1 comments about James Jesus Angleton, the CIA, and the Craft of Counterintelligence.

1. This extraordinary new analysis of the life of James Jesus Angleton makes a fascinating connection between his training and early life as a poet and literary critic and his career in counterintelligence. Chillingly relevant to the current debate on the CIA and intelligence-gathering techniques it is a 'must read' for anyone interested in the current state of American democracy.

4 comments about The First Ladies Fact Book: The Stories of the Women of the White House from Martha Washington to Laura Bush.

1. Now here is a really great educational book! I wanted to give this book together with Women's Letters by Lisa Gruenwald. Buy these together and have a wonderful women's birthday or Mother's Day gift.
   JQ



2. This made a wonderful gift that keeps "on giving."
   The facts are interesting and unusual and it's good to have an insight into the women behind the men that have been in office.
   Quite frankly I think most of them could have done a better job than their husbands.
   Would highly recommend this to anyone for a good read and quick reference.



3. I am teaching an extra-curricular high school class this semester on the history of U.S. presidents and wives. This book has some very interesting information on the wives of the presidents. I have found fascinating tidbits from this book which kept my students interested even when the presidents might have proven boring! I am enjoying reading the book on a personal note too!



4. This huge book bollows Mr. Harris earlier book The Presidents Fact Book where he talked of the Achievements, Events, People, Triumphs, and Tragedies of Every President. Obviously in this book he is not talking about the presidents but their wives.
   
   The first ladies have had their own share of the making of history. In recent years, Jackie Kennedy did a lot towards the creation of the Camelot image of the Kennedy years. Hillary Clinton is certainly remembered for her efforts towards creating universal health care.
   
   These are just two small details of the lives of two first ladies. This book has over 700 pages about their lives, their interests, their activities in the white house and the way that they worked with their husbands to assist in the governance of the country.
   
   And yes, there is a color section of pictures featuring mostly the clothes they wore.

5 comments about Let the Trumpet Sound: A Life of Martin Luther King, Jr..

1. MLK was indeed a brilliant man. I first purchased this book while in college. My Social Science prof was allowing us to debate whether or not MLK's birthday should be a national holiday. I chimed in with "aw, what'd he do besides march and give speeches?" The prof looked at me and very quietly said "He changed the country." That got me wondering .... how'd he do that? What did he change?
   
   After reading the book i was forever changed. The book did not gloss over his human frailties. On the contrary, it's a frank portrait of MLK the man, not MLK the angel. His human frailties can never diminish his extraordinary achievements in that most noble of professions- leadership.
   
   Ghandi gave his nation the gift of enduring equality. Lincoln gave his nation the gift of civil peace. MLK gave his nation both.
   
   Let the trumpet sound!



2. For many of us, the Civil Rights era happened when we were too young to understand. This is a good overview of the man and his times. Many people who were just names before, became people to me.
   
   Although, I believe King made some serious mistakes, I understand for the first time why he should have a national holiday. I had no idea he was such an impressive person. Keep in mind, this book was written by a serious historian; not just someone who wished to canonize King.



3. As a student activist during my college years, I was introduced to this book by one of many mentors. They said that this was a detailed account of how Dr. King and his soldiers pushed forward their agenda for change in America. It was more than that. It was a powerful testament of the conviction of Dr. King and the gameplan for dealing with racist America. He did not work alone but his analysis of each situation proved to be very timely and accurate. Later on, of course, his effectiveness lost a little of its punch but you can not change the success that came from his branch of the Movement. Stephen Oates so elequently noted the techniques and strategies used during the turbulant sixties. It gave me information on how to handle the media, the powers that be, other members of my allies and prepare for possible backstabbers. That was my reason for reading the book. However, I got SSSOOO much more.
   
   Martin Luther King Jr. was a revolutionary. His faith in God was the driving force behind in nonviolent stance. His studies of Gandhi and Martin Luther further solidified his position. Destined for greatness from the time of his birth, MLK was always preparing himself (and being prepared) for that big moment. He was intelligent, charismatic and thorough in approach to segregation. A family man, a minister, a scholar and an activist. This book is a good starting point for not just learning about King but understanding him. He IS (not was) bigger than "I Have A Dream", bigger than boycotts, bigger than nonviolence. Thanks to Oates and this masterpiece, he can be celebrated for what he was, an instrument of change and the Prince of Peace.



4. Stephen Oates writes a masterful biography of one of the pivotal figures of the twentieth century. Today we view Martin Luther King Jr. as a saint, and a model of what the human spirit can achieve. In his day, he was viewed by many in the South with fear, hatred and loathing.

