While the information contained within is good, this book appears to suffer largely from a strong editorial influence. Long, rambling sentences combined with repetitive, contradictory subject matter make for a long, frustrating read for what should be a brisk 200 pages.

Also, do not let the title fool you - only around half of the book is about Texas' annexation; the second half is a whirlwind of activity that the author attempts to tie back to Texas at times.

Bits and pieces of this book were very good, but I would not recommend it to anyone but the most diehard Civil War / antebellum history lovers. ( )

Read for a class. Definitely not my preferred time period, but it's immensely readable. Not only is Silbey's analysis keen and straightforward but he does an excellent job navigating the confusing, often-contradictory political landscape of the 1840s. He clearly delineates Whig and Democrat party lines, then just as clearly shows how the various political players adhered to or strayed from those lines, as the political landscape changed from the old two-party system to new sectional parties. Silbey’s discussion of Texas itself is disappointingly brief; the intriguing implications of the Texan Republic’s overtures to Great Britain are largely neglected, and Silbey spends little time considering Texan attitudes towards annexation. But this is a streamlined, coherent explanation of how sectional disputes in the 1840s could set the stage for serious national conflict in the 1860s. ( )