2 comments about The House of Mitford.

1. Really a fascinating study on one of the British Upper Class's most contriversial families. It really is the limit though, how the author tries to excuse the support of some of the sister's for the Third Reich, granted this was the feeling of most of the Upper Class at the time, they loved the idea that some people, namely themselves, were naturally superior to the rable. You see this in such films as Gosford Park and Remains of the Day. Having said that, this book is very good, it really lets you in to the lives of the British Aristocracy of this era. These woman are to the manor born and never let anyone forget it. They chose different paths, but I really don't think deep down they are all that different, as an American this is all so foreign, but fascinating non the less, though it makes me appreciate the Revolution.



2. Mr. and Ms. Guinness' massive biographical study of their family is tremendously interesting to any devoted reader of the Mitfords. However, their attempts to rehabilitate the legacy of unrepentant fascists Diana (Guinesses' mother--so it's an understandable lapse) and Unity are nearly comical in their reach. They go to great lengths to discredit those who've criticized Unity and Diana's reprehensible involvement in and enthusiasm for Hitler and his British minions, including of course Diana's husband, Mosley; rather than adequately contextualize Diana and Unit's fervor, these attempts serve only to make themselves appear as familial apologists.

   As scholars, the father-and-daughter biographers are lacking in appropriate perspective and historical context; however, the "insider" information they impart makes the book a veritable treasure chest of Mitfordiana.

No comments about Charles I: A Life of Religion, War and Treason.

5 comments about Until the Last Trumpet Sounds: The Life of General of the Armies John J. Pershing.

1. Gene Smith's "Until the Last Trumpet Calls" (1998 Paperback) tells the life story of General John J. Pershing. It is well documented with reviewing personal correspondences, eyewitness interviews, several black and white photos, and extensive (8 pages) endnotes.
   
   From his birth in 1860, through his days at West Point (class of 1886), to his various US Cavalry assignments across the American west and the early 20th century Pacific, to his leading the American Expeditionary Forces in World War 1 (WW1), till his death in 1948, John Pershing was well-respected, and often feared, icon determined to perform his duty. Pershing moved slowly through the Army ranks until he met Teddy Roosevelt. After their Spanish American War acquaintance Captain Pershing (only a Captain after 16 years!) was catapulted into a history-making career. By the end of the Great War Pershing achieved 6 stars as General of the Armies (unique to American history)!
   
   Smith tells Pershing family celebrations and tragedies, it acquaintances with future history makers, and the General's "Americans fight as Americans" philosophy during WW1. Readers learn about Pershing's mentoring George Patton, George Marshall, and many more. We hear of his close WW1 friendship with France's Marshal Petain (who became the chief voice in the Nazi-Vichy government of World War 2, to Pershing's horror). The General was firmly and verbally anti-Kaiser in 1915 and anti-Nazi in 1940.
   
   Smith closes the book with interesting chapters about "Black Jack" Pershing's (an appellation from his pre WW1 days commanding an African American Army division in Texas) son's and grandsons' careers. Each respective had his army career in World War 2, Cold War Europe, and Viet Nam (the youngest grandson was killed during the 1968 Tet Offensive). Unfortunately, General Pershing had no great-grandchildren. The book ends with a feeling of "Taps" for an influential 20th century American family.
   
   Although Smith tends towards run-on sentences and the occasional sentence fragment this 320-page book's conversational style makes it an easy read. It is recommended to all military historians, US Cavalry buffs, World War 1 students, and 20th century Americana aficionados.



2. The facts of Pershing's life are interesting: he participated in the Indian Wars, led soldiers in the Spanish American war in Cuba alongside Teddy Roosevelt, was a central figure in the occupation of the Philippines, served as commanding officer in the manhunt for Pancho Villa, and -- of course -- was the commander in chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. Apparently, he was an extremely capable military man with an eye for detail and unparalleled military discipline. He overcame an unspeakable personal tragedy -- the death of his wife and daughters in a fire. Also impressive: from a modest Missouri upbringing, he was entirely self-made.
   
