Like the French and Indian War, the War of 1812 is another forgotten and overlooked war. As a result, there aren’t nearly as many books about this war as there are about the American Revolution or the Civil War.
The few books that exist are great, but there are also many bad or mediocre books. this can make it difficult to know which books to read. To help you out, I’ve compiled a list of what I think are the best books on the War of 1812.
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all of these books have great reviews on sites like amazon and goodreads, are best sellers in their niche, and have great reviews from publications like the washington post, the new york review of books, the guardian, etc.
I have also used many of these books in my research for this website, so I can personally say that they are some of the best on the subject.
The following is a list of the best books on the War of 1812:
(Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
1. 1812: The Navy War by George C. daughan
Published in 2011, this book looks at the role of the navy in the War of 1812 and how the many naval battles shaped the war.
Daughan argues that these battles prove that the navy played an important role in the fight for American independence.
history writer gordon s. Wood, author of the remarkable book The Radicalism of the American Revolution, reviewed Daughan’s book for the New York Review of Books and said it had a gripping and exciting narrative:
“Daughan does a good job of recounting the battles on land, but excels at describing the battles that took place on the water. His accounts of the one-ship duels in which the Americans prevailed (the constitution against the guerrillas, the wasp against the party, the United States against the Macedonian, etc.) are especially moving.”
vice admiral robert f. dunn reviewed the book for the washington times and said it was well written and hard to put down :
“Other authors in the recent past have covered various aspects of the War of 1812, but George C. Daughan has put it all together in one interesting and well-written volume. is a hard book to put down and is highly recommended as a good read. its coverage of an important moment in American history will make it a valuable reference for years to come.”
boston globe review of the book describes it as a “detailed, well-researched, and compelling account” of the war and san francisco book review describes it as “expertly researched and illustrated.”
jorge c. Daughan is an award-winning naval historian who also wrote another notable book on the navy titled If by Sea. Daughan, now residing in Portland, Maine, is a former professor who taught at several academic institutions, including the Air Force Academy, the University of Connecticut, the University of Colorado, the University of New Hampshire, and Wesleyan University.
Daughan won the 2008 Samuel Eliot Morrison Award for his book If By Sea and the 2012 Gold Medal at the Independent Publishers Book Awards and the 2012 George Pendleton Award for his book 1812: The War of the Navy . Daughan has a Ph.D. in American history from Harvard University, where she studied with Henry Kissinger.
2. The Civil War of 1812: American Citizens, British Subjects, Irish Rebels, and Indian Allies by Alan Taylor
Published in 2010, this book examines how the War of 1812 redefined America and renewed the struggle between Americans and Britain for control of North America.
Taylor argues that the War of 1812 was a civil war that almost split the country and the North American continent in two. The book details how the war nearly caused New England to secede from the United States.
The book also discusses how, in Canada, the war pitted loyal American immigrants, who had fled to Canada after the Revolutionary War, against recent American immigrants, who had anti-British sentiments and were in favor of American independence, as well as as against recent Irish immigrants, who already had anti-British sentiments before the war.
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in addition, it created a difficult situation for native americans in the us. uu. who were drawn into a war in which neither side cared about their rights or well-being.
notable history writer, gordon s. Wood reviewed the book for the New York Book Review, declaring it a “remarkable and deeply researched book.”
Alan Taylor is an award-winning author who has written numerous books on American history, including the American Colonies, The Enemy Within: Slavery and the War in Virginia: 1772-1832, and William Cooper’s Town: Power and Persuasion in the frontier of the early american republic.
Taylor earned a Ph.D. from Brandeis University and is a professor of history at the University of Virginia. Taylor won the Bancroft Prize, the Beveridge Prize, and the Pulitzer Prize in 1996 for his book, William Cooper’s Town: Power and Persuasion on the Frontier of the Early American Republic. In 2014 he again won the Pulitzer Prize for his book The Enemy Within: Slavery and the War in Virginia: 1772-1832.
3. the naval war of 1812 by theodore roosevelt
Published in 1882, when Roosevelt was just 23 years old, this book looks at naval battles and the technology used during the war.
Roosevelt chronicles the events of the war from the beginning, beginning with the social climates in both Britain and the United States prior to the outbreak of the war, and analyzes the naval battles of the war as they unfolded each year. In doing so, Roosevelt analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of both sides and analyzes the performance of the crew and commanders in each battle.
The book was well received when it was published, and in 1886, the Navy placed a copy of the book throughout the United States. navy ship. The book was so popular in Britain that, in 1901, Roosevelt was asked to write the War of 1812 section of the Official History of the Royal Navy. Roosevelt later became the deputy secretary of the United States. navy and eventually became president of the united states in 1901.
