A biography of the legendary Confederate commander strips away the mythic layers from Jackson's life and presents the general as a quirky man whose independent ways often chafed against the chain of command but sometimes led to victory. reinterprets the South's most legendary soldier in this respectful but thoroughly debunking biography of "Stonewall" Jackson. Best known for his writings on Britain's colonial wars ( The Great War in Africa , LJ 12/86; Mr. Kipling's Army: All the Queen's Men , Norton, 1987), Farwell brings a fresh perspective to Civil War scholarship. In his efforts to establish the facts of Jackson's life and career, he concludes that most of the Jackson legends, including his fabled eccentricities, lack factual basis and contribute nothing to an appreciation of Jackson's merit and success as a military leader. At the same time, he notes that luck as much as skill made Jackson a legend. Suitable for all public and academic libraries but of real value for those with contrasting Jackson biographies. - Lawrence E. Ellis, Broward Community Coll. Lib., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.