book.

[carolfoisset · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting info - will admit I did not know much of the details of these events so it was quite enlightening. Enjoyed all the personal information about and by (letters, diaries etc) about so many of the people involved in the events.

[kalliegrace · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an excellent history of the unrest leading up to the civil war, because it's told by the wonderful storyteller Larson. Many events and characters from history I have never heard of or only heard bits about. A very prescient topic for our times.

[bereanna · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Erik Larson is the guy if you want interesting history with minute detail. This one plods through the pre-opening salvos of the Civil War specifically in South Carolina. It details the characters who took part in the Fort Sumter battle and their strategies. Well worth the effort to finishbthisbforbournGarden City Book Club.

[romonko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As expected Erik Larsen has another winner here. His books are all thoroughly researched and verified so you know you’re getting the true story. This book covers the time from just before Abraham Lincoln’s election as President of the US. Until the fall of Ft. Sumter and the beginning of the American Civil War. As he states in his title, it was a time of unrest, hubris, treachery and tempers were high. It was all compounded by misinformation and delays in messages getting out to the correct people. Bad weather also compounded the many delays and misunderstandings as they affected the efficacy of governance and this also resulted in messages and orders not getting to the people concerned in time. The United States were bitterly at odds with each other and the division between the north and the south was the worst it had ever been. Larsen had researched diaries, journals, slave records, bank documents and all kinds of official communications while he was writing this book. He has truly captured the forces and occurrences that led America to this precipice. Erik Larsen’s books are worth the effort to read, especially if you enjoy historical non-fiction that reads like a novel, even though they are all packed with information.

[darthdeverell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Erik Larson’s The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War chronicles the last months of the Buchanan Administration and the growing threat of Civil War as South Carolina seceded from the Union and demanded the forfeiture of Fort Sumter. Despite all the bluster of various Southern officials, Larson argues that every contemporary knew slavery to be the true cause of the posturing and eventual conflict. He writes, “…For all the South’s efforts to blame the crisis on Northern tyranny in imposing tariffs, collecting revenue, and ordaining ‘internal improvements,’ the crux of the crisis was in fact slavery. This was obvious to all at the time, if not to members of a certain school of twentieth-century historiography who sought to cast the conflict in the bloodless terms of states’ rights” (p. 274). Further, other contemporaries similarly understood that any mention of other causes was merely a disguise for slavery’s place in the body politic as “a cancer whose inner damage was masked by the victim’s outward appearance of health” (p. 345).

Larson employs his research background to dramatize historical events, alternating between different principals in the federal government as well as the southern states and even diarists and newspaper writers. Many soldiers left records behind so that Larson can share their insights and actions as well as those of the political leaders. He uses honor culture as his insight into the Southern mindset, with his work demonstrating the influence of Gerald Linderman’s Embattled Courage: The Experience of Combat in the American Civil War or Bertram Wyatt-Brown’s earlier text, Southern Honor: Ethics and Behavior in the Old South. The code duello further punctuates each section, helping to frame the conflict as a duel of sorts. Despite this framing device, Larson reminds readers that the conflict held deeper meaning as to the nation’s character. As an example, Abner Doubleday, part of the United States defense at Sumter, viewed the battle over the fort as a fight “for the survival of the United States. ‘The only alternative was to submit to a powerful oligarchy who were determined to make freedom forever subordinate to slavery’” (p. 429).

Larson concludes, “Here lay the greatest of ironies: In thirty-four hours of some of the fiercest bombardment the world had ever seen, no one was killed or even seriously injured, yet this bloodless attack would trigger a war that killed more Americans than any other conflict in the country’s history” (p. 463). Amid our currently rising political tensions, Larson’s work finds an readership yearning to understand how a civil war begins. Readers should be wary of mapping sectional boundaries onto current events, but may look to Doubleday’s comments to draw comparisons to the class-based masculine posturing that inspires much of contemporary political furores.

[doondeck · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not his best. A short-lived but pivotal event in the Civil War fluffed up with anecdotes.