   But a great biography does more than recite facts about its subject. It brings the reader inside his mind, and gives historical context to his decisions. In this regard, this book is a failure. The reader does not come away with the impression that Pershing was a great military strategist, like Lee or MacArthur. In fact, it is hard to decipher what was Pershing's military philosophy. Neither does the reader come away with the impression that Pershing's thinking about the great events of his time had any impact on the era's political decisionmakers. There is only one exception: it is clear that Pershing saw the United States as a full partner with its European allies in World War I, rather than as a mere source of personnel to replenish the dwindling ranks of French and British infintrymen. This contribution was significant.
   
   The World War I era is one of the most fascinating and under-appreciated in recent Western history. The war itself was one of the terrible tragedies of all time, and it set the stage for the worldwide economic expansion of the twenties, depressionof the thirties, and the Second World War. It's too bad that this book sheds so little light on one of the most important figures of that era.



3. Some of the criticism of other readers is right, but this was obviously not intended to be a definitive, complete biography of this historical figure. It tells you much more than an encyclopedia article but presumably less than the two-volume biography by another author. The view is mainly of the private side of this man's life, which was necessarily dominated by its public side.



4. This book is a good beginning to any study of John J. Pershing, but there isn't enough "meat on the bones". Pershing led quite a life, and really needs a thorough, well-researched bio, but this isn't it. Oh, it's quite readable, and if you don't know much about Blackjack, it will give you good, basic information, but it will leave you wanting a biography with more depth. And the writing style! The author uses sentences that are more like laundry lists...on and on and on...Somebody give this man a comma, a semi-colon, a period, and then teach him how to use them!



5. This is neither a history of the period nor a biography. It is a collection of quotations and anecdotes, that appear to have been taken from the personal papers of John J. Pershing, that are on file at the Library of Congress, not an unbiased source. I got as far as through the period on Pershing's frontier and Philippine service and put it down. It is a shallow treatment that reads like a history for young children. If someone is really interested in the era and the man, read Frank Vandiver's book " Black Jack: The Life and Times of John J. Pershing" in two volumes, published in 1977. A book Smith cites, Donald Smythe's "Guerilla Warrior: The Early Life of John J. Pershing" (1973) is not too bad, nor is "Black Jack Pershing" by Richard O'Connor (1961). None of these are hostile treatments, and all are well written. Pershing was an able and brave Army officer, but so were many others of the era. But Pershing was the only one to go from Captain to Brigadier General despite opposition of the Army command, and this was not solely due to his ability. His smartest move was marrying the daughter of Senator Warren, one of the shrewder political operators of the time, and one who, although a Republican, had equal entree with Wilson as well as Roosevelt and Taft. Warren was Pershing's guardian angel. If you are older than 12, pass this book up and read one of the others.

No comments about Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave: Written by Himself (An African American Heritage Book).

5 comments about Crazy Horse: A Lakota Life (Civilization of the American Indian Series).

1. The author evidently did a wonderful job of researching Crazy Horse for this book. I can scarcely imagine a more in depth chronical of his life. However the author is too wordy, too much detail is introduced into the book without the benefit of any flow. The reading is like reading a trial transcript. Very dry, often boring if it were not for the fact the key figure is Crazy Horse. Perhaps life in general is dry, but one has to imagine that the man who defeated Custer at the Little BigHorn, was somehow larger than life and must have led a life that rose above the average Lakota. The authors constant use of Lakota words and language is distracting. The book is one that could have been shorter by at least 150 pages and still told the same story and lost nothing in the story. Excellant research, but the author should have edited out much of the text that adds little, except to make his book look more impressive.



2. This is a thoroughly researched book about an inspired Sioux leader who gained the respect of his people while helping his people try to achieve a preservation of their nomadic and hunter-gatherer way of life. The author helps us to understand the culture of the Sioux tribes, their history, how they migrated to the Black Hills and how they came to believe the Black Hills were the sacred place of their people. They were viewed by one military authority quoted in this book as "the best light cavalry in the world". Their battle strategy, mobility, courage, tenacity, defense of their families and the numbers of strong leaders they produced enabled the Sioux tribes and related allies to hold out against the overwhelming power of the United States Army for longer than anyone may have expected possible.
   
