"Almost every page forces you to think hard, and in new ways, about American violence, American history, and what used to be called the American character." -The New Yorker"A rich, nuanced and exhaustively researched 'life and times' that positions the abolitionist firmly in the context of 19th-century American culture. . . . Impeccably written." -San Francisco Chronicle"Splendidly written. . . . Reynolds is that rarest of authors who knows how to write well and who successfully presents a life-size image of Brown, warts and all." -Denver Post
"The most complete word on Brown as man and myth. . . . Nobody knows more about American society and culture in the first two-thirds of the 19th century than Reynolds. . . . Vivid and convincing. . . . The best volume we now have on that incendiary figure."-The Providence Journal"Absorbing."-New York Times Book Review" This well-researched book . . . peels away some of the extreme interpretations of Brown and offers a generally balanced and objective assessment of why he should matter."-St. Louis Post-Dispatch"Great sensitivity, thorough research, and some marvelous narrative."-Washington Post Book World"A rich, nuanced and exhaustively researched 'life and times' that positions the abolitionist firmly in the context of 19th century American culture . . . impeccably written."-San Francisco Chronicle"A masterful exploration of a fascinating, flawed character and his cultural impact."-Atlanta Journal-Constitution"Absorbing, well written and beautifully documented."-The Nation