   It is easy to view this situation in hindsight, and assume that everyone was just ignorant. Oates writes of the complex history, the battles within and outside "the movement" and how divided the nation was at the time. Oates also does not shirk away from many of Martin Luther King's personal weaknesses. In this sense, he humanizes the great leader, instead of canonizes him.

   In the end, I am left with three conclusions:
   1 - Martin Luther King Jr. indeed found a way to overcome hatred with love, and in doing so helped America avoid a race war.
   2 - The message of civil rights was both religeous and personal. Despite today's views of the right being the party of religeon, in his day the southern liberal movement was galvanized in the church.
   3 - Despite this, he was a flawed individual. His human weakness does not diminish his accomplishment.

   The book is not light reading. Read it. Let it soak in. And comprehend.




5. This book was about a big part of our United States History. It was about Civil Rights. Martin Luther King Jr. was a big Civil Rights activist in the 1960's. I learned quite a bit about Martin Luther Kings's life that I did not know before I had read this book.
   Martin Luther King was one of the most important people of our country's history. He fought for African-Americans Civil Rights. He was a very determined man, who was alwyas put into jail numerous times for his "peaceful protests". He had given several speeches as well. The author of this book is Stephen B. Oates. He is a good writer, who has written 16 books.He has also won many literary prizes such as the Christopher Award. This book is very well written. He clearly tells the story as if he had experienced it. His strenghts include: Getting actual quotes from the people that were important in this time, having pictures of Mr. King and others, and having footnotes that explained the story more in depth. I can not think of many weaknesses that he has. However, the book was long but I did not expect it to be short due to the importance of the topic. I would reccomend this book to many people. The reason why is because it tells you in depth stories about Martin Luther King Jr. and his life, but it does have profanity and innappropriate content for young children. All in all, this was a very good biography and taught me many things.

5 comments about A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History's Greatest Traveler (P.S.).

1. IMHO, Lt. Holman, the blind traveller, was one of the greatest hoaxers in history. You'd have to be pretty gullible to believe this guy was really blind. Medicene was not advanced enough at the time to determine with certainty what his true condition was, and Holman, a talented storyteller and writer, used this fact to retain a military pension and obtain membership in an honorary order of the crown. Not having to work to earn a living afforded him the opportunity and time to travel around the world at his leisure. Faked afflictions were not an uncommon practice back then (they still are today), and it's obvious that many of Holman's activities and descriptions in this book would be flatly impossible for a blindman to do. Read with a grain of salt.



2. Jason Roberts has done a fantastic job researching and writing about a forgotten "celebrity" of the early 19th century, a man made historically obscure largely by misconceptions and prejudices against the blind.
   
   James Holman would not become blind until age 25. He was an ambitious, thoughtful, assertive, resourceful, moral man who was willing to work hard and pay his dues to rise up the social ladders that were such an integral part of British society. Holman's ambition was tempered by his unquenchable, sincere, and respectful curiosity about other lands, cultures, people, languages, literature, and science - a remarkably open-minded man for the time. Holman reminds me of a wandering and gregarious Henry David Thoreau, though he was not as philosophical, he was certainly just as fond of intense observation, quiet and solitary contemplation, and sharing his thoughts in written form, even if he wasn't fond of living by a pond.
   
   Holman's travels around the world and his writings would be remarkable even if he were sighted, healthy, and independently wealthy. That he was none of these makes this story not only more fantastic but compulsively readable. At the time, anyone who declared an interest in traveling the world on foot and horseback, alone, for pleasure and curiosity, would have been thought out of his senses and possibly locked up for his own good. But Holman was not out of his senses, even with the loss of his sense of sight. What is even more amazing, partly because it is so understated, is that Holman manages to pull it off without drawing much attention to his blindness or to his own accomplishments. For Holman, the subject is the world, not himself. By all accounts, he was a man with whom people around the world liked to be in company, and it's easy to understand why. But then, as the author states, Holman was a man who could form attachments and perhaps more importantly let them go, as needed. But as much as Holman relied on the hospitality and generosity of people, he never took advantage. He never overstayed his welcome or stayed in any one place merely for comfort or convenience.
   
   I must agree with other reviewers at being surprised that this book is not available on audio. But such things are not controlled by the author or even the publisher. This is a fine book of narrative history and biography, and includes ample excerpts from Holman's writings. There are also chapter notes and a bibliography, but strangely, no index in the hardback edition I read.



3. It amazes me that such a highly reviewed book about a blind man is not available in audiobook on Amazon! Who better to be inspired by this book than the visually impaired? I was hoping to buy this book for my mother's birthday, but since she is blind she relies on audiobooks, and I will have to search somewhere else.



