Reviews of Books and of Library Presentations
3/29/2011, Wethersfield Library
* The speaker was excellent. Very well spoken, obviously has a passion for Gettysburg and communicated so that a novice like myself could appreciate his research. Personable, knowledgeable, well-spoken, clear, good strong, speaking voice. Great background information on the Civil War and some interesting anecdotes were told to personalize the war stories.
*Well informed, good speaker, very good material. Good sense of humor.
*Well presented in a good format. Obviously enthusiastic and a devoted speaker.
5/12/2011, Wallingford Library
Matthew gives an excellent presentation. He is informative, entertaining, and engages the audience. He knows his subject inside and out!
7/6/2011, New Milford Library
Matthew provided a fascinating and informative program on the Battle of Gettysburg that was well attended and well received. Highly recommend!
8/30/2012, Guilford-Smith Memorial Library, South Windham
Matthew brought to life the day to day life at Gettysburg. The standing room only crowd was in awe. A return visit is a must.
5/1/2013, Babcock Library
Excellent presentation on female spies in the Civil War. Lots of positive feedback from our patrons.
5/20/2013, Prospect Library
A big thumbs up for Matthew Bartlett and his talk on Female Civil War Spies. We had patrons of all ages and they all came away happy!
7/10/2013, Edith Wheeler Library
Matthew gave an in-depth account of the lead up to and the first day at Gettysburg. The 52 in attendance enjoyed his presentation.
7/10/2013, East Lyme Library
Matthew delighted the audience with his enthusiasm and knowledge of Gettysburg. We are looking forward to having him back to present on Female Spies!
7/11/2013, Wolcott Library
Matthew was incredible. This was the second time that we had him speak and we will again. Very passionate. Everyone loved the program.
From Amazon.Com
We Are Met On A Great Battlefield
*I have always thought about reading a history book but every time I picked up one, it bored me to death. I heard about this Gettysburg book and I decided to pick it up. It is wonderful. Mr. Bartlett has combined a history book with citations and historical fiction to keep it interesting. Even though it has none of the battle inside of it, just how everyone got there, it really grabbed me. In one day, I know more about this campaign than I ever knew before. Though some of the grammar is a bit off, it was the content that I was pleased with.
*The author has done thorough research on site and through primary and secondary resources. Mr. Bartlett has made it his goal to make a well-researched topic new and refreshing and this series a complete history of the battle. He has intermingled fiction with nonfiction in a way that keeps the reader engaged and interested. I look forward to his next work.
*I very much enjoyed the author's blend of fiction and history. This is a well-researched account that held my interest as both sides moved closer to the battle. While not a student of history, I found this account fascinating. A good book for anyone interested in American History and the Civil War. I am looking forward to the next installment.
A Drastic Change in Command
*I have been following the author's work and I must say that this second volume is much better than the first volume. The descriptions of the battle, along with stories that were told, helped transport me back to July 1863.
* For me, this was even better than the first book. More historical fiction, the stories that Bartlett included in this volume were perfect. I did not much about any of the characters, so this was not only a very enjoyable read, but a learning experience as well. I thought the editing was much tighter on this volume and loved the cover. The ending shocked me and left an impression. When's the next one coming out?
The Bloody Pit
*One of the things I loved about this book was how I felt like I was there in the action. The scenes that take place in the Railroad Cut, I could picture myself there. I hated, as I was supposed to, "General" Joe Davis, and could hear the creaking of General Lee's rocking chair as he told him off. I'm glad that Bartlett decided to include this part of the battlefield in his collection, as it is one I did not even know about. Everyone knows about Devil's Den, Little Round Top, and Pickett's Charge, but what about the men who fought valiantly on that first day (again, neglected in the Gettysburg canon). I recommend this book to anyone looking not only for a good historical fiction book on the Civil War and Gettysburg, but for a history buff as well.
*What I loved about this book was that the author talked about two sections of the battlefield which are not mentioned frequently: The Railroad Cut and Herbst's Woods, where intense action took place on that first morning. Another thing that I love about this author is that he takes the stories of people you would have never known about- real soldiers, men like you and me, who gave up everything to fight for what they believed in. These are stories that will break your heart, make you cry, and male you proud to be introduced to such bravery.