[muddyboy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dr. Larson has done it again. All of his books retell history in a captivating personal way. This one tells the story of the lead up to and surrender of Fort Sumter which ultimately leads to the Civil War. We learn about the backgrounds and struggles of the principals on both sides including Lincoln an Anderson who commanded the fort. There is so much unique trivia including the origin of shrapnel, how the army protected the capital during the vote count (not like January sixth.) and the southern statesman who molests four nieces from thirteen to nineteen with no guilt about it. A really great in depth study.

[spounds_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I didn't know much about this time period--between the election of Lincoln and the beginning of the Civil War. It seems similar to the times we are living in now where we're just waiting for the first shot to be fired, and everyone seems on edge.

[japaul22 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was really unimpressed by [[Erik Larson]]'s nonfiction account of the attack on Fort Sumter that began the Civil War. It seemed that it would be interesting. I'm definitely intrigued by the time period and Larson focused on a diverse group of people to try to bring the time period to life. He draws from the experiences of Abraham Lincoln, Mary Chestnut (a Confederate diarist), Major Robert Anderson (the commanding officer at Fort Sumter), and Edmund Ruffin (a secessionist actively trying to make sure the south secedes from the union). Larson focuses on South Carolina, as the heart of the South, the location of Fort Sumter, and the first state to secede.

Interesting time period, great historical characters, a varied look at the competing opinions and forces of the time - so what went wrong?
To me, Larson flits around too much. He writes very short chapters (even as short as a page) and skips around from person to person. He loses momentum and focus. And no one persons' experience or contributions are fully fleshed out. There's no depth or continuity. Several of the people he talked about in detail at the beginning are nowhere to be found be the end of the book. I just didn't get any sort of narrative arc or propulsion to the start of the Civil War.

I'd give this a pass if you were considering it.

[technodiabla · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I listened to this book in audiobook format.

This work of non-fiction depicts the 6 months leading up to the start of the Civil War. The events surrounding Fort Sumter anchor the story though there are many side stories involving Lincoln, a few notable southern planters, and even some women diarists who detail not only political events, but everyday life. As always, Larson is meticulous in his research and exacting in his reference of sources. There are about a million characters and they were confusing as first but I eventually became familiar with the ones that mattered to the story. It was fascinating to hear how novice we were at military strategy and logistics compared to today's US forces. It was also much more in depth and nuanced than any history I learned in school. Both sides were full of egos, incompetence, and greed. The details of the "Chivalric Code of Honor" was also really interesting.

This book has been a huge best seller but was drawn much criticism from both sides of our current political divide. I think that probably just means he did an excellent job of telling the facts of history without bowing down to any particular current sentiment. It is as it should be.

[waldhaus1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brings a fresh perspective to life. Its focus it’s the lead up to South Carolina’s succession and then the attack on Fort Sumter. Anderson the fort’s commander is well presented. Comparing the social anger of those years to our contemporary experience’s is thought provoking.

[renzomalo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not as immersive as Larson's other books but informative on so many levels. A good read.

[asukamaxwell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You will learn more about the immediate events leading up to the Civil War then you ever did in history class. But instead of a broad, general view of politics and economics, Larson focuses on the men behind the scenes. Featuring the passively frustrating President James Buchanan, his treasonous Secretary of War John Floyd (outsmarted by Unionist yinzers!), recently elected Abraham Lincoln, incestuous planter James Hammond, adamant secessionist Edmund Riffin, no-nonsense abolitionist Capt. Doubleday, and sympathizing but duty-first Major Anderson, the commander at Ft. Sumter. But despite the efforts of Northern compromisers and Unionists, war was inevitable. Problem was, the "petulant" gentlemen of the South all knew it was an awful, outdated institution. But the money was too good. Risking war and the deaths of hundreds of thousands was worth it to preserve their lifestyle. Out of the 169 South Carolina white slavers who decided on succession and the fate of an entire nation, 40% all went to the same college and the decision took eight minutes.

What I love most about this book is that Erik Larson gets right to the point: "The crux of the crisis was in fact slavery. This was obvious to all at the time, if not to [20th century revisionists] who sought to cast the conflict in the bloodless terms of states' rights." The Civil War occurred because a small, incredibly rich, white portion of the population wanted to preserve their "chivalrous" way of life, on the backs of millions of individuals. What's more, Larson quotes Southern planters and politicians directly, so there's no denying it. He cuts the rose-tinted, magnolia blooming, sweet tea drinking atmosphere with a knife and I'm here for it. I especially enjoyed reading of Anderson's rogue night mission to move all the men from Moultrie to Sumter. The tension in that bold move is palatable, and I thought it was particularly well written. Another fantastic work from Mr. Larson!

