This biography provides a concise, accurate, and lively account of one of the best known yet least understood figures of the Civil War, Robert E. Lee, depicting him as a human being instead of a legend, making him accessible as a person. Robert E. Lee: A Biography takes one of the best known and least understood figures of the American Civic War down from his pedestal as an iconic, legendary hero and transforms him into a human being that 21st-century readers can easily relate to. Author Brian Melton clearly separates fact from the idealized lore and fiction created after the Civil War by members of what has been termed "the Lee cult." Through the book's thorough, clear, and accessible presentation, and its inclusion of accurate historical detailsfor example, Lee's status as an incurable flirtGeneral Lee becomes a fascinating and compelling mortal man. Intended for both high school students and the general public, this biography will offer a thorough and unbiased examination of Lee's life and military career. Readers will be able to clearly trace the steps that led Lee to prominenceboth before and during the Civil Warand discover how his actions helped shape the American military.