Roosevelt wrote 35 more books, dealing with many different subjects, including history, nature, hunting, and travel. Some of these books include his autobiography, his memoir on Cuba and his time leading the Rough Horsemen, a biography on Oliver Cromwell, and a guide titled New York: Historic Cities.
4. 1812: the war that forged a nation by walter r. born
Published in 2004, the book looks at how the War of 1812 unified the country with a renewed sense of purpose and paved the way for westward expansion. The book documents the major events of the war from start to finish at the Battle of New Orleans.
Furthermore, the book argues that the Americans acted shamefully during the war because, although the Americans’ grievances against the British were legitimate, the main reason “war hawks” in the United States pushed for the war was to capture Canada from the British and Florida from the Spanish.
walter r. Borneman is an author and lawyer who has written numerous history books on the 17th and 18th centuries, including The French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America and Admirals Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King, the 5-Star Admirals who won the war at sea.
5. The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict by Donald R. hickey.
Published in 1989, the book is a comprehensive look at the War of 1812 and explores all aspects of the war, including military, domestic, and diplomatic history.
The bicentennial edition includes additional information on how the war promoted American nationalism and manifest destiny, stimulated defense spending and improved America’s reputation abroad, as well as sparked conflict among pro-war Republicans. and Federalists against the war, negatively affected American Indians and solidified anti-British sentiments in the US. uu.
hickey is a history professor at wayne state college in nebraska. Hickey is an award-winning author who has written several books on the War of 1812, including Don’t Abandon Ship! myths of the war of 1812, the war of 1812: a brief history, the rocket’s red glow: an illustrated history of the war of 1812, and 187 things you should know about the war of 1812 and is also the editor of the john hopkins series of books on the war of 1812. hickey won the samuel eliot morison award from the museum of the united states constitution in 2013.
6. When Britain Burned the White House: Peter Snow’s 1812 Invasion of Washington
Published in 2013, the book tells the story of the War of 1812 from the side of the British. Using first-hand accounts from eyewitnesses, he recounts when the British invaded Washington and burned down the White House in the summer of 1814.
Although the book focuses on a very specific event and time period during the war, it also looks at how the War of 1812 in general highlighted the weaknesses and strengths of both sides: the British Empire, which was overstretched and arrogant but powerful and experienced, and the young American republic, which was small and struggling with internal conflict but brave, bold and fiercely patriotic.
The book was well received by American and British critics. bbc history magazine reviewed the book and declared it revealing:
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“snow builds his account on the voices of those who fought and witnessed the campaign, from the nervous Americans. militiamen to ross, cockburn and dolley madison, the witty wife of the president. Written with enthusiasm and insight, this is a fitting reminder of an extraordinary interlude in a war that deserves to be better known.”
The British newspaper the times said the book was both meticulous and fascinating:
“peter snow’s account of this extraordinary event in british-american relations reads like a military thriller, each chapter ratcheting up the tension with a wealth of detail and a kaleidoscope of characters that transform this book from what could have been a dry and chronological book. account in a fascinating romp. . . . snow adds an additional ingredient: a youthful enthusiasm for its subject. . . A detailed and fascinating story.”
The book was also well received by American publications such as the Washington Post, which declared it one of the best written accounts of the War of 1812:
“[an] excellent account…snow, an experienced British journalist, has told the story of these clashes with brio and an excellent gift for making sense of the complexities of battle…an excellent example of popular history Serious and educated… she is located with Anthony S. pitch fine “the burning of washington” (2000) as one of the best stories of a war that hardly deserves to be forgotten.”
peter snow is an author and bbc correspondent who has written many other books on british history including treasures of british history, the war with wellington, the battlefield of britain and the battlefields of the century xx.
7. Dangerous Struggle: America’s Fearless War with Britain on the High Seas, 1812-1815 by Stephen Budiansky
Published in 2010, the book looks at the naval battles of the War of 1812 and explores how the tiny American navy stood up to the all-powerful British navy. The book looks at how the Americans used bravery and brilliant strategies to defeat the British.
The book argues that the war taught the British a valuable lesson about the power of the underdog and forever changed naval warfare and ensured that Britain would never again interfere in American trade relations.
The book was well received by critics, including the publisher’s weekly, who said “Budiansky’s well-researched and skillfully written account draws a gripping real-life naval saga from an inglorious conflict.”
The book list declared that “Budiansky, versed in the nautical technicalities of the age of sail, will engross the avid naval history audience,” and historynet.com said the book was so well researched that “the historian Budiansky’s veteran seems to have read every official record, diary, letter, and contemporary newspaper. The result is an authoritative and richly entertaining political history of the early republic centered on the navy and culminating in war.”