   The author first gives the reader a grounding in Sioux culture and history, in organization of the tribes, and in the way in which Crazy Horse became a brave and the most capable and daring warrior among his people.
   The we learn about the pressures placed upon the Sioux by the Western Push of the European easterners.
   The decimation of the buffalo. The disruption of the hunting grounds, food supply, of the Sioux. Battles are described in detail with maps which, while a bit difficult to follow, are adequate to support the text. Then, as now, greed and avarice combined with state power, can contrive to displace a people from their homeland.
   Today we call it "eminent domain" or urban growth or economic displacement. In the time of Crazy Horse, the displaced indigenous peoples had nowhere to go but to a reservation where they would be greatly diminished in terms of personal freedom and reduced from independency to dependency. Some chose to resist at the point of a rifle on their side and cannon on the side of the US Army. Others chose to accept settlement, annual stipends, and the reservation.
   
   The author presents us with the internal politics that took place among the Sioux leadership; those that favored peace at a price versus those that chose freedom at any cost. The book is full of surprises, things that I did not learn in school or in the popular press. The capability of the Sioux leadership in their negotiations was of interest. The impact of bias and prejudice and how it impacted upon choices made by US Army leaders is a theme we still see played out today in governments and countries around the world. Many of the Sioux chose to resist and many gave their lives in defense of their way of life. History tends to be written by the victors. The author gives the Sioux a chance to tell their side of the story. The ample photographs breathe further life into the narrative and there are plenty of good footnotes should a reader wish to explore further. Of course, the most important aspect of the book is that we get to see a lot of the action and the politics through the eyes of Crazy Horse and those close to him, many of whom would follow him into the fire.
   
   One might find some ideas in this book to help one with one's personal philosophy regarding modern times and how indigenous peoples are treated today, well and poorly, in many parts of the world, including the USA.



3. The best book ever written on Crazy Horse! Puts Mari Sandoz's version to shame. The real stuff that comes as close to the truth as it gets.



4. Bray's books is clearly a top work and exhaustingly researched account of the Lakota known as Crazy Horse. The book is exceptionally deatiled and has a comprehensive set of notes of extreme value to those wanting additional information. I was somewhat surprised however that this book is a little less a direct biography and a bit more an in-depth look at Lakota social and political life during the 1840-1870's period. Although the book is strong, it could have been stronger if it included more maps, a genealogical chart, as well as some additional background on Lakota bands and clans. In addition, I was a bit annoyed with the author's overuse of a few words: "coterie", "harangue", etc. A good editor probably would have urged that he re-phrase some of his work but that should not deter anyone from reading and referencing this great book.



5. A thoroughly enjoyable, beautifully written and informative true story.
   This book opened my eyes to the life and times of not only the Lakota Indians but to the hardships of the Native Americans in general.
   
   A worthy first book by Kingsley Bray and I patiently wait for his next.

2 comments about Narrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown.

1. This genre, the slave narrative, created by fugitive slaves, is one that I knew nothing about, but was one that fascinated audiences and often made celebrities out of their authors. Narratives written by escaped slaves were very popular in the mid 1800s as they recounted stories of abuse, cruelty, escape, and their lives as free people in the north.

   None of these slave narratives was as curious and compelling as that of Henry "Box" Brown, who actually boxed himself up and shipped himself to freedom in 1849, from Virginia to an abolitionist in Philadelphia. Risking death and/or suffocation to be free showed the desperation of the slaves even in a state like Virginia, where cruelty was purported to be less than in other parts of the south. Brown's story showed this not to be true. His escape was motivated by the sale of his wife and children, sent to parts unknown and never seen again.

   His book was originally written by a Charles Stearns, described as a radical, argumentative ideologue and was written in an overwrought style.

   Brown fled to England in 1850 when the Fugitive Slave Act was passed. He was a controversial figure, criticized for revealing how he escaped (and profiting from this) rather than sharing it with other slaves who might have used the same method.

   When Brown got to England, his book was re-written in a more honest and simple style, and the edition that I am reviewing is the American version of that book. The difference is that this book is said to be written in Brown's voice and the lack of turgid prose makes it 20+ pages shorter.

   I have my doubts if this was Brown's voice...it seems to be the voice of a well-spoken, educated person with a large vocabulary, capable of complex sentence structure and high levels of organization. For example, he writes: "I might perhaps have dragged my chains of quietude to the grave, and have found a tomb in a slavery-polluted land; but thanks be to God I heard the glorious sound and felt its inspiring influence on my heart, and having satisfied myself of the value of freedom, I resolved to purchase it whatever should be the price."

