Bizziare?
Yes it is, but there you go.
The subject matter sounds great, less than forty years after the United States original thirteen colonies broke free from the British, these two nations were at war again.
There were invasions of Canada and the United States, Pirates, Indians and lots and political backstabbing. This story had it all.
Yes it had it all, but it just simply wasn't told properly here. The book runs for 409 pages, but if like me you wanted to know how the British were able to get into the heart of America and burn down the White, how the Americans invaded Canada and find out what the hell happened, well then I suggest that you start from page 129.
Up to this point there was too much background information about the original Presidents, their families and political infighting. Some of it was interesting for example the U.S. was a far weaker and divided country than you would have expected at this point in their history. But to be honest I just didn't care.
These 128 pages could and should have been done in 29.
Now that I have pratically murdered this book, allow me to breathe some life back into it. When the story finally gets going, it is quite an exciting read and at times it reads like a novel. Characters like the Indian chief Tecumseh, Andrew Jackson and tales of the Creek Wars are excellently brought to life.
The author points you into the direction that the American civil war, that followed fifty years later was inevitable from the moment that peace with the British was reached.
My original review of this book was to have been kinder than it has been, but having read other reviews of this book I discovered that there was a number of inaccuracies and important battles were totally ignored.
Perhaps some of the wasted 128 pages could have been used for that.
RATING 7 out of 10.
For a much better, honest and damning book of American history, please read "Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee" by Dee Brown. 