[maryreinert · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I learned far more about the Civil War than I ever did in school. Couldn't put the book down. Larson tells the story of the events leading up to the attack on Ft. Sumter which opened the American Civil War.

Focusing on several participants, the book gives the perspective from differing sides. Major Anderson was in charge of the fort for the Union although he was somewhat of a Southern sympathizer. Mary Chestnut, the wife of a prominent planter was definitely the "southern lady" but with some conflicted views of slavery. Edmund Ruffin (who I had never heard of) was a radical Southerner working toward secession. The journey of Abraham Lincoln from Illinois to Washington DC for the inauguration was also so interesting.

Another interesting facet of the book was the Southern idea of chivalry and their "Bible-based" ideas of slavery.

The entire book really is just a lead in to the actual attack on Sumter and all of the maneuverings and postering that went before. It was definitely not a surprise attack.

Great read!

[schneider_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another classic by Erik Larson! An audiobook this time around for me, and it did not disappoint.
Revolving around Fort Sumter, the story follows the arch of the famous and not so famous participants (directly and indirectly) that were involved in the lead up and attack on the soldiers and the Fort in the Charleston, SC bay that ushered in the American Civil War.
There were many points of view that Larson used and wrote on regarding their participation, actions, behind-the-scenes movements, politicking, and so on that on a few occasions it became confusing as to how this was I was reading, but that was few and far between and was never overwhelming.
could this be considered educational? Well, I fancy myself a Civil War junkie, and to say I didn't learn anything would be an outright lie. There were many instances where I found myself rewinding so I could hear something again as I had never read or heard the fact or event before.
As always, Mr. Larson's writing is impeccable. The clean prose flow and keep this epic story moving at a readable clip that keeps the reader/listener totally engaged.
I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good story, biography, history or the Civil War. Four solid star from me.

[lostinalibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In The Demon of Unrest, Erik Larson gives the history of the months leading up to the 1861attack on Fort Sumter seen as the opening salvo in the United States Civil War. I will admit to knowing only the bare bones of the attack or the war in general so I was excited whe I received an early copy from Netgalley and the publishers. I finished it a while ago but found writing this review difficult because I have mixed feeling about it.

On the plus side, Larson’s writing is clear, factual, well- researched and -documented including contemporaneous documents and letters, while avoiding the dry writing of most academic history, thus making it more interesting and easily accessible to everyone. And I must say, it is very interesting.

However, my problem with it is, as other reviewers have said, he gives us a great deal from the perspective of White slave holders but very little from Black people, whether enslaved or free. He documents some of the injustices and horrors inflicted on enslaved people but also some of the small kindnesses given them as well as showing them aiding in preparations for the attack. But the only actual Black voice we hear is that of Frederick Douglass, responding negatively to a speech by Lincoln which seemed meant to placate the South and this was followed by a more positive response from a Lexington lawyer who saw it as a judicial attempt at reconciliation. Interestingly, if it was, the South perceived it as hostility towards them.

I suspect Larson was trying to give a balanced and unbiased view of what can still be seen as an emotionally charged issue. The January 6th insurrection occurred while he was researching this book and he wondered about parallels. In fairness to Larson, this isn’t meant be one of those dry history tomes which, by the way, can also show biases, but I kind of felt, in his effort to be objective, he seems to give too much weight to the Southern perspective.

But that’s just me and my perspective may be skewed by being a non-American. Overall, despite these criticisms, I did quite enjoy reading this book. As I said, Larson makes history interesting, even fascinating and I found this book impossible to put down.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Crown Publishing in exchange for an honest review

[susan11-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

very rare for me to read a non fiction book and give it 5 stars
a wonderful book

[acargile-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I very much enjoyed learning about Fort Sumter. Raised as a southerner and loving southern literature, this story of the fort and the characters surrounding it fascinated me.

