The Demon of UnrestThe Demon of Unrest
What it's about
Between Abraham Lincoln's election in November 1860 and the first shots at Fort Sumter in April 1861, the country came apart. Erik Larson follows the five months through the people who lived them: Lincoln, Major Robert Anderson holding a fort in Charleston harbor, the diarist Mary Chesnut, and fire-eating secessionists eager for war.
Why it's worth reading
It spent five weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. Larson turns a story everyone thinks they know into a thriller, and its picture of a divided nation sliding toward violence feels close to home.
You'll love it if you liked
The Devil in the White City
Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham LincolnGood to know
It ends where the Civil War begins. Larson includes the shocking private papers of one secessionist, South Carolina's James Henry Hammond, who abused his young nieces.
By the numbers
- Readers66 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller68 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz45 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #92 of the 198 history books we rank
- #97 of the 481 new books we rank
- #541 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by Erik Larson
The Splendid and the Vile
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the LusitaniaThe Devil in the White City
In the Garden of BeastsIf you like this, read next
How the Word Is Passed
Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World
Everything Is Tuberculosis
Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space
Native Nations: A Millennium in North America
A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem TragedyExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Demon of Unrest worth reading?
Yes. It spent five weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #541 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Demon of Unrest about?
Between Abraham Lincoln's election in November 1860 and the first shots at Fort Sumter in April 1861, the country came apart. Erik Larson follows the five months through the people who lived them: Lincoln, Major Robert Anderson holding a fort in Charleston harbor, the diarist Mary Chesnut, and fire-eating secessionists eager for war.
How long does it take to read The Demon of Unrest?
About 15 hours (593 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Demon of Unrest?
If you liked it, try The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson or Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin.