Midnight rising

Starts off slow, but picks up quickly. I found it provided a fair, if not occasionally overly-harsh, accounting of John Brown. In fact, I ended up liking Brown more than I did before I read it. The thesis is compelling and the last chapter describing the hypocrisy of everyone from Lincoln on down is rousing. Perhaps the most important aspect of the book, and for which Horwitz deserves the most praise, is his excellent attempt to provide space and narrative for all those who joined Brown, in particular at Harpers Ferry; turning anonymous numbers into the very real people that they were.

Fabulous book. I've always wondered about Brown, who seemed like a first class wing nut. And there's no doubt he wasn't entirely mentally stable. But if you want some idea of how he got to Harpers Ferry, this book will help. Horwitz also accurately places him in historical context. Wonderful book!