4. I just finished reading this book and I loved it. Not only did I learn about Mr. Holman's amazing life, but I got a clear sense of the period in which he lived. All in all a great read. I recommend it to all, but especially those who love history.



5. I have just finished reading A Sense of the World, which I found while aimlessly wandering around Borders one day. What an amazing book.
   
   This book is a fascinating, real-life adventure story. It introduces the reader to James Holman, an inspirational man who ignored both physical & financial constraints to follow his dream of circumnavigating the world. It also brings to life early 19th century England, and the experience of travelling to Europe & way, way beyond.
   
   On top of that, it is an extremely well-written biography, entertaining, informative, respectful & true to its subject. I hope to read more of Jason Roberts' books in future.

5 comments about Custer's Fall: The Native American Side of the Story.

1. History is filled with stories not always true. In the days following the Battle of the Greasy Grass or Little Big Horn, hundreds of survivors suddenly surfaced. Some even had the cruel audacity to write Elizabeth Custer with their fictional accounts as they chased their 15 minutes of fame.
   The reality of the death of General Custer and his immediate command and those of the Indians is well known and that is the problem with this book.
   Elizabeth Custer knew exactly what happened in June of 1876 to her husband, brother in laws and soldiers from the investigative retracing of none other than General Nelson Miles, the greatest soldier the United States produced until George S. Patton.
   In her book, there is a recount of that day as traced from factual evidence. In short, Custer concerned the Indians would flee not as a group as were his "hammer" orders to strike the combined forces and drive them to General Terry's "anvil" to smash them, attacked the Indians quickly.
   He divided his command as he had numerous times before and in facing 2 other Little Big Horns. Capt. Benteen was to scout for fleeing Indians with Maj. Reno intended to drive the Indians as Custer attacked the camp diverting the Indian forces.
   Custer tried to cross the river, but it was too deep and finally to try and help Reno he opened fire on the camp which in fact drew the Indians off Reno and they crossed up river which started the Last Stand.
   Custer deployed his forces perfectly on ground not suited for a fight and sent for Benteen to bring up reinforcements. Benteen though upon finding the completely rattled Reno appears to have decided to "let Custer fight his way out of his own jam" in a lingering grudge he had with Custer.
   Benteen fought bravely in their stand, but both Reno and Benteen let Custer down, one for cowardice and the other for not obeying orders.
   Twice during the 2 hour Custer fight his forces fired mass volleys were an Army signature of distress and to alert other forces to come to their aid. In fact, part of the Reno command did try to force their way to Custer, but were turned back under fire from Indians.
   Custer and his command fought very well as the field of battle evidence revealed. His flank was over run at one point and that began the end as the Indians simply wore down the ranks.
   Col. Richard Dodge who records part of the Custer Stand honestly concluded that Custer did commit suicide. This is not some cowardly act as those on the plains knew that death by fire and steel is what awaited an Indian captive. This was not secret in sinews were cut off as well as body parts from living captives as fire was kindled on feet and hands till it was burnt on the chest as Indians warmed themselves and taunted the person till they expired.
   Libby Custer understood this and her husband even had soldiers stationed with her with orders to shoot her if they were attacked to keep her from being ravaged by the Indians. Ravaged as records show was gang raped by every male in being taken back to camp with the Indian women making crude comments. The captive woman was then passed around in camp for days for rape until she came back to the owner who would gamble her away as the Indian women forced her to serve them and beat her.
   It is important to understand though the Indians were savages in the mentality they did not deem rape, murder and theft as evil. Those means of war were celebrated on non tribe members, but were considered "bad" by an Indian if attempted on members of their own tribe as the leaders would beat the Indian and sometimes kill them for it. That made it bad, because they suffered for it.
   The Indians though savage did cherish their children and captive children. The men though practiced war while the women served their masters. The known fact though was the most horrid of tortures were always noted by Indian women. None of this is an indictment, but simple fact of the times and the tribes. This is what any non tribe member faced whether white or Crow from the Sioux and Cheyenne. Custer's own brother Tom at the Little Big Horn in being wounded was alive and an Indian cut his heart out. If Custer did commit suicide, it was only a rational decision as all of his were that day.
   As for the Indians who fought there, there is no evidence on that day that any of them knew this was Custer. They viewed it as simply horse soldiers and went out to fight them. The relics or war booty they gathered has never been discovered. Legend has it that it was buried on the flight to Canada which makes sense as any Indian who had a part in a massacre knew their lives were forfeit not just by government troops if they were caught, but by Sioux loyal to the United States still on the reservations. This divide is still at odds on the reservation today.
   Therefore most accounts published by Indians are suspect and in the case of beleiveable stories like Red Fox who only stated he saw the smoke of battle from camp as he was a boy, the versions often never match known historical evidence of the actual battle.
   So this is not a book about Custer's fall, but a view of hopes like Dee Brown who suffer from the eastern malaise of guilt over winning wars with Indian peoples who were butchering Americans over land the Indians themselves only had acquired a few years before from other Indians. As a historical fact, the Sioux were in the process of genocide against the Pawnee and Arikara Indians and were driving the Crow farther into Montana. It is why the Pawnee and the Crow were allied with the US government. It is also the reason that the US Army was on the plains in June of 1876 as the Crow had begged Washington to protect it's tribes from raids by the Sioux which were happening.
   Too much has been written about Custer as the focal point with no one examining the horrid mistakes of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in leading their people to destruction when others like Spotted Tail were trying to build a future for the Sioux. Custer's fall actually occurred months earlier when he was testifying in Washington over corruption by the Indian Department who were selling guns to the plains Indians in gleaning the last dollars from the tribes before they were destroyed by a war being fomented by both Crazy Horse and elements of the Grant administration.
   Those are the facts in this from historical records and one could do much better than reading accounts from people who either have an axe to grind on Custer or want to make the plains Indian tribes of that era what they never were.
   If one wants to read the Memoirs of Red Fox, it does a much better job of an Indian view on life. If one wants to read reality of Indians, Col. Richard Dodge's book on his life among the wild Indians reveals the Indian who they were with faults and glory and if one wants to read of Custer, then try Libby's books and the work of Gen. Nelson Miles as the facts are there.
   Yes there was a cover up of failure of duty by Reno and Benteen in the Court Martials, but the Army's memory while sweeping it away in public did not forget and Reno was later drummed out of the service and Benteen was dumped into Utah to disappear.
   The fact though of George Custer and that day are found in better places than this book which rates as rumor...and rumor has no place in history.



