Jeff Shaara was born in 1952 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and graduated from Florida
State University in 1974, with a degree in Criminology. In 1974, he moved to Tampa, Florida. Ballantine Books published Jeff''s first novel, “Gods and Generals”, was the prequel to his father''s great work. Critics nationwide praised the book and Jeff''s writing ability. In 1998, the sequel, "The Last Full Measure", was published. Jeff completed his third novel for Ballantine, "Gone for Soldiers", written in the Mexican-American War background.
The Mexican-American War began over boundary disputes between the Mexican government and the newer southwestern states of the United States, most notably Texas (Which had fought Mexico only 12 years earlier to get its own independence). In an attempt to quell the uprising by the Mexican government, the U.S. Government and President James K. Polk made the egregious error of bringing General Santa Anna back from exile (imposed after he surrendered following the war with Texas) with the belief that he would quell the uprising and re-establish friendly relations with the U.S. Of course, Santa Anna immediately took control of the Mexican government and army and promptly attacked the U.S. forces. The war then became a quest to get Santa Anna out of power and restore stability to the region. While reading the novel, a common American can perceive the role of American forces in that era and even today in the name of peace and restoring stability in the region. Regions, of course, could be different but one can easily conclude that geo-political and military strategies have very much similarities as were seen in past.
"Gone for Soldiers" focuses almost exclusively on the relationship between and experiences of General Winfield Scott and Captain Robert E. Lee during the Mexican-American War. This novel, introduces us to many of the Civil War''s greatest leaders as they learn their craft under fire in Mexico. Shaara''s portrayal of Lee as a young officer, unsure of his untested abilities and his place in the command structure, is truly wonderful. It is a whole different Lee than the polished General of the Civil War. With each new mission Scott assigns him, we can see Lee grow and mature as an officer. The war at large and the exploits of many of its primary figures, including General Zachary Taylor and his major role in the conflict, are virtually ignored. They are not given the same in depth treatment as Lee, but already you can see their abilities developing for command. General Scott and Santa Anna are also portrayed in manners rarely seen. Few modern Americans have heard of Scott, he was one of the best Generals in our early history. Santa Anna is usually mentioned only in conjunction with the Alamo, but here he is given a very fair treatment. Although it secured the Southwest for a nation emboldened by Manifest Destiny, this two-year conflict has nearly faded into oblivion, eclipsed by the subsequent domestic dispute a dozen years later. The veteran major-general Winfield Scott and an upstart Robert E. Lee anchor Gone for Soldiers. Headstrong, brilliant, and generally distrustful of his less able subordinates, Scott leads the U.S. troops slowly and inevitably toward Mexico City, imparting martial lessons along the way.
However, when viewed as a prequel to Jeff Shaara''s "Gods and Generals" and "The Last Full Measure", as well as his father''s "The Killer Angels", this book is a worthy addition to the narrative thread the two men have woven. "Gone for Soldiers", while the least exciting of the narratives, is still an engaging and enjoyable reading stuff. For readers looking for a more balanced history of the war, John Eisenhower''s "So Far From God" is strongly recommended for its thorough treatment of the subject. Eisenhowers intriguing military history opens with a hard-hitting quote from a late nineteenth century Mexican president: "Poor MexiGod, yet so close to the United States!" The subsequent pages of Eisenhowers account develop the caustic truth of this statement in vivid detail. Eisenhower depicts the military expeditions and dominance of the US forces with great skill. Relying on both American and Mexican sources, including many first-hand accounts, Eisenhower brings the reader from Texas to northern Mexico, from New Mexico to California, and finally from Veracruz to Mexico City itself. The journey is a worthwhile one. Helpful maps and illustrations support Eisenhowers description of each battle. Eisenhower refrains from joining the acrimonious debate over whether the USA took untoward advantage of Mexico by provoking war.
Shaara''s historical novel abandons the Civil War era of his two previous works, "Gods and Generals" and "The Last Full Measure", which completed a trilogy begun by his father with the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Killer Angels". Striving this time to re-imagine the Mexican-American War of 1847, Shaara paints a respectable if uneven group portrait of the men who fought south of the border. Overall this book is every bit as good as the Shaaras'' works on the Civil War. Once again Jeff Shaara has restored life to a long dead period of our nation''s history.