* The speaker was excellent. Very well spoken, obviously has a passion for Gettysburg and communicated so that a novice like myself could appreciate his research. Personable, knowledgeable, well-spoken, clear, good strong, speaking voice. Great background information on the Civil War and some interesting anecdotes were told to personalize the war stories.
*Well informed, good speaker, very good material. Good sense of humor.
*Well presented in a good format. Obviously enthusiastic and a devoted speaker.
5/12/2011, Wallingford Library
Matthew gives an excellent presentation. He is informative, entertaining, and engages the audience. He knows his subject inside and out!
7/6/2011, New Milford Library
Matthew provided a fascinating and informative program on the Battle of Gettysburg that was well attended and well received. Highly recommend!
8/30/2012, Guilford-Smith Memorial Library, South Windham
Matthew brought to life the day to day life at Gettysburg. The standing room only crowd was in awe. A return visit is a must.
5/1/2013, Babcock Library
Excellent presentation on female spies in the Civil War. Lots of positive feedback from our patrons.
5/20/2013, Prospect Library
A big thumbs up for Matthew Bartlett and his talk on Female Civil War Spies. We had patrons of all ages and they all came away happy!
7/10/2013, Edith Wheeler Library
Matthew gave an in-depth account of the lead up to and the first day at Gettysburg. The 52 in attendance enjoyed his presentation.
7/10/2013, East Lyme Library
Matthew delighted the audience with his enthusiasm and knowledge of Gettysburg. We are looking forward to having him back to present on Female Spies!
7/11/2013, Wolcott Library
Matthew was incredible. This was the second time that we had him speak and we will again. Very passionate. Everyone loved the program.
From Amazon.Com
We Are Met On A Great Battlefield
*I have always thought about reading a history book but every time I picked up one, it bored me to death. I heard about this Gettysburg book and I decided to pick it up. It is wonderful. Mr. Bartlett has combined a history book with citations and historical fiction to keep it interesting. Even though it has none of the battle inside of it, just how everyone got there, it really grabbed me. In one day, I know more about this campaign than I ever knew before. Though some of the grammar is a bit off, it was the content that I was pleased with.
*The author has done thorough research on site and through primary and secondary resources. Mr. Bartlett has made it his goal to make a well-researched topic new and refreshing and this series a complete history of the battle. He has intermingled fiction with nonfiction in a way that keeps the reader engaged and interested. I look forward to his next work.
*I very much enjoyed the author's blend of fiction and history. This is a well-researched account that held my interest as both sides moved closer to the battle. While not a student of history, I found this account fascinating. A good book for anyone interested in American History and the Civil War. I am looking forward to the next installment.
A Drastic Change in Command
*I have been following the author's work and I must say that this second volume is much better than the first volume. The descriptions of the battle, along with stories that were told, helped transport me back to July 1863.
* For me, this was even better than the first book. More historical fiction, the stories that Bartlett included in this volume were perfect. I did not much about any of the characters, so this was not only a very enjoyable read, but a learning experience as well. I thought the editing was much tighter on this volume and loved the cover. The ending shocked me and left an impression. When's the next one coming out?
The Bloody Pit
*One of the things I loved about this book was how I felt like I was there in the action. The scenes that take place in the Railroad Cut, I could picture myself there. I hated, as I was supposed to, "General" Joe Davis, and could hear the creaking of General Lee's rocking chair as he told him off. I'm glad that Bartlett decided to include this part of the battlefield in his collection, as it is one I did not even know about. Everyone knows about Devil's Den, Little Round Top, and Pickett's Charge, but what about the men who fought valiantly on that first day (again, neglected in the Gettysburg canon). I recommend this book to anyone looking not only for a good historical fiction book on the Civil War and Gettysburg, but for a history buff as well.
*What I loved about this book was that the author talked about two sections of the battlefield which are not mentioned frequently: The Railroad Cut and Herbst's Woods, where intense action took place on that first morning. Another thing that I love about this author is that he takes the stories of people you would have never known about- real soldiers, men like you and me, who gave up everything to fight for what they believed in. These are stories that will break your heart, make you cry, and male you proud to be introduced to such bravery.