2. I have not yet read the book but am now ordering it. I noticed that a couple of the reviews from readers questioned the validity of the book. It is absolutely authenic. I was the Millers banker in 1981 when they lived in Rancho Santa Fe, Ca. and I visited their home on 2 occasins. Mr. Miller has a fascinating background which does include living with the indians and seeking out those who had fought Custer approximately 50 years prior to his painting their busts.His home was full of Indian artifacts which he refused to sell because they had been given to him and had special meaning. Mr. Miller was also employed on the sets of several cowboy movies as an Indian expert. He was about 75 years old in 1981 and I have lost total contact with him. I just want readers of this book to know that it is the real thing.



3. Having read several differing accounts of the battle at Little Big Horn, I find that no one, not even the Indians know what happened that day. Mr. Miller has done his best to present the views of the Indians who fought at the battle as factually as possible. I have not read a recent printing, (my book was printed in 1965, 208 pages counting lists of Indians interviewed or mentioned and the Officers of the 7th Cavalry). I have not been able to find anything in this book, or in any other books to make me believe that Mr. Miller has done anything other than present the facts as best as he could, and I highly recomend this book for anyone interested in the truth about what happened June 25, 1876.



4. David H. Miller's claim to have interviewed oodles of Indian survivors of the Custer fight is bogus. Most of the factual Indian material in the book is freely lifted from interviews recorded by other people such as Stanley Vestal. Even the Indian "portraits" which Miller supposedly did from life appear to have been done from photographs. It is significant that Miller waited until the last Indian survivor had died in 1955 before publishing. Like his spiritual descendent, Dee Brown, Miller writes nonsense while leaning on the works of more reputable authors...

   His "original" material is sheer nonsense, like his contention that Custer committed suicide and that the powder burns were somehow "wiped away" by cover-up officers -- and that Custer's body was taken away on the Far West rather than buried on the field. (Oddly enough, he also claims that Custer got shot crossing the river...)




5. This book provides interesting reading for Custerphiles. It markedly shows that no one, not even the native participants knew what was happening on all parts of the battlefield that day. Each had his own perspective of the area immediatly around him and that changed from each individuals perspective. In the long run I would go with eyewitness accounts unless directly refuted with iron clad evidence. The author tried to present the native side as they experienced the battle. He did a great job, but left us with just as many unanswered questions as we started with. Still a good book to include in a library. It is not a favorite with revisionist historians.

5 comments about Fatal Purity: Robespierre and the French Revolution.

