The Demon of Unrest

Outline

The Demon of Unrest (2024) tells the story of the five tense months between Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860 and the attack on Fort Sumter that began the American Civil War. Erik Larson follows the leaders, soldiers, and ordinary people caught up in the crisis, showing how pride, misunderstanding, and deep division over slavery pushed the country into war. The book reads like a gripping historical drama.

• The book covers the five tense months between Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860 and the attack on Fort Sumter.
• Erik Larson follows leaders, soldiers, and ordinary people who were caught up in the crisis as it unfolded.
• Pride and misunderstanding between the two sides helped push the country toward war.
• Deep division over slavery was at the heart of the conflict that became the Civil War.
• The story is told like a gripping historical drama rather than a dry academic account.

Erik Larson is an American journalist and author of narrative nonfiction who is known for turning historical events into gripping stories. Several of his books have become major bestsellers. His works include The Devil in the White City, Dead Wake, The Splendid and the Vile, and The Demon of Unrest.