   Despite this, the book was an incredibly interesting account of Brown's early life, his life as an adult slave, his escape.




2. We may be thankful that we are no longer producing a particularly American form of literature, the slave narrative. Hundreds of slaves told their stories in the nineteenth century, making some money thereby and striking a blow against slavery when their stories were used as abolitionist tracts. One of the most incredible was the _Narrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown_ (Oxford University Press). That "Box" as a middle name was adopted by Brown in commemoration of the method by which he gained his freedom. He had himself crated up and shipped from slavery to liberty. His audacious plan worked, and this is his story.

   Remarkably, this is the first time this edition has been printed in the US. Brown writes in his preface, "The tale of my own sufferings is not one of great interest to those who delight to read of hair-breadth adventures, of tragic occurrences, and scenes of blood - my life, even in slavery, has been in many respects comparatively comfortable." Of course the telling word there is "comparatively." The torture worse than any was worry about his family being sold away, and eventually they were, and he never saw them again. The other main theme in his pre-box narrative is the involvement of the church in supporting slavery, a hypocrisy which revolts Brown, a religious man. The loss of his family convinced Brown to make his remarkable escape: "The idea suddenly flashed upon my mind of shutting myself up in a box and getting myself conveyed as dry goods to a free state." He arranged to have himself nailed into a wooden crate, 37 by 24 by 30 inches, lined in baize. He was shipped by dray, railroad car, steamboat, and horse cart, 350 miles from Richmond to Philadelphia in 27 hours. The box bore the label, "THIS SIDE UP WITH CARE," but shipping agents back then paid as little attention to those directions as they do now, and Brown had to survive some jostling and spells upside down. Philadelphia's Anti-Slavery Committee sent for the box, and opened it nervously at their office. Brown emerged calmly, said, "How do you do, gentlemen?" and fainted. Upon awakening, he sang the fortieth psalm.

   Brown's narrative ends with his emergence from what could have been his coffin, but the useful introduction by Richard Newman explains that Brown went on the lecture circuit, telling about his slavery experiences and of course his curious escape. He had to flee to England to avoid recapture, and prospered on the stage telling his story. His eventual fate is unknown. However, we have his book now, in as near to his words as we can get, finally published in the land he chastised for restricting it's grand freedoms to slave-holders. His stark account of slave life makes a poignant memoir, and of course his brave (or foolhardy) and novel way of escaping it is thrilling. Students of the Underground Railroad already know of Brown, and this new edition of his book should enlarge his merited fame.

No comments about In Defiance of Hitler: The Secret Mission of Varian Fry.

No comments about When a Flower Is Reborn: The Life and Times of a Mapuche Feminist.

1 comments about Remember Us: From My Shtetl Through the Holocaust.

1. This is a magnificent account of the horrors of the Holocaust as lived by Martin Small. Author Vic Shayne has been able to give the reader the feeling of presence during these horrific events. Mr. Small's recollection is vivid and tragic at the same time. Having lost 34 members of his family to the murderous Nazi's and their collaborators he has dedicated his life to memorialize these unspeakable events in his art and poetry. Now his book 'Remember Us: From My Shtetl Through the Holocaust' brings his message to new heights with the chant of 'Never Again' and 'We Shall Never Forget'. This Herculean effort should be obligatory reading for everyone so that the horrors of the Holocaust as told by survivor Martin Small to Vic Shayne are understood and remembered forever.

1 comments about The Book of My Life (New York Review Books Classics).

1. Girolamo Cardano's THE BOOK OF MY LIFE is a very typical entry into the lists of the New York Review of Books Classics: fairly obscure except to Renaissance historians, Cardano was an enormously important Italian mathemetician, scientist, and astrologer who also wrote an account of himself, his nature, and his life. Cardano's experiences in 16th-century Italy are extremely complex and colorful, and he recounts not only his problems with his children and his many enemies, but also his birthsign, his experiments, and his encounters with supernatural beings. The book isn't quite as enthralling as you hope it might be, and in the foreword Anthony Grafton comments on the limitations of this translation (which hearkens back to the 1920s)--given this, you wonder why NYRB didn't commission a new and more faithful translation. The book is intriguing enough but doesn't exactly pass the time quite in the enjoyable way the NYRB Classics seem to be intended to do.