1. This book is an highly readable history which makes the sequence of events (which can seem convoluted in other accounts) of the French Revolution easily understandable (understandable in that we can see why the National Assembly and its constitutional monarchy failed, which was then succeeded by the Convention, which was where Robespierre eventually gained control both as President of the Convention and as the most influential member of the Committee of Public Safety, which was formed by the Convention).
   
   Hard to understand a man (Robespierre) so committed to his ideal of defense of the Revolution and the purity he thought it should embody that he'd send old friends (Danton, Desmoulins), with whom he mostly agreed on things, to the scaffold. Cannot understand it from the point of view of being a human being. The book does provide explanation of Robespierre's thinking, so that's as close as humanity/Robespierre we can link.
   
   Thank you, Ruth Scurr (the author).



2. I was not going to write about this book, but have decided to do so after reading some of the other reviews. This book is a biography, and tells of Robespierre from the beginning of his life to its end. It does not begin with the King's flight to Varennes, as implied by one reviewer. I found the writing clear and easy to read, not boring. I have never admired Robespierre and this book did not change my opinion of him, even though it is even-handed and tells what good things can be said of him. I don't know of a better modern biography of him and I have no hesitancy in giving this book five stars.



3. This is an excellent biography of Robespierre that really gives the reader an inside look at the French Revolution. The style of writing is very easy to read and personal so the reader feels like they are present at the events. I would recommend having at least a cursory knowledge for the revolution before reading this as she does assume some knowledge for events that Robespierre is not directly involved with. The biggest drawback to the book and the main reason for the four stars is that it is very pro-Robespierre and this comes from a reliance on his sisters journal (Catharine) as a primary source. Some further work which would have been done had this been an academic book would have been better. Nonetheless it is comprehensive and well done. The analysis of the terror is very unique and the bloodletting that so many focus on is explained very well here. This is a great start to understanding Robespierre and despite the fawning praise it is well worth the read.



4. A fine study of personality...with considerable attention to accuracy. Literary quality is very good.
   
   Sometimes, history outshines any novel, in intrigue and tragedy; such is the case, here.
   
   There is little opinion in this book, thankfully. Furthermore, the author respects Robespierre as a creature of not only his inner mannerisms, but especially of his times.
   
   In my education, I missed the French Revolution. It was my great pleasure to happen upon this book, as excellent as it is. Thanks to PBS, too, for stimulating my interest, quite accidentally, in this man and his mission. The creations of the Revolutionaries, such as revamped calendar and religion, are discussed pointedly. No mention of metric system, but perhaps none is needed!
   
   My greatest regret, from this book, was that the story ended with the death of Robespierre. I will look with interest elsewhere, to see how the fledgling republic, so fraught with discord, shortly afterward degenerated into the Napoleonic monarchy.
   
   Some societies just are not mature enough for democracy, perhaps.



5. Ruth Scurr successfully manages to be neither overly critical nor too flattering in explaining Maximilien Robespierre to her readers. Scurr highlights the significant influence of the classical Greek and Roman tradition and the 18th century Enlightenment on Robespierre's intellect. Scurr also quotes Robespierre and his contemporaries to give her audience further insights into the complex, contradictory personality of the Incorruptible.
   
   To his detractors, present and past, Robespierre was the first of a long list of modern dictators. Think for instance about the multiple purges over which dictators such as Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Saddam Hussein presided during their respective reigns of terror. Terror increasingly became self-perpetuating and indiscriminate when Robespierre was at the apex of his power in 1793 - 1794. Robespierre, unable to compromise, convinced himself that he embodied France and the Revolution. Unsurprisingly, anyone who did not share his views was a traitor to France and therefore a counterrevolutionary who deserved death. Terror could only be stopped by Robespierre's own elimination.
   
   To his supporters, present and past, Robespierre was the first modern democrat. Robespierre embraced the social contract theory of government that Jean-Jacques Rousseau propagated and the concept of republican virtue that Charles-Louis de Secondat (Montesquieu) advocated. Robespierre built a genuine reputation as the defender of the poor and weak in the different positions that he assumed, especially after the Revolution. Robespierre went far in his quest for power because he sincerely believed everything he was saying and convinced many people around him of his sincerity in working for the well-being of the Revolution.
   
   Perhaps, more importantly, the fate of Robespierre is a stern warning to the revolutionaries of all stripes, present and future. Revolutions often devour their own children.

3 comments about George H. W. Bush: The American Presidents Series: The 41st President, 1989-1993 (The American Presidents).

