This biography was acclaimed by The New York Times as "deeply interesting" and "an absorbing account" of the life of the man called "the brains of the Confederacy." 16 pages of illustrations. Editorial Reviews From Library Journal This well-written and well-researched volume replaces Robert Meade's biography (1943) as the standard study and is a significant contribution both to Southern Jewish and Civil War history. Unlike previous biographers, Evans sees Jewishness as the key to understanding Benjamin's life. He also traces in fascinating detail Benjamin's relationship with Jefferson Davis. Sometimes, Evans moves beyond the available evidence, e.g. when he adduces Jewish reasons for Benjamin's flight, and argues that in the wake of the Lincoln assassination "a nation of Christ-haunted people searched instinctively for the Jewish scapegoat." Nevertheless, this is highly convincing overall. For most libraries. Jonathan D. Sarna, Hebrew Union Coll . -Jewish Inst. of Religion, Cincinnati Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.