Stephen Budiansky is a journalist and author who has written several books on military history, including The Battle of Wits: The Complete History of Code Breaking in World War II and The Bloody Shirt: Terror After the Civil War.
8. The Washington Fire: The British Invasion of 1814 by Anthony S. launch
Published in 1998, the book examines the British attack on Washington in the summer of 1814, which Pitch says is a forgotten aspect of American history because it was humiliating and embarrassing for the United States.
during the attack, the british set fire to the white house, the capitol building and many other important buildings in the city and forced the president, james madison, to flee the white house and the city. The book argues that through America’s various triumphs in the war, America ultimately earned the genuine respect of the British.
The book details how the British landed on the Patuxent River in August 1814 and then marched on Washington, seized the city and began burning public buildings. Pitch explains that the situation was made worse by the Americans’ lack of defense against the invaders due to the inexperience of local militias, outdated equipment, and a general lack of preparation for war.
despite the british triumph at washington, the book describes how their victory was short lived when their attack on nearby fort mchenry in baltimore failed, inspiring francis scott key to write the start spangled banner, and how the attack to new orleans several months later also failed, marking the end of the war.
anthony s. Pitch is a former journalist who now leads walking tours in Washington D.C. and he is considered an icon of local history in the city.
pitch has written numerous history books, including Our Crime Was Being a Jew: Hundreds of Holocaust Survivors Tell Their Stories; The Last Lynching: How a Gruesome Mass Murder Rocked a Small Town; Daddy’s Killed!: The Road to Ford’s Theater, Abraham Lincoln’s Murder, and the Rage of Revenge.
In 2001, Pitch won the Arline Custer Memorial Prize for his book The Washington Fire and won the award again in 2009 for his book They Killed Daddy! Both books also won the Maryland Historical Society’s Annual Book Award.
sources: “Dangerous Struggle: America’s Fearless War with Britain on the High Seas, 1812-1815.” Publisher’s Weekly, www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-307-27069-6 “Book Review: Dangerous Fight: America’s Fearless War with Britain on the High Seas, 1812-1815, by Stephen Budiansky.” history network, March 9. 2016., www.historynet.com/book-review-perilous-fight-americas-intrepid-war-britain-high-seas-1812-1815-stephen-budiansky.htm Thomas, Evan. “Stephen Budiansky’s Account of the War of 1812, ‘Dangerous Fight'”. Washington Post, January 21. 2011, www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/21/ar2011012102668.html Tweedie, Neil. “The night Britain set fire to the White House.” the telegraph, 13 sept. 2013, www.telegraph.co.uk/history/10307463/the-night-britain-set-fire-to-the-white-house.html snow, peter. “When Great Britain Burned the White House”. the guardian, sept 8 2013, www.theguardian.com/books/shortcuts/2013/sep/08/britain-burned-down-white-house snow, peter. “When Britain Burned Down the White House: By Peter Snow, BBC Correspondent”. Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/headline/2014/08/15/406e4a5e-1bde-11e4-ae54-0cfe1f974f8a_story.html “When Britain Burned the White House: The 1814 Invasion of Washington.” publisher’s weekly, n.d., www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-250-04828-8 jones, lewis. “When Britain Burned Down The White House By Peter Snow – Review”. the viewer, 28 sept. 2013, www.spectator.co.uk/2013/09/when-britain-burned-the-white-house-by-peter-snow-review/ “1812: the war that forged a nation”. Publishers Weekly, www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-053112-6 Kenney, Michael. “1812: The War of the Navy by George C. daughan. boston globe, october 21. 2011, www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2011/10/21/george-daughan-highlights-navy-role-america-victory/xkbxysojjp2jd8ylk1zmmo/story.html Dunn, Robert F. “Book Review: ‘1812: The Navy’s War'”. Washington Times, December 19. 2011, www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/dec/19/our-second-war-of-independence/wood, gordon s. “the war we lost and won”. new york book review, 28 oct. 2010, www.nybooks.com/articles/2010/10/28/war-we-lost-and-won/ “book review: 1812 by george c. daughan. history network, sept 9 2011, www.historynet.com/book-review-1812-by-george-c-daughan.htm “Book Review: The Washington Fire: The British Invasion of 1814.” history network, Aug 11 2001, www.historynet.com/book-review-the-burning-of-washington-the-british-invasion-of-1814-by-anthony-s-pitch-ah.htm “the author”. The Roosevelt Association, www.theodoreroosevelt.org/site/c.elksidowiij8h/b.8344387/k.2c4d/the_author.htm
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