1. This book, authored by Timothy Naftali, ends with the following comment (Page 176): "George W. Bush's controversial presidency led to a positive reassessment of his father's time in the White House. . . .[M]any missed the elder Bush's realism, his diplomacy, his political modesty, and, yes, even his prudence."
   
   George H. W. Bush was a one term president who presided over the end of the Cold War. This slender biography, another entry in The American Presidents series, provides a useful biography of the 41st president of the United States. The book begins with his childhood and youth, culminating in his estimable service in the Navy's air wing, including being shot down in the Pacific. Upon his return to the United States, Bush entered Yale and, upon graduation, became a businessman who did well, after moving from New England to Texas.
   
   In Texas, Bush became interested in politics, and public service consumed him until the end of his presidency. He was ambitious from the start of his career. He had successes (election to the House of Representatives) and failures (defeat in a Senate race). He became a person respected by his Republican Party leaders, and served in a number of important roles, from Director of the CIA, Ambassador to the U. N., Chair of the Republican National Committee, and head of the U. S. diplomatic post in the People's Republic of China.
   
   After his China tour, he began thinking about the presidency. It didn't work out in 1980 (Ronald Reagan simply did a better job as candidate); however, he got quite a consolation prize--Vice President. Then, the tale of his campaign to become President in 1988.
   
   Once elected, he displayed prudence. He ran into trouble when he backed off his "Read my lips; no new taxes" promise from the 1988 campaign. Many Republicans were angered. His presidency did feature both domestic successes and foreign policy successes (end of the Cold War and the stunning cobbling together of a coalition to boot Iraq out of Kuwait--and his refusal to advance on Baghdad). There were also problems, such as seeming sometimes to be out of touch. Then , his dismaying defeat by Bill Clinton in 1992.
   
   All in all, a good depiction of the man and his presidency. Another worthy addition to the series.



2. This was not a strict biography of the entire life of George H. W. Bush. The author. Timothy Naftali, gave brief information about President Bush's family background, military service and early career and of course how he came into public life. Most of the book centered on the challenges that President Bush faced during his years of presidential service and how his early experiences influenced the decisions that he made at a very difficult time in the history of the world.
   
   President Bush was at the helm during the period when the Cold War ended and the people of the Eastern European countries were throwing off the shackles of years of enforced communist rule. The author states that "Poland was the scene of the first dramatic change. In February 1989 Solidarity was legalized and Lech Walesa entered into talks with the Communist government to prepare for a new electoral system."
   
   President Bush's diplomatic relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev was good which was helpful in negotiating peaceful resolutions to some of the many problems which surfaced as the Cold War was ending. The nonviolent reunification of East and West Germany was also accredited to the President's intervention. A few years later in 1991, his diplomacy helped to garner a coalition of united forces that joined together to defeat Saddam Hussein's take over of Kuwait.
   
   On the home front, the President was not particularly popular. The American people found him difficult to understand. In some ways his aristocratic coolness turned many people off and within the Republican Party, he did not have the strong backing that President Reagan had experienced. The election promise that President Bush made when he ran for office was, "Read my lips--no new taxes." When he was forced to break that promise he lost a great deal of support and his bid for reelection.
   
   Timothy Naftali's assessment of President Bush was that he was probably the right man for the job at that time and that "George Bush answered the call for greatness when his country required it." I thought this book was well done and it helped me to understand more about world politics and President Bush. Time and history seems to be the best judge of how well a president performed while in office.
   
   
   
   



3. George Herbert Walker Bush - 1989-93
   "Read my lips!" the elder Bush said when he promised no raise in taxes. When taxes were raised, David Duke said he meant, "Kiss my hips!" The door opened for a stampede on the Oval Office from Pat Buchanan to Ross Perot. Perot was an eccentric billionaire. "You want jobs? Here's the deal!" He got scared he was going to win and dropped out. He re-entered and got 19% of the vote as his Reform Party's candidate. The legacy of Bush 41 is his confrontation with Saddam Hussein and Iraq. Saddam invaded oil-rich Kuwait in 1990. Bush put together a coalition and drove him out. Bush said it was not about oil. If it was not about oil, then it was not about anything. Americans do not care about Kuwaitis or Iraqis. They care about driving to and from sporting events, getting home to their wives and kids and putting food on the table. Bush made enemies across the Muslim world. Americans who wanted regime change in 1991 would get their chance. Bush kept looking at his watch when he debated Clinton. He underestimated Baby Boomers.

5 comments about Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Woman Behind the Legend (Missouri Biography Series).

1. This is by far the best biography on Laura Ingalls Wilder available. This is a scholarly, indepth look that goes beyond her books and looks into what made her a writer. Written for adults.



