WEST POINT: The Men and Times of the United States Military Academy

A dramatic, quite candid account of the Point's history, told in terms of warring personalities and confusing levels of authority. Starting with Sylvanus Thayer's arrival in 1817 to take charge (against the violent and illegal protest of the outgoing commander), the book is filled with controversies involving the President, the Secretary of War, the army vs. Congress, and frequently rebellious cadets. Yet in the midst of these snarls, the Point managed to institute badly needed educational reforms, raise the caliber of the entering student body, and turn out a procession of famous figures. Less scholarly, more interesting than some that have gone before.