Michael O'Donnell reviews Alan Taylor's The Civil War of 1812: American Citizens, British Subjects, Irish Rebels, & Indian Allies for the Barnes & Noble Review, 26 November.

James McPherson,"The Transformation of Abraham Lincoln," NYRB, 25 November, reviews Eric Foner's The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery; and Michael E. Ruane reviews James Swanson's Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln's Corpse for the Washington Post, 28 November.

John Paul Stevens,"On the Death Sentence," NYRB, 23 December, reviews David Garland's Peculiar Institution: America's Death Penalty in an Age of Abolition.