2. This is the real-life Laura and family. Biographer John Miller provides tremendous detail in a smooth, quick and fascinating read. Gives a lot of historic context from the time of Charles and Caroline's childhood through the 1950's, and many new tidbits about Laura's actual childhood. The most thought-provoking and disturbing section of the book is toward the end, covering the period between 1925 and Laura's death in 1957.
   
   Rose, having worked and travelled all over the world as a successful author, came home to Rocky Ridge for some 9 years in the late 20's and early 30's. While there, she suffered frequent depression, writer's block, financial trouble, and a frustrating relationship with her mother, Laura. Yet it was at this time that she helped Laura begin the Little House books, the first of which was published in 1932. The collaboration between the two on the series has been a topic of contention among scholars, critics, and fans from the beginning. Here we learn the truth, book-by-book, on who wrote what, and how each felt about her role in the partnership.
   
   This truth is enlightening and yet Rose's sad mental state and resentment toward Laura is a bit heartbreaking for fans who still believe in Pa's beloved, spunky, hard-working, Plum Creek-swimming, Nellie Oleson-hating, hay-making, bible verse-reciting, school-teaching, buggy-riding, half-pint who wanted nothing more than to send her blind sister to college.



3. This would be a very interesting book if I had not already read all the little house series plus the book where she went to Mansfield from DeSmet and the one where she went to visit Rose in San Francisco.
   
   This is best read before reading the other books. The books by Laura Ingalls Wilder give more detail than any of the birographys by any other author.



4. I found this to be a good book, although I wish the author would have personalized Laura a little more. The ongoing battle between mother and daughter might have been overemphasized, but one comes to learn that this probably worked for both of them. I found a lot of good information, but the statistics were a little much. I found myself reading between the lines and wanted to get back to the meat of the story...Laura.
   
   I recommend this book to any Wilder fan, for it does give us a glimpse into the woman she really was. Like anyone else, Laura was only human, faults and all.
   
   Meloni Cassidy
   Author of Everlasting Journey



5. I purchased this book to read about how Laura Ingalls Wilder became the celebrated author of the Little House series of books. I was very disappointed, therefore, that this uninsightful, dry, fragmented, and repetitious tome read more like a bad history book with too many statistics, facts and figures, rather than character analysis, leaving me with no more knowledge of Laura's character than before I read it. For example, after describing ad nauseum all the organizations and activities one could possibly participate in their town, the author states that we do not know if Laura and her family enjoyed any of them. It was frustrating to constantly read the words "probably, maybe, if, we can presume ....." The author makes too many assumptions and repeatedly expresses his inability to accurately understand and relay Laura's personal feelings due to the unfortunate lack of diaries, letters, and journals left behind by Mrs. Wilder. Relying too much on her daughter, Rose's writings, he portrays Laura as an overprotective, condescending, controlling mother and a domineering wife who refused to vow to obey her husband during their wedding. Miller is not quite sure he even believes Rose's unflattering portrayal of her mother, because she was mentally ill and emotionally unstable herself. This book contains so much one-sided information about Laura's daughter that it should instead be titled Becoming Rose Wilder Lane.

4 comments about Folding Paper Cranes: An Atomic Memoir.

1. "Folding Paper Cranes" is almost guaranteed to arouse anger and depression in the reader. However, it is also a book of hope and inspiration. Leonard Bird's book moved me to tears at times, a deeply affecting read.
   
   It is maddening that our Federal government chose to put men such as Bird at such great risk, using them as laboratory rats. The hope that resides in this engaging little book is how the Japanese people rose out of the nuclear ash and their dedication to peace.
   
   When you read of Bird's encounter with Mr. Tanaka and little Meiko and her family make sure the tissue box is nearby. Leonard Bird knows redemption. He has met it face-to-face, redemption with flesh on it.



2. This is a very poetically written book about the author's experiences with United States atomic bomb testing and his coming to peace with the dropping of the bomb on Japan.



3. This incredible book feels like an intimate recollection between you and the author. The descriptive prose will shake you to your foundation as Mr. Bird describes with amazing clarity his encounters with nuclear horror. Although small in stature (its only 150 pages) it walks tall and you will emerge from the experience changed.
   
   I have had the pleasure of traveling and spending time with Red and amazingly I knew nothing of this book. When it was given to me a sat and read it instantly. The tears flowed down my cheeks as I read it cover to cover.
   
   I hope it will inspire you to think about our nuclear legacy, act to eliminate nuclear warheads from planet earth, and fold some paper cranes for good luck.