Erik Larson talks in the beginning about the January 6th insurrection and wondered about parallels. What causes people to latch onto an idea that becomes a person and a people's identity? What causes people to align with an idea so strongly that literally killing a person is justified? Larson introduces us to Abraham Lincoln, presenting a man with a sense of humor and a steel resolve to meet history where it stands. We meet southerners who believe in the myth of the south with their entire being, even willing to lose a son to the cause. I studied southern literature in college, and Larson touches upon several ideas that represent southern beliefs. I will say that it's impossible to completely understand the south from the outside. Even comments made by Larson and others during the novel show an inability to fully grasp the southern conflicts and paradoxes. Larson uses primary sources to tell the stories, from men to women, from southern to northern. It's through these sources that you see the southern ideas pull states together, leave the union, and choose to kill for those ideas. You also see the northerners as not completely understanding and believing unity is more important that southern ideas.

The southern myth of a beautiful society existing before the Civil War continues to create misunderstandings--at the least--and terrible, killing violence--at the worst. This novel gives a bit of an introduction to the idea and delves well into the messages and beliefs that caused Fort Sumter to be fired upon. It was historically educational yet sad to see the choices made that eventually led to a war amongst United States citizens that, in some ways, continues to be fought. It's well worth your time!

[zhoud2005 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I can't really enjoy this book for some reason.

[annbury_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting, but focus in too close for me -- lost track of bigger picture.

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

NONFICTION, historic-buildings, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, due-diligence, greed, cruelty, slavery, human-trafficking, human-rights, entitled-attitude, politics, politicians, manipulation, lies, literacy, American Civil War*****

Talk about impressive diligence in research and turning it into far more than an educational tome! This intense study brings us from basic politics to the brink of the US Civil War, complete with the black mold on each side and the blind ignorance as well. Larson always makes us think and extrapolate from history to today. Of course I have bought the audio!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected ebook file from Crown Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you.

[starkravingmad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not one of Larson's best books. Still, his research is impressive.

[kaysee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very interesting read about the civil war from a somewhat mainly southern view. It tells the story of the southern view on slavery and the people that thought the south would perish without the slaves to work the fields.

A totally different view from the history I was taught, but very compelling

[lbswiener · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Demon of Unrest is an extremely well researched book about the beginnings of the Civil War. It is a different perspective because it is written as a story using documented diaries, letters from people who were instigators, participants and observers of the Civil War. Four stars are given in this review.

[highlander6022 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An excellent recap of the period just before the Civil War and the machinations of those on the Union side and the Confederacy and the protagonists for secession on the southern side, and the whole Ft. Sumter battle story. I learned a lot about forerunner actions and movement for secession.

[booklover1801 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In "The Demon of Unrest," Erik Larson recounts the events that led to the Confederates' attack on Fort Sumter, the prelude to the bloodiest conflict in our nation's history. After four grueling years, the Civil War would take more American lives than World War I and World War II combined. Along with famous individuals who played roles in this tragedy, we learn about lesser-known men and women whose written recollections and actions shed light on those turbulent times. Larson draws his information from a host of primary and secondary sources that he cites in his endnotes. The diaries and letters that Larson quotes are often fascinating in their insightful observations, humor, and poignancy.

What stands out in this saga is the significance of slavery to the Southern plantation owners. To them, cotton was king, a phrase made famous by a reprobate and social climber named James Hammond. He and others who shared his views believed that they had the indisputable right to own slaves in order to preserve their wealth and maintain their cherished way of life. We get the sense that the Civil War might have been avoided had arrogant and selfish individuals not fomented hysteria among their peers. In addition, it is clear that influential politicians and military men made boneheaded decision that inflamed an already tense situation.

Although Larson is a talented and colorful storyteller, "The Demon of Unrest" is not his best work. The book is weighed down by superfluous details and an overly large cast of characters. To his credit, however, the author's research is impressive, and he correctly points out that neither side anticipated the enormous toll that a protracted war would take. The number of lives lost is estimated at seven hundred and fifty-thousand Americans. In his preface, Larson compares 1861 and 2024. It seems that history may be repeating itself, since we are again experiencing a chaotic era of anger, dissension, and intolerance, all of which threaten to tear apart the fabric of our country.