The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War

#1 New York Times Bestseller

From acclaimed historian Erik Larson, The Demon of Unrest vividly recounts the tense five months between Abraham Lincoln’s election and the start of the Civil War.

As the nation fractures over slavery, Southern states secede and tensions ignite around Fort Sumter, where loyalty, ego, and fear collide. Through diaries, letters, and secret documents, Larson paints an electrifying portrait of Lincoln’s struggle to preserve the Union, the chaos of betrayal and ambition, and the tragic missteps that led America to war.

A gripping, masterfully told chronicle of how a divided nation slid into catastrophe.