The War of 1812: The War That Both Sides Won

It works as a good overview. This is not the author's only book about this event, so I trust he knows his facts but I wouldn't be able to verify that. One small drawback is that the author assumes you know the location of certain places so you might become geographically lost at times. It was a quick read on the war which was all I was looking for.

This book is a good overview of the war that does not get bogged down in extensive details pertaining to each individual battle. Those looking for a detailed analysis of the war may want to look elsewhere, but those who are more interested in the general events and the reason for the choices made during the war will likely be pleased with this. My only real qualm is that the book lacks good maps to accompany the descriptions of advances, retreats, etc. Overall though, anyone looking for a general explanation of the events of 1812 and especially the reasons why certain choices were made during the war will likely be pleased with this book.