4. This memoir chronicles the author's experience as a test subject for one of the hundreds of US Government nuclear bomb trials which took place in the desert of Nevada, and the aftermath of its effects on the author both physically and psychologically. As a young soldier, Bird was ordered to crouch in a trench with his squad a mere 4,000 yards from the detonation of the largest nuclear bomb explosion in North America, wearing only a WWII gas mask for protection. The memoir is framed by the author's three trips to Hiroshima which ultimately aid in his attempt to come to terms with both the terror and hope he shares with the victims and survivors of nuclear war in Hiroshima. His account brings to life the horror of Hiroshima that is only understood abstractly by many Americans. Additionally, it is very informative about the hundreds of nuclear explosions the government sponsors in our own country for the purpose of experimentation and the devastating effects of radiation disease caused by radioactive fallout. Folding Paper Cranes: An Atomic Memoir, is frank, sensitive, and searingly honest. It is sprinkled with poetry and though poignant with despair, ultimately brings a message of peace and hope.

5 comments about Confessions of a Yakuza: A Life in Japan's Underworld.

1. There is much to like about this book - it simply taking place in Japan, a culture so different than the United States, makes it interesting; another layer of interest is in the time frame, which begins in the early 1900s; and, of course, the most obvious twist of all is in its exploration of the organized crime syndicate, the Yakuza. It is important to have an account of the sort of life one would live under these circumstances in that far from the Hollywood presentation we've grown accustomed to, this tells the story very honestly and without much glamor. On the other hand, it is told in a retrospective, anecdotal fashion; as this is not a Yakuza boss's memoir but the story of a Yakuza boss's life as narrated to another, recorded on tape and transcribed to text, it loses much of the emotion and immediacy that it would have if told in the moment. Its being narrated to another presents us only with pieces of a larger picture, as well - Eiji's prison terms, military conscription and time spent as a night boatman, transporting people through the darkness, hidden from the eyes of the corrupt police force, for example, could have multiple chapters devoted to them, but instead we only get one or two of the most interesting anecdotes of each. The darker parts of the biography detailing murders and men selling their wives so as to keep up their gambling habits are disturbing but detached; one chapter ends with the sentence "It's pretty frightening, really, when you think about it...." which I think sums up the feeling pretty well - we shake our heads but do not feel truly disturbed, as we might if the story were presented in a different voice. Though the editor's note explains that he removed some of the more confusing and tedious parts, I doubt that this would alter the feeling that we are simply getting a few glimpses at a much larger picture. Another gripe is that some of the humor gets lost in translation, and when someone tries to make a joke, simply the way it is phrased ruins it. For example, the gambler Tsukada Saburo tells him, "Well, making things is just my line - I can even make babies with other men's wives! - and this was a cinch for me." I'm sure that you get the idea. But that is a small flaw, and the book as a whole, while not being entirely enveloping or emotionally gripping, is still very interesting and enjoyable, and worth a read for sure.



2. A great way to look into the yakuza world and not have Hollywood mucking it up. I recently did some research on the yakuza and out of all the books I read, this one was by far one of the best. Even though he's kind of recounting tales to this doctor, the story is still very involved and engrossing. A great read!



3. it is a great book that combines history and the orginazied crime family that played a large part of many people's lives. It is an insider view of a world that very few knows exists.



4. Somehow, I thought this would be some blood drenched melodrama, and along the way I would learn a thing or two about the Yakuza way.
   
   But this book was far more subtle and deeply real. It is clear that in the old days, a good Yakuza boss keep a low profile and maintained good connections with his community. All of this is very subtly and carefully portrayed. Many times, it is his careful and diplomatic efforts that yield some of the best results.
   
   And yet, his story is underscored by how he lived outside of society often times. On top of all this, it conveys a time in Japan long ago, and did so very graphically.
   
   All in all, an very good book.



5. It may sound odd that I use the word honor in the context of a gangster which is exactly what the yakuza were and are, but the man profiled here is completely old school in all its best connotations. Essentially, the background concerns a very old man about to die who tells his story to the random doctor who happens to examine him. The interviews are conducted over a series of weeks and they occur at the yakuza's home. To say that he lived in interesting times is definitely an understatement. Most of the action occurs before World War II, and, in those days, being a yakuza meant only running gambling houses. To do anything else was beneath them. One can see why the police were rather tolerant in regards to their general operations in light of this eventuality. The man described here eventually became the head of a local branch of the brotherhood, but the stories of his rise and his ever-so-complicated interactions with women were what most impressed this reviewer. This was a pretty fantastic read, and its value is all the greater should you be rather ignorant about Japan (as was the case with this reviewer).